Kindergarten students from Kingston Primary School recently enjoyed a morning tea at Bethanie Espirit Retirement Village to celebrate Choose Kindness Day.
Residents invited the students to thank them for sending in "happy, colourful" drawings to the residents whilst family and friend visits were stopped due to COVID-19 restrictions in 2020.
Held on Friday, November 12 to coincide with World Happiness Day, the event marked the third annual Choose Kindness Day as organised by Choose Respect Bunbury.
Kingston Primary School kindergarten teacher Denise Dewar said the school decided to start sending care packages to the Bethanie residents in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"There was a lot in the news about terrible things happening In the world and the school wanted to do something positive for someone else," Ms Dewar said.
"So we decided to send a care package to Bethany Village in Eaton, focusing on positive things in our world."
Choose Respect Bunbury coordinator Leanne Maher made a presentation during the morning tea, nothing the importance of Choose Kindness Day.
"It's a day where the whole community is encouraged to take that extra time to reach out, look around you and share some kindness above and beyond your normal days activities and be part of growing respect and positive community spirit," Ms Maher said.
"We don't know what is going on in other people's lives, so just to offer a simple kind comment, remind someone they are valued or cared for, can have a big impact on that person."
Whilst the older students at Kingston Primary School wrote letters and made posters, the younger students painted and drew pictures to send to the village.
When the artworks were met with a "wonderful response" from the residents, and when "everything had returned to normal" the children continued sending their artwork to the village to help celebrate holidays like Christmas, Easter and Mother's Day.
"It was a great way of getting the children to think about other people's situations and how precious our world really is," Ms Dewar said.
"It has been a very special morning for us all and one that the children will remember for a long time."
We know that kindness is contagious. The more we can be kind and caring - the more it invites others to join in.
- Choose Respect Bunbury coordinator Leanne Maher
The Bunbury community celebrated the sharing of kindness in other ways on November 12 as well, with over 5000 Cards Full of Kindness distributed all over the city.
The cards were made during workshops run by Ms Maher where participants inserted messages of kindness into cards to "give someone a boost".
Students from Bunbury Primary School, Cooinda Primary School and St Mary's Primary School all took part in the workshops and gave cards to Enable and Accordwest.
Ms Maher said everyone was encouraged to "go say hi" to that neighbour you never have time to, cook a cake for someone who may be lonely or walk around with a "great big smile" on your face all day.
"We know that kindness is contagious. The more we can be kind and caring - the more it invites others to join in."