The city of Sedona has continued its tradition of recognizing SedonaKind by issuing a proclamation designating Monday, Nov. 13, as Sedona Kindness Day for the eighth consecutive year.

The event coincides with World Kindness Day and has evolved from a lone day of celebration into Sedona Kindness Week and then the “Season of Kindness.”

“We decided to call it a Season of Kindness to inspire people to encourage people to be kind and that they can be kind every day,” SedonaKind member Jawn McKinley said. “It’s the one thing that you can always do, you can wake up in the morning, and you can be kind. In the world today, there are all these things that we can’t do anything about … but you can always be kind and it’s empowering.”

SedonaKind launched the season following its meeting at the Sedona Public Library on Oct. 20 by filling 50 of their blessing bags. The bags are part of a service project that provides homeless Verde Valley veterans with care packages that will be distributed through Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7400 in Cottonwood. Each bag contains two pairs of warm socks, gloves, a knitted hat crafted by SedonaKind, personal hygiene items, a food gift card and a handmade card.

Heather Molans, the chairwoman of the Blessing Bag Committee, said that the 50 bags will last them most of the coming year.

“When the homeless veterans come into the post looking for help, one of the things that they give them is the blessing bags,” Molans said. “They have outreach people at the VFW post, they’re all volunteers, and they drive around the community and look for homeless people on the street. They’ll stop and talk to them and if they discover that they’re veterans, they’ll give them a bag — they have the bags with — and invite them to the post to get help.”

Annual Fundraiser

SedonaKind’s annual fundraiser will be coming to the Sedona International Film Festival’s Mary D. Fisher and and Alice Gill-Sheldon Theatres with showings of the 2017 movie “Liyana” on Monday, Nov. 13, at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

“Under the guidance of acclaimed South African storyteller Gcina Mhlophe, five orphaned children from Swaziland collaborate to craft a collective fairytale drawn from their darkest memories and brightest dreams. Their fictional character, Liyana, is brought to life in innovative animated artwork as she embarks on a perilous quest to rescue her young twin brothers. The children’s real and imagined worlds begin to converge, and they must choose what kind of story they will tell — in fiction and in their own lives,” SIFF’s website states. “This genre-defying film weaves an original animated hero’s journey with poetic documentary scenes to create an inspiring tale of perseverance. ‘Liyana’ is a tribute to creativity, the strength of the human spirit and the healing power [of] storytelling.”

“There’s been an anonymous donor every year that has matched the donations,” McKinley said. “What happens is you buy the ticket for the show and there is a fishbowl as you come out. If you’re moved and if you would like to give a little bit more of a donation to SedonaKind you put your money in the fishbowl.”

“The magic that happens is they often bring a film back that’s been in our festival that resonates with their fundraising efforts for the year,” SIFF executive director Patrick Schweiss said. “One year in particular, there was a woman in the audience who was so compelled by what they do, she wrote this giant check when she walked out and put it in their jar. It was rewarding to see because no one expected that, no one knew it was coming. They were able to do so much good that year just by someone being touched and moved by what they saw on the screen.”

Tickets for the showing are $12 for general admission or $9 for SIFF members. All funds from the showings and donations received during the event will go to SedonaKind.

SedonaKind is also partnering with the Sedona Library to offer free art and craft activities.

“On [Saturday, Nov. 18], at the Sedona Library from [11 a.m. to noon], you can help paint kindness thoughts on rocks for the garden,” SedonaKind’s press release stated. “On [Wednesday, Nov. 29] at the Sedona Library in the Village of Oak Creek, you can join renowned Sedona artist Mary Helsaple to make unique watercolor kindness cards. Drop in when you can from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.”

“As a local artist, I became involved with [SedonaKind since] COVID,” Helsaple said.“Creating hand-made items and reaching out with gestures means so much during days leading up to the holidays. An act as simple as a smile or making a note card can be a way to bridge a divide and cause a smile. During uncertain times and stress, a simple act of kindness goes a long way to make the day a little brighter.”

In addition, the library will host a “Take a Kindness Message/Leave a Kindness Message” activity on Wednesday, Nov. 29, from 2 to 3 p.m.

To help celebrate the season, gratitude trees, which allow people to write notes of appreciation on unique decorations, are being installed across the community, and will soon be available at the Village of Oak Creek Library, Alma de Sedona Inn, Yavapai College, the Sedona Community Center, West Sedona and Oak Creek Schools, the Sedona Library Children’s Room and Sedona Winds Assisted Living.

One special series of notes will be going to Sedona-Oak Creek School District bus drivers as a sign of appreciation. Area students will be participating in the season when they receive a new round of hand-knitted winter hats donated by SedonaKind’s knitters. The group has crafted over 5,000 hats so far, with the extras going to Manzanita Outreach or other deserving organizations.

“The kids look forward to it every year. They come every year, they get to pick out what they want. It reminds them that they are part of the community and we love them all,” McKinley said. “Our knitters are incredible, they knit all year long and we’re excited to see what the season brings.”

“Also in November, SedonaKind ‘Charmers’ will blanket the town with Kindness Charms,” the press release stated. “The charms are individually created from donated jewelry. Each one includes a heart and a tag that says, ‘Take me home and spread kindness.’ SedonaKind volunteers have placed more than 8,000 charms all around the world.”

For a complete listing of Season of Kindness events and how to get involved, visit SedonaKind.org.