More than 20,000 students will be exposed to the awareness of random acts of kindness on Abby’s birthday. Students will be encouraged to perform RAK not just on that day but throughout their lifetime. What you see to the left is a 13×19 inch poster that will be displayed in all schools. Students will be encouraged to put in pen what they have done for RAKD.

CB Cares Educational Foundation is a community coalition of individuals, businesses, and agencies, whose goal is to promote positive values, attitudes, and behaviors, particularly in our community’s youth. The Abby’s Light Memorial Foundation is proud to align with such a hard working organization.

Between the students, the school district staff and CB Cares, kindness awareness is getting a big boost in the Central Bucks community and as these things go, it should have a ripple effect to many other areas as well.

Part of Abby’s legacy as well as many children that pass, is kindness. Why is this? Are all these kids that left us kind? The answer, in most cases, is yes. I speak directly for many bereaved parents and indirectly for millions. Most children, especially around Abby’s age are kind hearted souls. Abby was a genuinely kind hearted girl. She constantly brought her teachers flowers. She would give up a possession for a friend just to make them happy. Would this last? I can’t answer that but I like to think it would be yes.  Abby is our forever ten year old daughter. There are many Abby’s that have passed. As parents, we want to see kindness. We want a more peaceful life. We want this to honor our children. Tomorrow, my county, Bucks County, will proclaim Abby’s birthday for the second year, Random Acts of Kindness Day. The goal of the Abby’s Light Memorial Foundation is to do this all year. We have been doing RAK for quite awhile. Hundreds, if not thousands of people have performed RAK just because they knew Abby lived. Abby’s birthday is approaching on November 19th and RAK is picking up steam. Abby’s school district, Central Bucks, will be taking part. A big thanks to one of our Directors, Marion Mass, for facilitating this. Kindness is spreading. What will you do?

Dear Central Bucks District Wellness Representatives, 

Part of good health is contributing in an altruistic way in the world around you.  Central Bucks Students have the opportunity to feel empowered on Bucks County’s Official Random Act of Kindness Day, (RAKD) held annually on November 19.  RAKD is a day in honor of Abby Schumer, a former CB student who tragically lost her life to a brain tumor in 2012 at the age of 10.  Abby believed in doing small kind things for teachers, friends, and others in her life.   

Abby’s Home schools of Groveland and Tohickon are making RAKD a special day by encouraging students to perform a RAK sometime throughout the Day.  At Tohickon, students will receive a sticker in the morning and will be told to perform a RAK and wear their sticker proudly, once they have done so. (kind of like “I voted” badges) At Groveland the staff is going to talk about RAKD as a group and each classroom teacher will discuss the day and encourage participation with their class.  Groveland will promote RAK all week on morning announcements.   Other schools might consider placing posters (Mike Schumer, President of Abby’s Light Foundation, is happy to provide each CB school with promotional posters and other printed material)  in the school’s hallways, and introducing the idea on morning announcements, or having the high school key clubs promote awareness of this day. What might your school do to start a wave of kindness???? 

What a special way to kick off Thanksgiving week, and a simple beautiful way to promote wellness among our staff and students.  

Corrine Sikora, Supervisor of Student Services, Central Bucks School District.

Starting a nonprofit charity is very much like starting a for profit business. A business needs sales as soon as possible. A nonprofit charity needs donations. How do you get sales? How do you get donations? Marketing that’s how. Brand recognition. The foundation has begun handing out brochure displays at local stores. They tell the story. We hope people become interested. Start recognizing the logo. Make donations.

As President, I took it upon myself to develop the brochure. I tried many types of paper stock. The one that was most striking of course was the most costly. An organization, especially a nonprofit, needs to make decisions for expenditures such as supplies. You want as much of the donations to go to the programs. To help children. You can’t spend it all on marketing materials. So what do you do?

Well today I decided to look for a less extravagant paper stock. I need to find the balance between cost and quality of materials. As I was looking at brochure stock I noticed Staples had the stock I loved at over half off. I couldn’t believe it. Today I went to four different Staple stores and gobbled up 15 boxes of stock. What would have cost the foundation $630.00 now cost $285.00. This is 2,250 brochures. Still a high cost considering funding has just begun. It is however an investment. There will be many more displays in stores. People are working on plans as we speak. The word is getting out.

So, with this in mind, I ask all potential donors to consider this charity that will bring smiles to children as Abby would. $10.00, $20.00 is all it takes from many people to get things going. President Bush senior spoke of a “thousand points of light.” I knew exactly what he meant back in 1988. Thousands upon thousands of charities doing their thing to make the world a better place. These charities don’t have to be large or attempt to save the world. They can help people on a small scale and together create a world movement of helping others who are in need or experiencing a low point. This point of light, The Abby’s Light Memorial Foundation focuses on children. One by one. You will see this happen through pictures and writings by recipients. We are doing this now with Abby’s AOK’s. We’re going farther. Be a part of this. Please donate whatever you can. You will see a child smile and you can say I helped with that.

Thank You,

Mike Schumer – President, Abby’s Light Memorial Foundation.