Student’s ‘Kindness in Motion’ project includes breakfast

WINSTED >> Madi Tranquillo, a freshman at Northwest Regional High School No. 7, is taking part in the school’s annual Kindness in Motion projects. Selected students received a $100 grant from Superintendent of Schools Dr. Judy Palmer to kick-start their ideas.

“This is my second year participating in this amazing project,” Madi said, in an email message. “In 2016, I participated in a project that successfully raised $2,200, and we created care packages for kids with cancer and delivered those care packages to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. I am hoping my project this year will be just as successful.”

This year, Tranquillo chose to spread kindness to students in the care of the state Department of Children and Families. “I will be using my $100 grant as seed money to host a bake sale, pancake breakfast and a silent auction to raise money for the local DCF office in my area,” she said.

“I understand that at times children are victims of family violence, neglect or some form of abuse, and DCF investigates or meets with the children involved. I imagine this is a very scary experience for children of all ages,” Tranquillo said, as she explained her reason for choosing DCF children. “I asked my dad, who is a sergeant with the Connecticut State Police, if he has seen cases involving children and he said yes, they are often sad and scared. So I would like raise funds to purchase comfort items and put them in a cool care package for the DCF workers to give to the children during these scary and rough times.”

To raise money for her project, Tranquillo is holding a pancake breakfast at Applebees in Torrington on Saturday, May 6, from 8 to 10 a.m.

Tickets are $8 per person. The breakfast will include a raffle, and all the money she raises will be used to create care packages for children under the care of DCF.

Tranquillo has reached out to local businesses for a monetary donation or a raffle prize, and has set up a GoFundMe page for those who can’t attend the May 6 breakfast, but want to help. The address for donations is https://www.gofundme.com/kindness-inmotion-care-for-kids .

Tranquillo also shared a quote about helping others. “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted” — Aesop

To view some initiatives from last year’s Kindness in Motion Project, visit: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=YZ5Zc28FrjQ&t=281s

PHOTO COURTESY OF MADI TRANQUILLO Madi Tranquillo, shown here with her dog, is holding a fundraiser breakfast at Applebee’s in Torrington to support her Kindness in Motion project at Region 7 high school on May 6. She’s selling tickets and will use the money to create care packages for...