Jeannette Maré’s visit to Newtown the week of July 20 was three-fold. Not only was the founder of Ben’s Bells Project in town to finalize plans for the move of the Newtown studio to a larger, Bethel site, but Ms Maré also made time to visit with area companies interested in implementing the Ben’s Bells Kind Colleagues program, and to assist with the installation of a large Be Kind mural commissioned by the Soto family at the new Victoria Soto School at Stratford Academy in Stratford.

Ben’s Bells is the Tucson, Ariz., organization founded by Ms Maré, more than ten years ago, in response to the outpouring of kindness she experienced after the death of her three-year-old son, Ben. Volunteers make wind chimes by stringing together handmade ceramic beads, ceramic “Kind” flower tiles, and bells that are then randomly hung about a community in need of joy, to be discovered and claimed by anyone who might find one.

Following the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School on 12/14, Ms Maré brought Ben’s Bells to Newtown in January 2013. Over 1,000 bells were hung in town during that initial visit. A Newtown studio was formed later that year, one of only four in the country.

The organization also promotes kindness through programs such as the school-based Kind Campus program, Kindness coins, and the Kind Colleagues program for the workspace.

Victoria Leigh Soto was one for six educators killed on 12/14, along with 20 first grade students. She was a 2003 graduate of Stratford High School.

Accompanying Ms Maré last week was Colleen Conlin, also of Tucson, who headed the mural installation team at the school, Thursday and Friday, July 23 and 24.

“The mural program has been in Tucson since 2009,” Ms Conlin said July 22, “and [we have created murals] in most schools with our Kind Campus program in place.”

The murals are large mosaics of the organization’s Be Kind logo — a simple bright green flower outlined in black, with the words Be Kind in the center. The mural is made up of tiles, recycled glass, and mirrors, embedded with individual Be Kind tiles made by whichever group or individual has commissioned the piece. Some are installed on the exterior of buildings, others are installed inside.

“It’s a visual reminder of the kindness programs,” Ms Conlin said.

The Soto family commissioned the Be Kind mural for the school named for Ms Soto, said Ms Maré. While the embedded tiles are usually the flower-shaped Be Kind tiles, two other tiles will be used, as well, in this special mural.

One is a small flamingo, honoring Victoria Soto’s love of the tropical bird. The others are small rectangular tiles imprinted with various designs, such as stick families and hearts. All are glazed in the Be Kind bright green color. Members of the Soto family crafted the nearly 200 tiles during two private sessions at the Newtown studio, one to cut out the tiles from slabs of clay, the second session to paint the tiles.

Other tiles used in the mural are shades of green recycled glass and mirror, donated by area businesses. While the main colors of the murals may vary, “the grout is always green,” Ms Maré said.

The completed mural will be 10 feet in diameter, Ms Conlin said, and is being installed in a hallway. The Soto family will be helping during the two-day installation, Ms Conlin said.

Ms Maré was excited, as well, to have met with a local company last week, to discuss implementing the Kind Colleagues program. This would be the second area company to embrace the concept, she said, although many companies in the Tucson area have already done so.

Kind Colleague participants there include Eegee’s fast food restaurants, Tucson Medical Center, and smaller businesses and non-profits, such as the Community Food Bank in Tucson. She is pleased that the US Border Protection in Arizona has also implemented the Kind Colleague program.

“Some of them were skeptical when they came into the kickoff,” Ms Maré said, but left pleased with what they could take away from the program.

Companies realize the benefits when employees work in conditions that are less stressful and enjoyable environments, she said. Participating companies are “extremely enthusiastic,” she said.

“It’s such a natural interaction with their people, and a natural buy-in from employees. When people participate in something they feel is good for them, they are more interested in it,” Ms Maré said. Companies, she said, see an opportunity to do something that gets people excited.

The cost of the Kind Colleague program is based on a sliding scale, so that businesses of all sizes are able to take part. The annual fee includes the kickoff event with speakers, a support person, and programming for one year. Companies select their own coordinators, as well.

Programming consists of a monthly guide, with a science piece related to the positive benefits of kindness and good health; articles on leadership for engaging others; and self-kindness practice employees can use.

“The self-kindness practice reduces the self-deprecation that we all seem to be so good at,” said Ms Maré, and the monthly kind-mind practice included in each monthly guide “is calming.”

The guide contains suggestions for an activity that will create a kind work environment, and ways to create “meaningful workplace connections,” she said, as well as ways for businesses to connect to the community, posters, “and a specific kindness skill to practice.”

“Kindness is a skill set. When we practice any skill, we get better,” Ms Maré pointed out.

Ben’s Bells is also hosting the Science of Kindness Conference in Tucson, August 21 and 22, said Ms Maré, who is pleased to have Sandy Hook resident Jeremy Richman of The Avielle Foundation as the keynote speaker. Mr Richman is the father of Avielle Richman, one of the children killed on 12/14.

The Science of Kindness Conference will be coming to Connecticut in September, as well, she said, at a date to be announced. Mr Richman will also be the speaker at that event.

Kindness is a practice that is beneficial to all, Ms Maré believes, and Ben’s Bells is dedicated to spreading that practice.

“It’s about being a flawed human being,” she said, “and how do we take care of ourselves and each other.”

For information on the Kind Colleague program, e-mail BensBells@BensBells.org.