Ben's Bells Founder to Speak at WCSU

From Western Connecticut State University:

DANBURY, CT - Western Connecticut State University will host a lecture by Jeannette Maré, founder and executive director of the Ben's Bells Project, at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 2, in the Ives Concert Hall, White Hall, on the university's Midtown campus, 181 White St. in Danbury. The event will be preceded by a 6 p.m. reception in the rooms adjacent to the concert hall.

Maré began the Ben's Bells Project after the unexpected death of her two-year old son Ben in 2002. By incorporating different coping strategies into her life, she came up with a design for Ben's Bells, handmade ceramic wind chimes hung randomly throughout the community in public spaces for people to find and take home as a reminder to practice intentional kindness.

According to her website, the mission of Ben's Bells is to "inspire, educate and motivate each other to realize the impact of intentional kindness and to empower individuals to act according to that awareness, thereby strengthening ourselves, our relationships and our communities."

Maré will discuss the challenges and opportunities people encounter in every interaction while striving to create kinder communities. During this presentation, Maré will reflect on her own experiences with kindness in the face of devastating grief and will share her work with Ben's Bells Project. She also intends to discuss the emerging body of research on the science of kindness.

WCSU Dean of Student Affairs Dr. Walter Cramer said "creating kinder communities" is a value that he shares with Maré.

"Given the fact that we have the Center for Compassion, Creativity and Innovation here at WCSU and an overwhelming commitment of our students to community service - it was only logical that we collaborate with Ben's Bells to host the Ben's Bells Project Kindness in Action Speaker Series," Cramer said.

By using humor and storytelling, Maré plans to inspire the audience and equip them with the right tools to incorporate the life-changing practice of kindness into their daily lives.

Admission is free for WCSU students with I.D., $5 for WCSU faculty and staff with I.D., $5 for all other students and $10 for the general public. Tickets can be found here.

For more information, contact Studio Manager and Community Relations Manager for the Ben's Bells Project Trisha Guiry at (203) 501-9999 and visit here or here on Facebook.

Image via Western Connecticut State University