Helping Newtown, CT from Reno, NV

Kids don’t need a national tragedy, like the mass shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, to know that taking time to help others is fun and that when we help others, we are helping ourselves.

Our entire nation has been gripped with pain, shock, and most of all sadness since the horrific events at Newtown, Connecticut last week. I know I have been walking around in a teary daze for the past week. Things that meant so much last Thursday, like the fact that my cat won’t stay out of the Christmas tree or my car needs an oil change, now seem pitifully insignificant. My amazing family shines with the same brilliant light they always have. But I, like most of us, take for granted the sheer fact we have become accustomed to it. I cannot stop thinking of the families spending this holiday season with their loved ones so cruelly ripped away from them. Therefore, we decided to do our small part to help.

Now, my son is three and does not know about the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School. He is too young to comprehend such evil. Christine’s children, miss A and little N, are also of the tender age of four and two respectfully. Trying to explain the deaths of 26 innocent people inside a school makes no sense so Christine and I, so we decided not to brooch the topic with them. However, though they are young, they are not too young to understand empathy. I want my son to know that when someone is hurting, regardless of whether you know the person, you can do something to help and make a difference. With this is mind, we decided to make holiday cards for the grieving citizens of Newtown.

My son and little N immediately jumped at the chance to do an art project with little thought as to the reason, but miss A (I should mention she is four going on fourteen!) wanted to know why we were making cards for people we don’t know. This is what Christine said, “There are people in this world who are not as fortunate as we are to have their mommy and daddy and siblings with them for the holidays. We want to make sure they know we are thinking of them so we will make them special cards so they know they are not alone.” It was simple, poignant, and effective. Miss A understood and immediately asked for a pink card, since she was making a special picture for a little girl who loved Christmas as much as she does.

That is what amazes me so much about kids. They don’t need a reason to do good. They don’t waste time weighing the pros and cons. They don’t need a national tragedy that literally brings them to their knees to know that taking time to help others is fun and that when we help others, we are helping ourselves. We can all learn so much from the innocence children that shines out daily.

We lost 20 of these precious and innocent lights on December 14th. Let’s make sure we all take the time to do whatever we can to bring just an ounce of that light back into our world. Here is what you can do to help:

Address for Letters of Condolences to the citizens of Newtown

Addresses for First Responders

26 Acts of Kindness

Make your community and country a better place! Look here for more information on the 26 Acts of Kindness Campaign. People around the country are committing random acts of kindness in honor of the victims. Here’s a sheet to fill out and share with others for you, not only for when you follow through on an act of kindness, but to share with others so that they too can pursue their own 26 acts of kindness. Please be sure to use the #26Acts and #26ActsofKindness hashtags with @AnnCurry when you tweet on Twitter about this campaign or go to Facebook.com/26Acts.

Are you doing something to help Newtown and the nation? Lets us know!