‘The Great Kindness Challenge’ heads to Pendleton nursing home
PENDLETON, Ind. (WISH) — Kindergarten students at Thorpe Creek Elementary school are spreading kindness at a Pendleton nursing home.
News 8’s Katie Wisely first reported on the challenge last week. But the cold weather canceled some events so the school rescheduled a visit to Rawlins House and Fall Creek Retirement Village for Wednesday.
“We want to make them happy,” Thorpe Creek kindergarten student, Kimberly Hurst said.
The Great Kindness Challenge is to simply spread kindness. Two kindergarten teachers thought it would be a good idea to take their students to a senior living center.
“They don’t have any visitors,” Thorpe Creek kindergarten student, Anniston Patton said.
Students paired up with a buddy and spent time getting to know each other.
“The kids are so much fun,” Rawlins House and Fall Creek Retirement Village resident, Florence Lawson said. “It kind of warms up the residents and gives them something else to think about I think.”
Then, they grabbed a red heart, courtesy of Build-A-Bear, and made a wish for their buddy.
“They give them heartbeats and they make them stay alive,” Patton said.
Next, they stuffed the heart into the bear and helped sew up the bear.
“Maybe they could get out of the senior living place,” Hurst said. “We’re making wishes for them. Like, I wish they didn’t have a wheelchair. I wish they had more food. I wish they had everything they needed.”
Extra bears were saved for new residents and given to those in the dementia unit.