Previous Ben's Bells Recipients
Bellee:
Dick Swain
Nominated by:
Sharon Heaps and 21 others
Dick Swain has been spreading kindness in our community through his membership in the Sun City bicycling club, Vistoso Cyclists, and by initiating the "Wheels for Kids" program to rebuild used bicycles and distribute them to children in need. Not only has Dick acted in a kind way, but he has empowered hundreds of others to be kind too.
Photo by Susan Jakosa of Dick Swain (in red BE KIND shirt with Ben's Bell) and members of the Vistoso Cycling Team/Mechanics, members of Wheels for Kids and friends and neighbors for Ben's Bellings.
Thank-you for your kindness Dick!
Bellee: Natalie Kasic & Larry Roberts
Nominated by: Stefanie Hager
Natalie Kasic and Larry Roberts have been sharing their extreme kindness with their 60+ employees at Old Pueblo Practice Management. Just recently, an employee named Carlos, also the son of one of their managers (Isabel), passed away after a year long battle with cancer. Natalie and Larry arranged for an all expense paid trip for the family to be together before the end, and were also there after to help with arranging services and supporting Isabel through this difficult time.
Photo by Jeannette Maré of Ben's Bellees Natalie Kasic (holding Ben's Bell) and Larry Roberts (on Natalie's left in plaid shirt) with staff of Old Pueblo Practice Management.
Thank-you for your kindness Natalie and Larry!
Bellee: Savannah Addison
Nominated by: Tom and Carolyne Addison
"Savannah, a 17 yr. old at Sahuaro HS, has been spreading kindness since age six, when she saw a news clip about Tu Nidito & raised about $900 for them. Since then she has raised over $1000 for various organizations such as UNICEF and the Humane Society while also volunteering her time all over Tucson and in her school community by making meals for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House, sending goodies to the soldiers overseas, and making lunches for the homeless - just to name a few."
Photo not available...
Bellee: Glenn Fournie
Nominated by: Jonathan Mabry
Glenn Fournie has been spreading kindness through his work as a strong advocate for the most vulnerable members of the Tucson community – including the homeless and low-income elderly. In addition to his leading roles in planning and running the "Tucson Homeless Connect" and "51 Homes Program", Glenn also serves on the board of directors for B’nai Birith Manor at Pantano, a low-income senior housing facility, continues to volunteer many hours to build homes for Habitat for Humanity, and is an active fundraiser for the Southern Arizona Aids Foundation.
Photo by Jennifer Toothaker-Burdick of Glenn Fournie (center, holding Ben's Bell), nominator Jonathan Mabry (to Glenn's right wearing a striped button-up collared shirt) and the City of Tucson's Department of Housing and Community Development.
THANK-YOU Glenn, for sharing your kindness with our community!
Youth Bellee: Alexis Bissell
Nominated by: David Dobler
Alexis Bissell, "Lexi", is a 9-year-old girl who has been spreading kindness through her truly remarkable level of responsibility and care. Over the past 6 months Lexi has become best friends with 'Lobo', a neighbor's horse, as she has showered him with unbelievable kindness, love and care by combing and brushing him, doing the necessary chores for him, feeding and watering him and has become a proficient 'horse-girl' through riding and exercising him. Many in the neighborhood have another reason to smile when they see little Lexi with 'her' big 'ol horse, wearing her little western outfit and spurs.”
Photo by Jeannette Maré of (left to right) Alexis Bissell (holding Bell) on Lobo, Alexis' Grandmother and David Dobler
THANK-YOU Lexi, for sharing your kindness with our community!
Bellee: Amy Geile and Kristen Littell
Nominated by: Mark Irvin and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Tucson
Amy Geile and Kristen Littell truly embody the old saying "it is better to give than to receive" as the founders of Wee Work, a volunteer organization that allows parents and children to serve the community together. Wee Work shows the promise of creating a legacy of philanthropy by teaching hundreds of children the importance of giving back. Just this past holiday season, Amy and Kristen, along with 20 other parents and 25 kids who are also members of Wee Work, collaborated with the Frank and Edith Morton Boys and Girls Club to create a holiday party including a delicious home-made dinner and the presentation of board games and other toys to over 175 club members.
Photo by Jeannette Maré of Bellees Kristen Littell (holding Ben's Bell) and Amy Geile (in black top to Kristen's left) with family and members of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Tucson.
THANK-YOU Amy & Kristin, for sharing your kindness with our community!
Youth Bellee: Kayla Tilicki
Nominated by: Carol Sottosanti
Kayla Tilicki is a 13 year old spreading kindness through "Give a kid the chance to dance", a campaign she started to provide students with the opportunity to have dancing, singing, and acting lessons. Kayla is also very involved with Kid's Unlimited, a children and teen performing group, where she sings and dances at nursing homes and charitable events and has also helped to raise $500 for new microphones for community service performances.
Photo by Jeannette Maré of Kayla Tilicki (with BBell), Carol Sottosanti (to her left in blue shirt) and family and Kids Unlimited classmates for Ben's Bellings.
THANK-YOU Kayla, for sharing your kindness with our community!
Bellee: Susan Teitelbaum
Nominated by: Jill Fuller
Susan Teitelbaum has been sharing her kindness and her understanding of losing a loved one at Christmas time for over a decade. Susan's own Mother died in the TMC Hospice unit in 1998 and on Christmas day, there was no food available for her and her family from the cafeteria and all restaurants were closed for the holidays. Susan vowed at that time to provide food for the Hospice families at Christmas time and has done so faithfully for the past 11 years.
Photo by Jeannette Maré of Bellee, Susan Teitelbaium (holding Ben's Bell), nominator, Jill Fuller (to Susan's left wearing a dress with a long black sweater), and family, friends and TMC Staff.
THANK-YOU Susan, for sharing your kindness with our community!
Bellees:
Members of the Superintendent's Student Advisory Council of Tucson High Magnet School; Miranda Hinojosa (President); Daniel Dicochea (Vice President); Evelyn Sanchez-Gonzales (Treasurer); Jordan Bowler (Secretary); Avery Burrola (Co-Secretary)
Nominated by: Alyssa Sommer
Miranda Hinojosa, Daniel Dicochea, Evelyn Sanchez-Gonzales, Jordan Bowler, and Avery Burrola are spreading kindness through their involvement with the Superintendent's Student Advisory Council (SACC) of Tucson High Magnet School.
Though their hard work, dedication, vision, and kind attitudes, each of these individuals have shown and continue to show what it takes to spread kindness by continually demonstrating positive characteristics and setting good examples for other students around the campus.
Photo by Maggie Gedebou of (from left to right) Andy Burrola, Alyssa Sommer, Jordan Bowler, Evelyn Sanchez-Gonzales, Daniel Dicochea, Miranda Hinojosa and Jeannette Maré.
THANK-YOU (SACC) of Tucson High Magnet School, for sharing your kindness with our community!
Bellee: Girl Scout Troop 347
Nominated by: Patricia Jordan
"Girl Scout Troop 347 went out of their way to be kind when Ellie, Sara and other nine year old girls decided they didn’t want birthday parties this year, but instead wanted to help raise money for the Jordan family who has three year old triplets (one that has cerebral palsy), 2 older children, and a mother who had been recently diagnosed with breast cancer. With the help of the girl's parents and friend Jeree Schmuker, they have started a Facebook page, opened a bank account in the family's name, arranged for donations as well as meals for the family, and have even organized a yard sale event that raised over $500!”
Photo by Jeannette Maré of Girl Scout Troop 347 and Nominator Patricia Jordan.
THANK-YOU Troop 347, for sharing your kindness with our community!
Bellee: Shay Beider (February 10th, 2012)
Nominated by: Micah Lee
Shay Beider, the founder of Integrative Touch For Kids ( ITK), has been spreading kindness for the last three summers through ITK's week long healing retreats for families with special needs children. Through Shay's love, kindness & vision of ITK, she understands that the family as a whole goes through the turmoil of the disability & the whole family needs to be helped, not just the child.
Photo by Jeannette Maré of Shay Beider (holding Ben's Bells) and nominator, Micah Lee.
THANK-YOU SHAY, for sharing your kindness with our community!
Bellee: Seton & Debbie Claggett (February 3rd, 2012)
Nominated by: Jennifer Davison
Seton and Debbie Claggett run their business (Trisports, in Tucson) on the principles of kindness, shown through their compassion for their employees, our community, and the environment. Seton and Debbie continually care for their employees and also empower them to join-in spreading kindness in our community through opportunities such as working with Habitat for Humanity or company-planned bike rides through Tucson to deliver sandwiches to homeless people. Debbie and Seton have also taken energy-efficient initiatives such as natural lighting and a wonderful bike-community program, in addition to (despite the recession) installing solar panels that generate 90% of the store's energy needs, and the largest rainwater catchment system in the Western US.
Photo by Jeannette Maré of Debbie Claggett (with Bell) and Seton Claggett (on Debbie's right) with TriSports Staff.
THANK-YOU DEBBIE AND SETON, for sharing your kindness with our community!
Bellee: Emily Swartz (January 13th, 2012)
Nominated by: Kelly Smith
Emily Swartz is an amazingly kind woman who extended her home to two lost dogs until they could be reunited with their owner. Emily gave the dogs water, food and even took the time to remove Cholla Cactus stuck in their fur. When she was finally able to reunite the dogs with their owner, Emily would not accept payment, but instead mentioned that others had done the same kindness for her and that it was no trouble at all.
Photo by Jeannette Maré of Brandon Swartz, Emily Swartz (with Bell) and Amy Swartz for Ben's Bellings.
THANK-YOU EMILY, for sharing your kindness with our community!
Bellee: Frank Williams (January 6th, 2012)
Nominator: Kara Bishop
Frank Williams, at over 80 years old, has been spreading his kindness for the past three decades through his work with Casa De Luz Hospice, an important program helping local children (and parents) deal with the challenges and changes divorce brings. While Frank has recently retired, he spent his time at Casa De Luz Hospice developing and nurturing the program on only a shoestring budget and by working with interns from the U of A Psychology Department and volunteers from our community.
Photo by Jeannette Maré of (from L to R) Tammy Burlile, Ilynn Adler, Frank Williams (w Ben's Bell), Kara Bishop, Donna Emery, Jessica Calcagni, and Candelaria Lochner for Ben's Bellings.
THANK-YOU FRANK, for sharing your kindness with our community!
Bellee: Kevin Odriscoll (December 22nd, 2011)
Nominator: Joene Ames
Kevin is a teacher at El Hogar, a program in the Amphitheater District that services students who are special ed and have been long-term suspended. This past semester Kevin's only child died at the age of 35 of cancer. Still Kevin came to work everyday showing strength, kindness, and ability to teach his students not only Math and Science but also how to take responsibility and and how to show compassion.
Photo by Jeannette Maré of Joene Ames and Kevin Odriscoll for Ben's Bellings..
THANK-YOU BEN, for sharing your kindness with our community!
Bellee: Marianne Wyatt (December 16th, 2011)
Nominator: Sandra Schulte
Marianne Wyatt has a kind and generous spirit as seen by how she truly embodies the Henry James' quote, "There are three things in human life that are important. The first is to be kind, the second is to be kind, and the third is to be kind." Marianne has planned and sponsored tournaments, luncheons, and fundraisers to provide school supplies needy students, books for students and teachers in the Marana School District and diapers and clothes for the Teenage Parent Program at Marana High School while modestly seeking no recognition of her good deeds.
Photo by Monika Turner of Marianne Wyatt (with Ben's Bell), Sandra Schulte (to her left in green sweater) and friends for Ben's Bellings.
THANK-YOU MARIANNE, for sharing your kindness with our community!
Bellee: Max Goshert (December 9th, 2011)
Nominator: Dr. Cindi Gilliland
Max Goshert has been spreading kindness through volunteering countless hours organizing and supervising the Arizona Refugee Connection's GiveBack KickBack 2, a party fundraising to build a school in Sudan and to help our local efforts with political refugees. Max did not earn money or even course credit for doing this and so his time and energy are truly a gift of kindness from his heart to make our community and world better places.
Photo by Jeannette Maré of (from L to R) Cindi Gilliland, Blackman Clay, Max Goshert (with Ben's Bell) and TK Horn for Ben's Bellings.
THANK-YOU MAX, for sharing your kindness with our community!
Bellee: Marsha Dunn Klein (December 2nd, 2011)
Nominator: Ellen Duperret
Marsha Dunn Klein has been a promoter of kindness for many years in her career as an occupational therapist, working with children who suffer from feeding difficulties and helping them learn to eat and grow according to their potential. Marsha does consultations with families throughout Arizona and neighboring states, while also speaking at workshops all over the world where she trains other therapists how to work with children with feeding difficulties in a kind, gentle and respectful manner.
Photo by Jeannette Maré of Marsha Klein (with Ben's Bell), Ellen Duperret (to Marsha's right, black shirt), and colleagues from Mealtime Connections for Ben's Bellings.
THANK-YOU MARSHA, for sharing your kindness with our community!
Donations
If the work that Ben's Bells is doing is important to you, please consider making a donation. A few dollars goes a long way in helping to create a culture of kindness in our community and beyond.
Click here to be directed to a secure online website for donations.
About the Ben's Bells Project
March 29th, 2002 started as a very normal day in our lives. Our sons, Matthew – nearly 6 and Ben – nearly 3 – were home playing with a playmate. Ben had a cold and a bit of a croupy cough. We were not alarmed. Never did it enter our minds that Ben was seriously ill or that he could die. And then he did. It only took seconds for him to become unconscious after his airway swelled shut. Jeannette’s efforts at rescue breathing and CPR were in vain as Ben’s airway was completely closed. In those moments on the morning of Good Friday our lives changed forever.
Click here to read the full story ...
