The Kindness Project to Launch TOMORROW with Word Thursdays Featuring Andes Writers

Bright Hill Presents Word Thursdays Online featuring Random Acts Of Kindness and The Kindness Project Thursday, September 23, 2021 at 7 PM Andes Faculty and Staff Journal Writers Robert L. Chakar, Jr., Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools Jennifer Finkle Founder, Random Acts of Kindness Journal Bertha Rogers Bright Hill Editor-in-Chief, Editor, The Kindness Journal Beatrice Georgalidis Bright Hill Executive Director, Project Producer and Emcee Special Opening Remarks on the Power of Kindness by Master Therapist and Podcaster Bernadette Winters Bell, LMSW, PLLC with Bright Hill Poets and more

For Immediate Release Contact: Beatrice Georgalidis, Executive Director Producer, The Kindness Project 607-829-5055 or beatrice@brighthillpress.org [Treadwell, NY] Word Thursdays featuring Random Acts Of Kindness Journal Writers and special guest presenters including Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Robert Chakar (Andes, NY) and master therapist and podcaster Bernadette Winters Bell, LMSW, PLLC will broadcast live on Zoom and Facebook Live at 7 pm on Thursday, September 23, 2021. To attend the event on September 23, please click this link just before 7 PM:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83663019096 PLEASE NOTE THIS IS THE CORRECTED LINK! Or visit Bright Hill's Facebook page at 7 PM to view the live stream. RSVP to the event on Facebook here. Or visit the event on our website here.

The Story of Random Acts Of Kindness

In February 1999, Jennifer Finkle, a teacher at Andes Central School (1990 - present) wrote on the first page of an empty journal: Kindness Chain Key: "Remember, you as a human being are very powerful; remember, challenges teach us about the elasticity of the human spirit. Use this journal to record a random act of kindness that you do for someone else. Pass the journal to the recipient and ask them do the same. I hope you’ll be surprised to see how good random kindness can feel and hope it will continue within our school community."

The first of hundreds of entries by faculty and staff followed, filling two large journals by 2019. Finkle was inspired by an episode of the Oprah Show in which she spoke of random kindness and how it can be just as fulfilling to the giver as it is to the receiver.  The journals contain small, heartfelt and uplifting acts of random kindness, in written form. A retired administrator, John Bernhardt, received the book and was so moved he recommended Finkle get it published; “a lasting tribute to our unique school and all of the people who work so hard to make Andes Central School such a special place.”

Finkle partnered with Bright Hill Press to begin planning for the publication and circulation of the Andes Central School Faculty and Staff Kindness Journal Random Acts of Kindness as well as the partner program The Kindness Project. Inspired to share the journal with as many schools as possible in the tri-county area, Beatrice Georgalidis, executive director at Bright Hill, created and produced the publishing and distribution project and promotional campaign, with associate producer Sophie Bille, Bertha Rogers, Bright Hill Editor-in Chief, edited the manuscript.

Five hundred copies of the Random Acts of Kindness book have been printed; one copy will be mailed to each of the 69 schools in the Delaware County and Otsego County BOCES school districts, including the gift of an empty journal, and a letter detailing the “The Kindness Project” with the hope that every school will begin their own kindness journal, and archive the kindness of their respective faculty and staff for years to come.  A video, email and social media campaign has launched to publicize the publication of the journal, and the Kindness Project.

Contributing Faculty and Staff, Andes Central School Don Ackerley Andrew Amodeo Janice Armstrong Grace Bacon Linda Belmont John Bernhardt Gail Black JoAnn Boerner Cindy Bramley Dori Buerge Cheryl Butler Margaret Brown Robert Chakar Dora Chambers Tony Coiro Barb Cole Kellie Daino Laurie Day Mike DeBenedetto Kris Dengler Alice DeVita Dwight Dolezel Jill Eichler Jen Ennist Heidi Feltman Jennifer Finkle Debbie Fraine Jackie Fredricks Chelsea Guy Lauren Green Brittany Golden Colleen Heavey Courtney Hoyt Dawn Kalleberg Judy Klueg Phyllis Kochersberger Diane Krick Jennifer Leaver Laurie Little Susie Little Jim McLachlan Misty LeRoux Marylou Matthws Ed McGee Danny Mincarelli Suzanna Mincarelli Sarah Nightingale Julie Nelson Sandra Noonan Wendy Redden Glenn Reynolds Sandie Reynolds Teresa Reynolds Jeff Rhone Lynn Savoris Arnie Barnes Schwartz Michele Scarf Jeanine Scinta Patti Scinta Alan Seidman Elaine Peck Smith Wayne Snyder Jan Stevens Morgan Sullivan Peg Summers Karli Tait Tamara Titch Margaret Tucker Sharon Tucker Lisa Valkavich Adam VanValkenberg Kathy Whittaker Robin White Gary Winghart Jessica Young

Contributing Student Artists Kindergarten Elizabeth Bauer Logan Barrett Saul Bouquet Xzavier Fickeria Leonardo Giasson Kinsleigh Gill Colton Weaver First Grade Oliver Collins Avery Hofsdal Jase Weaver Third Grade Patrick (PJ) Chakar Landon Colfer Lucy Collins Princess DePierro Evan Hofsdal Benjamin Liddle Emily McGowan Darbey Mondore Charlie Orio Liem Sass Gage Temming Kiara Weaver Fourth Grade Maria Collins Lacey Green Joseph Maxim Myaleigh Rabon Skyler Tosi Abel Weaver Fifth Grade Juliette Bradley Ducan Foster-Allen Austin George Matthew Liddle Laney Mondore Sixth Grade Tucker Gardner Mason Leal Faith Sass Brandon Temming Lilly Temple Sebastian Tosi Jacob Ventimiglia Jesse Wright-Bourke This project was made possible by funding provided by The A. Lindsay and Olive B. O'Connor Foundation, The Andes Central School Board of Education, The Andes Historical Society, and the generosity of private donors and friends of Andes Central School and Bright Hill Press. Please visit brighthillpress.org for more information.

Jennifer L. Finkle (1/19/68) was born in Southampton, NY (zip code 11968), where her father was a NYS Conservation Officer and her mother worked at Southampton College. They moved to Andes, when her father transferred to the NYS Police. She was 3 years old. At 5 years old, Jennifer was enrolled at Andes Central School. She attended there for grades K-12 and graduated as the salutatorian in 1986. She feels that Andes was a great place to go to school. Jennifer’s next step was to attend college at SUNY Cobleskill where she received an associate’s degree in nursery education. After receiving the associate’s degree, she went on to obtain both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in elementary education, from SUNY Oneonta. Jennifer began teaching in Andes right after obtaining the bachelor’s degree and taught while working in the master’s degree program. Jennifer is presently in her 31st year of teaching. She has taught grade 1 as a stand-alone class, a 1-2 combined class and this year a K-1 combined class. In addition to the regular teaching assignment, Jennifer also runs the after-school/summer CROP Program. She says that Andes is a great place to go to school. Jennifer will be eligible to retire in 2 years, upon reaching the age of 55. When that time arrives, she will have spent around 45 years of her life receiving or giving education at Andes Central School. She thinks A.C.S. is a great place to be. Jennifer married her junior high-school sweetheart, Dwayne and they have a beagle named Daisy. In their spare time they manage a small farm business. They have 30 colonies of bees for honey sales, laying hens for egg sales, shiitake mushrooms growing in the woods in the summer for farmer’s markets, turkeys for Thanksgiving and a huge garden. During the pandemic they were able to finish an outdoor wood-fired pizza oven, complete with discarded slate roof tiles from Andes Central School, in which they make prebaked pizza crusts for the markets. Jen’s Jam and Jelly business has also taken off, so many hours are spent picking fruit and making jam and jelly. Hunting, fishing and foraging wild mushrooms are more favorite activities of theirs. They feel it is rewarding to be able to catch, harvest, and process their own food knowing the health benefits of clean eating. It also gives them the opportunity to share resources with others.  Andes is a great place to live, according to Jennifer.

CLICK BELOW TO WATCH JENNIFER FINKLE SHARE HER STORY OF HOW SHE FOUNDED THE JOURNAL, AND HOW BRIGHT HILL CAME TO PUBLISH MORE THAN TWENTY YEARS OF KINDNESS ENTRIES HOSTED BY MASTER THERAPIST BERNADETTE WINTERS BELL, LMSW, PLLC ON HER PODCAST, FROM HEARTACHE TO HEALING AND HOPE

Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD