August 2012 Guests



August 1, 2012
Jeanette Mare' 
Ben's Bells
www.bensbells.org

Jeanette Mare' - Ben's mom. In her darkest days, she says, the tiniest act of kindness - a stranger holding a door open, or letting her merge into traffic - became lifelines reminding her there still was goodness in the world. That's how kindness became the theme of the Ben's Bell's project, which has spread the sentiment across cities, states and nations. 


I had the wonderful pleasure of interviewing Jeanette about Ben's Bells project.  This is a woman who lost her son when he was almost 3 years old from the croup.  For those of you who do not know what the croup is - in my day it was a terrible cough that sounded like a dog barking.  It came with colds sometimes.  I have never heard of a child dying from it - that's why there was really no worry about it from Jeanette.  Little did she know her son would die.  From pain always comes good - thus, Ben's  Bells.


Jeanette is determined to reach out to her community with the placement of Ben's Bells.  These mobile type bells are put all over the city during certain times.  If you find one you keep it and go out and do something kind for someone.  They have also worked with local schools to follow a curriculum of kindness.  They actually have way to measure the change it is creating in the Tucson, Arizona community.


I was so touched by this story that I immediately looked up the organization here that is trying to create Ben's Bells.  Be Kind Colorado.  They need help with their kiln and just over volunteerism.  They have a Facebook page of you are interested in getting involved.