As part of The Great Kindness Challenge, Robeson Elementary Center (REC) students participated in a service project by creating "perk-up bags" for Fox Chase Cancer Center patients to receive each time they begin a new treatment.

Under the guidance of third-grade teacher Tammy Eisenhard, REC created a total of 103 bags, which she delivered to Fox Chase on Feb. 20. "Due to COVID restrictions, the cancer patients' family members and friends are not allowed to sit with them to keep them company during their infusions. So, we created the 'perk-up bags' so that patients would have things to do to keep their minds occupied," Eisenhard explained. "We provided adult coloring books, colored pencils, markers, crossword puzzles, word hunts, Sudoku puzzles and writing journals."

REC students and their families donated most of the items, but there was also a collection box outside of the school for community members to drop off donations.

Eisenhard learned about the gift bags while her father was receiving treatment at Fox Chase. "My father received wonderful care at Fox Chase Cancer Center for years prior to losing his battle with cancer in October of 2019. He would receive care bags each time we would take him to his treatments, and I always thought that was such a kind gesture for all of those patients who are going through such a difficult time," she stated. "So, I thought my students and our school community would want to help bring a smile to others with this service project."

This was the second year that her class created the "perk-up bags." "I work with Fox Chase's director of volunteer services, Helen Gordon, to find out what patients need most," noted Eisenhard. "This year, we changed the theme of the bags to help with the fact that patients cannot have visitors with them during treatments."

Eisenhard said that the project was a fitting activity to complete during the Great Kindness Challenge, which guidance counselor Karen Richards-Schmitz helps to organize at REC each January.

Other schools in the Twin Valley School District also participated in The Great Kindness Challenge, which was celebrated this year from Jan. 25 to 29. The students at REC, Twin Valley Middle School and Honey Brook Elementary Center were challenged to complete as many acts of kindness as possible at home and in school. Twin Valley Middle School students earned Kindness Coins for their kind acts as part of a grade level competition. REC also participated in a proactive, positive bullying prevention initiative during the week.

According to http://www.thegreatkindnesschallenge.com, the observance started with three Carlsbad, Calif., schools in 2012 and has grown into a worldwide kindness movement with more than 15 million students participating in all 50 states and 115 countries. Collectively, the students completed more than 750 million acts of kindness.