gram. In its first year, 250 handmade
cards were delivered anonymously
to Sedona’s unsung heroes, thanking
them for all they do. One recipient
told a neighbor, “I sat right down on
the floor and cried when I found this
card on my doorstep. No one had ever
thanked me before.”
In 2017, the women fashioned 200
beautiful “Boxes of Love.” They were
presented to the Verde Valley Care-
givers, and to patients and caregivers
at the Medical Center and the Cotton-
wood and Accord Hospice centers.
‘Kindness Bracelets’ that we give to
the students and teachers. They spell
out SedonaKind and the word “Kind-
ness” in 5 languages round the band,”
said Gloria Woody, head of the KIS
team. “The kids love to wear them.”
The “Kindness Ladies” offer
interactive activities that include art
projects, reading and storytelling, a
puppet theater, and designing a kind-
ness book with artwork and stories
created by the children. It’s been said,
“Kindness is the greatest wisdom,” so
taking that message into the schools is
a perfect fit.
KIS: Kindness In Schools
“It’s the Kindness Ladies…the Kind-
ness Ladies,” the young children at
West Sedona School call out as the KIS
(Kindness in Schools) teams arrive.
Kindness in Schools was developed to
encourage and support teachers, par-
ents, and children in fostering and rec-
Sedona Kindness Day and More
ognizing acts of kindness every day in
their schools. The goal is to help create
a more compassionate and considerate
environment in the classrooms and
on the playgrounds. Again, art plays a
role in this process. “We’ve designed
“Kids and art just go together. We just added kindness to the mix,” said SedonaKind member Joy Sinnott.
The organization joined with the Sedona Art Center (SAC) and Rotary to teach the children of Big Brothers
Big Sisters to make their own Kindness Charms during a joyful party called “Art from the Heart.” The
children loved the idea of sharing their charms with families and friends to help make their world a kinder
place. Many charms were displayed in a SAC exhibition, and the kids were so proud!
32 IMAGINE l FALL 2018
Mayor Moriarity and the City Council
proclaimed the first Sedona Kindness
Day to align with World Kindness
Day on November 13, each year. For
the weeks of celebration, SedonaKind
artists produced beautiful Gratitude
Trees along with heart ornaments for
display around Sedona. Residents and
visitors wrote statements of gratitude
on the ornaments. The trees became
a personal, artistic vehicle that bore
witness to all that is peaceful and
blessed in the Sedona community.
Also, on Sedona Kindness Day,
the Sedona International Film Festival
screened a special film provided by
SedonaKind. As in last year, this year’s
screening is a fund-raiser for a local
charity, Veterans and PTSD programs.
“We select the films to show how
individuals can undertake simple acts
of kindness that can spread compas-
sion and good works everywhere,”
explained founding member Jawn
McKinley. “People can make more of a
difference than they imagine.”
“Being part of SedonaKind has
gifted us with a heightened awareness