To the editor:
If you remember the line then you understand the sentiment behind it … in a hectic and very fast paced world, are there still people that actually embark on acts of kindness without expecting something in return? This past week Caribou may not have noticed as they hustled back and forth on Bennett Drive, but a large group of people battled rain, thunder, lightening and heat to undertake a huge project — the renovation of the Teague Park Playground.
Rev. Randy Bond and members of the Calvary Baptist Church took their vacation time to complete a true service project for the Caribou community. An ambitious undertaking even with good weather, the group sanded the playground units, disassembled them and repainted all the components, applied linseed oil to the wooden components, repaired and repainted swing sets, removed the tops from the wooden units and did an outstanding job repairing and restoring them. Then, if that job wasn’t enough, the group provided an old fashioned block party for local folks last Saturday complete with games, food and fun and of course some play at the newly renovated playground.
What amazed me was that most all of the adults had children who remained by their side during the tumultuous week and worked very hard to help with the project. How many of us would think to offer up an entire week to work with a group of our friends or family to complete a worthwhile project?
As I watched the group work, I realized that their work became analogous to the program CADET held late this spring on how a community can make a difference in raising children. At the CADET meeting, several high school students explained what was important to young people to help them succeed. The primary building blocks were, providing support to children to help them learn and grow, helping children develop constructive use of time by taking time to teach them new skills, empowering children with a feeling of value and understanding service to others, providing boundaries and expectations to help them make good decisions, and providing positive role models. The working group from Calvary Baptist Church played a significant role in formulating and strengthening those Developmental Assets that will ensure their children will have the tools to become successful, caring and productive adults.
An unknown author once wrote that “the recipe for happiness contained two heaping cups of patience, one heart full of love, two hands full of generosity, one head full of understanding, a dash of laughter all of which should be generously sprinkled with kindness with plenty of faith added and mixed well. This recipe should be spread over the period of a lifetime and served to everyone you meet.”
On behalf of the Caribou Parks and Recreation Department I wish to extend a sincere thank you to Rev. Bond and the members of his congregation who spread lots of happiness last week and truly provided a perfect example of how we can all work together to make change.
Kathleen A. Mazzuchelli, superintendent
Caribou Dept. of Parks and Recreation
