Over 200 Limerick children have been presented with special Kindness Badges to acknowledge their participation in the Kindness Festival last March.
The children, who are members of the Cubs, Scouts, Beavers, Rover Scouts and Venture, received their badges from the Chief Scout of Ireland, Christy McCann, at a special gathering at Curraghchase Scout Centre. Also in attendance was the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Kevin Sheahan, representing Limerick City & County Council.
The third annual Pay It Forward Kindness Festival took place in Limerick from March 11-17 with a number of free events and activities designed to highlight the kindness in every part of Limerick city.
During that week, scout groups from Ahane, Ballybricken, Croom, Caherdavin, Clarina, Shannon Banks, St Pauls, Rathkeale, St Josephs, St Marys and Bruff went into their local communities and carried out random acts of kindness with the concept that the recipient would Pay It Forward by doing a kind deed for somebody else and a chain of kindness would be created.
Such random acts of kindness included; donating Easter Eggs to the Children Ark in University Hospital Limerick and other local charities, picking up litter in their areas, making flowers boxes for Nursing homes and get well cards for patients in Croom Orthopedic Hospital, making Friendship bracelets and distributing them to the public.
Homemade cookies and cakes were donated to elderly neighbours and various emergency services. One group made an Easter Goodie Hamper and donated it to their local school to raffle for a local charity. Kayaking on the river Shannon was also made available to the public.
Making a special presentation to Michael O’ Mahony, Chair of Pay it Forward Limerick, the Scout County Commissioner, Theresa Kiely, said “This concept of being kind is part of the ethos of Scouting and as an organisation it was a privilege to work with the Pay It Forward Kindness Festival Team.”
