Ben’s Bells Project’s 2012 Celebration of Kindness will be held this year at their new downtown location. Order tickets online (click here).

Saturday, April 28th
6:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
Hosted at Ben’s Bells Downtown Studio
40 W. Broadway Blvd.

Tickets – $50.00
($60 at the door)
• Live Music
• Dancing
• Silent Auction
• Food
• Wine/Beer

Purchased tickets will be available at the “Will Call” table on the night of the event.

Our mission is to inspire, educate and motivate each other to realize the impact of intentional kindness and to empower individuals to act according to that awareness, thereby changing our world.

I’ve recently dropped by after listening to cases at Small Claims Court and sat there in their downtown studio painting ceramic flowers for the bell mobiles. It’s very relaxing and gives you a wonderful feeling to be part of a larger project to spread kindness. Try it sometime, just drop in:

Open Studio Hours:

Tuesday 10-5pm
Wednesday 10-5pm
Thursday 10-5pm
Friday 10-7pm
Saturday 10-5pm
Closed on Sunday and Monday

Ben’s Bells is at 816 E. University (Geronimo Plaza in Main Gate Square, east of Euclid Ave.) or downtown at 40 W. Broadway (just east of Church Ave.)

Ben’s Bells is located at 816 E. University Blvd. in the Geronimo Plaza of Main Gate Square, just west of the UA. Now they are opening up a second location downtown, and the public is invited.

Friday January 20, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. grand opening celebration
40 W. Broadway (east of Church Ave.)

Schedule for the day of kindness:

10 a.m. Studio officially opens
11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Open house
BYO Bag lunch
Music
Treats

5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Ribbon cuttings
Music
Food/drink
Kindness all around

I reported on their annual “Kindness Day” last April, 2010 (click here for more background on Ben’s Bells and deceased toddler Ben Packard whom this program is named after).

Our mission is to inspire, educate and motivate each other to realize the impact of intentional kindness and to empower individuals to act according to that awareness, thereby changing our world.

I’ve been nominated for a Ben’s Bell, have volunteered to hand paint some of these bells, and on January 8, 2012 (the one year anniversary of the Tucson Tragedy mass shooting), I helped distribute bells along with 200 other people. It was a terrific feeling to drive around at sunrise to locate places to anonymously hang these lovely bell mobiles, in goodwill and hoping that whomever finds them can find some joy and kindness in their hearts.

Mailing address: PO Box 41025 Tucson, AZ 85717-1025
email: bensbells@bensbells.org
phone/fax: 520-628-2829

Be kind today and everyday.

Remember January 8, 2011.

Remember the first moment you heard/read online that CD 8 Congresswoman “Gabby” Giffords had been shot in the head (credit to blogger “3 Sonorans” for his fast blog here at Tucsoncitizen.com, minutes after the shooting).

Remember when you realized that 19 persons including a 9 year old child had been shot & injured at that Safeway in NW Tucson.

Remember the pain when you realized that you personally knew someone who died (for me, Gabe Zimmerman, Gabby’s community outreach aide). Remember the grief thereafter for such a senseless killing.

Remember anxiously waitng for news from UMC of the condition of the injured.

Remember going to that Safeway to pay your respects to the six fallen on the sidewalk.

Remember going to the UMC memorial to light candles, and to the Congresswoman’s office to place flowers, pray for healing and peace of mind.

Remember President Barack Obama’s speech on January 12, 2011 at McKale Center, in which he stated:
“I believe that for all our imperfections, we are full of decency and goodness, and that the forces that divide us are not as strong as those that unite us”.

We all remember January 8, 2011 and the first responders, Surgeon Dr. Peter Rhee at the UMC Trauma Unit, the outpouring of love and support for the families of the murdered and the injured.

Today, as we reflect on the events of that day a year ago, here is a list of some events to attend, to collectively continue the healing:

7 a.m.

Ben’s Bells Distribution – Hundreds of Ben’s Bells will be randomly distributed throughout Tucson in memory of those we lost and in gratitude for our beautifully supportive community. Contact: Phone:520-628-2829

10 a.m .- 5 p.m.

A Day of Kindness at the Children’s Museum — Tucson Ben’s Bells invites families to gather to sign the Kindness Contract, to paint Kindness Coins and to hang Kindness Wishes in the trees at the Museum. Contact: Children’s Museum Tucson, 520-792-9985, 200 S. 6th Avenue

10:11 a.m. Community-wide Ringing of Bells

1:00 p.m. Interfaith Service
San Augustine Cathedral
190 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ

3 p.m. – 5 p.m. January 8th Lecture Series
Centennial Hall – University of Arizona Campus
1020 E. University Boulevard, Tucson, AZ
The event will be streamed live at http://ondemand.azpm.org/live.

6:30 p.m. – Candlelight vigil on University of Arizona Mall, with speeches
Congresswoman Giffords and her husband USN Captain (ret.) Mark Kelly will be attending.
The vigil will be streamed live at http://ondemand.azpm.org/live.

For my earlier blog with many more details on today’s events including other faith services (click here).

Today let us remember January 8, 2011.

UPDATES: my notes in comment section below about some of the events I attended today.

1/9/12 update: Channel 6 video of the vigil: http://azpm.org/news/story/2012/1/9/1616-view-jan-8-2012-candlelight-vigil/