From May 20 -24, Latrobe Art Center is seeking to spread intentional acts of kindness throughout the community coinciding with Pennsylvania's own designated day of kindness (1-4-3 Day) inspired by the life and legacy of Fred Rogers. During the week-long event, participating individuals and organizations are instructed to use the art center’s specially designed "You've Been Fred Roger-ed" cards while conducting acts of kindness to capture the moment and lead others to continue spreading kindness. One side of each card contains information about the event and instructs recipients on what to do next. The opposite side of each card features works of art by some of the center’s member artists who submitted pieces responding to the prompt “What does kindness look like?”. The works by each artist are examples and visual representations of kindness created in the hope of further inspiring the actions of those who choose to participate throughout the week.
New this year, the Art Center is kicking off the week with a special event on Monday, May 20th in partnership with the Fred Rogers Institute and WQED Education. From 4:00 – 6:00 p.m., educators and caregivers are invited to stop into the Art Center to explore resources and activities inspired by the kindness of everyone’s favorite neighbor - Fred Rogers. Several organizations will be in attendance with resource and activity booths including the Fred Rogers Institute, WQED Education, Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve, AccessAbilities, and more. There will be light hors d’oeuvres provided by Ricolita’s Café, an exploration of items from the Fred Rogers Archive, tangible take-aways, and child-friendly experiences, all at no cost. To pre-register and learn more about this free event, visit https://remakelearningdays.org/event/southwesternpa/educator-playground-being-a-kind-and-caring-neighbor/.
“We could not be more thrilled to be hosting our 4th annual Week of Kindness event and continue promoting the legacy of Fred Rogers and the ideals he taught us throughout our local community and beyond,” says Latrobe Art Center’s Executive Director, Michael Tusay. “Being kind to others and loving our neighbors are such simple tasks but can make a world of difference in both the lives of individuals and the community as a whole. During this designated week of kindness, it is our goal at the art center to create a ripple effect of kindness and share some much needed joy and hope with our local community.”
Latrobe Art Center encourages individuals of all ages to participate in sharing and spreading acts of kindness. Special materials for children who would like to participate can be found at Latrobe Art Center. Other interested individuals, businesses, and other organizations can participate and join in spreading kindness by picking up their own “You’ve Been Fred Roger-ed” cards at Latrobe Art Center or by visiting latrobeartcenter.org.
For more information on the event, visit https://www.latrobeartcenter.org/events-all/week-of-kindness-2024 or stop into Latrobe Art Center during regular operating hours.