As the 10th anniversary of the tragic killings at two Jewish facilities in Overland Park approaches, communities across the metro area are coming together to promote kindness.
Reat Underwood, William Corporon, and Terri LaManno fell victim to acts of religious hatred, resulting in their tragic murders.
Ever since the terrible incident, the tradition of kindness walks has been embraced by the Blue Valley School District.
Blue Valley High School senior Abby Reeves emphasized the significance of raising awareness about past events while also using them as a learning opportunity. According to her, the purpose of the walk is to promote kindness throughout the school.
During the school day, the kindness walks are held as part of the initiatives introduced by SevenDays, an organization dedicated to fighting against hate and fostering kindness.
After the tragic deaths of Reat and William, Mindy Corporon, who is Reat’s mother and William’s daughter, took the initiative to establish the group.
“This walk serves as a moment for every member of the school community to reflect on how they can promote kindness and respond to the historical act of hatred that affected someone dear to us,” Reeves expressed. “Despite the existence of terrible events, we have the power to counteract them with acts of kindness and create a positive impact through small gestures in our everyday lives.”
Students went above and beyond by expressing their kindness through heartfelt letters written to individuals of their choice.
Claire Younger penned a heartfelt note to one of her beloved teachers.
She expressed her gratitude, saying, “I am truly grateful for the positive influence you have had on my life, as well as the lives of countless other students. Your kindness is evident to everyone, and I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge it.”
The students exhibited compassion in their writing and purposefully walked, demonstrating that kindness begins with a single step.
Keanu Reeves expressed his belief that kindness is something that can bring people together, regardless of their differences. According to Reeves, while people may not always see eye to eye, they can all agree on the importance of kindness.
