Friends of Rachel celebrate kindness with food, friends and fun
By Nicole Barbarito
KU’s Friends of Rachel brought positivity to the campus environment with events like their Annual Kindness Karnival. On March 1 from 12 to 4 p.m., students, clubs and staff gathered in MSU 218. The annual event featured free food, candy, a photo booth, prizes and positive messages and symbols geared toward the theme, “Be the Best Version of YOU!”
Photo Credit: Nicole Barbarito
Friends of Rachel is an on-campus club whose main goal is finding ways to spread kindness. The club is named after and inspired by Rachel Joy Scott, a student who was murdered in the Columbine shooting of 1999.
Using Scott’s own words, the idea behind this club is that “if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, then it’ll start a chain reaction of the same,” as the group highlighted in their Instagram bio.
According to Bob Phyng, the president of the KU chapter, the club has been doing the Kindness Karnival since he joined.
Photo Credit: Nicole Barbarito
Phyng said, “I just try to make it bigger every year and get more people involved. [Our goal today] is to bring awareness to kindness and break the chain of hate.”
Friends of Rachel strives to create a community that is kind in memory of her by promoting it through activities and events. They believe everyone should spread and receive compassion and ensure it happens with proper actions.
Vice president Cynthia Hessler stated events like these are important because “I think just in today’s world it’s hard to realize that other people come together and do stuff like this. Kindness matters in the world… That is why we are doing something like this!”
The team said there will be future events just like this one if students could make it out. More information can be found online on Bear Essentials.
For more details about Friends of Rachel, visit the webpage on Engage or follow their Instagram (@friendsofrachelkutztown) for important updates regarding events.