Grateful: Random Kindness Acts By Young Children Raises School Funds

GUILFORD, CT — A songwriter wrote The Greatest Love Of All with an opening, and inspiring, line about children, suggesting we should "Teach them well and let them lead the way."

On Thanksgiving, there's much to be grateful for, but especially for our children. So when we see the youngest doing good works that can inspire us all, it's that much more moving.

At a pre-school in Guilford, children from age two to five, are leading the way, in kindness.

The Community Nursery School on Sachems Head Road has just wrapped up its “Raise Craze” fundraiser where the children raised funds through random acts of kindness. And they had a great time while doing it, school organizers said.

"The school wanted to highlight what it means to take part in random acts of kindness," school publicity chair on the Board of Directors Jaime-Lynn Murgo told Patch.

"We love to highlight the amazing things going on here," she said. With Raise Craze, the very young children participated in an event that encouraged kindness and community building, she explained. Thirty-four children at the nursery school pledged 72 acts of kindness, including setting up a collection spot at the school for Moffet Line Striping’s First Annual Toy Drive.

Murgo said "some other cute acts of kindness" performed by the children included:

• Helped my sister feel better when she was hurt
• Picking up trash in my neighborhood
• Bringing food to a food pantry
• Feeding the wildlife in my backyard
• Fed my dog

Organized by the school's hospitality chairperson, Irene Baker, the kindness fundraiser concluded Tuesday where, Murgo said, We recognized all of our kiddos for their hard work and kindness."

"We are so thrilled to have been able to meet our fundraising goal (of $7,000), which shows how dedicated our families are to everything that CNS stands for and the amazing experience all of our children receive," Murgo said. "It was exciting to see so many children participating in completing their acts of kindness at home and throughout their community."

The fundraiser was not publicized outside the school community, rather, Murgo said, "the families of students each created their own donation page and reached out directly to friends/family/potential supporters."

So although the fundraiser is complete, anyone interested in making donations directly to the school based on the children's acts of kindness may do so by clicking here.

About the Community Nursery School

Since being founded in 1955, Community Nursery School’s play-based learning environment has been an important part of our community. It is our philosophy to provide a nurturing environment that promotes the emotional, social, educational and physical needs of each child. Alongside our committed staff, parents contribute by playing an active role in the early education of their children.