By FRED KRONER
fred@mahometnews.com
Study these words:
What the world needs now is love, sweet love,
It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of,
What the world needs now is love, sweet love,
No, not just for some, but for everyone.
They are an example that despite technological advances, medical developments and know-how, some thoughts of the 1960s are still with us and just as relevant today.
Those lines were lyrics written by Hal David and part of a pop song, “What the World Needs Now,” which was recorded by Jackie DeShannon.
It was released in April 1965.
For Mahomet’s Heather Wanninger and Kristin Allen, the words represent a thought process that remains prominent in their minds more than a half-century later.
They are helping to implement feel-good stories into our community on a regular basis.
For Wanninger, it all started when darkness seemed to be a prevalent part of daily news reports.
“Last spring, after another shooting, another death, another bullying suicide in the news, I really wanted to find a way to reach out to the younger generation,” Wanninger said.
“Everyone, kids included, are searching for answers. Everyone wants to help. Yet everyone feels like there is nothing they can do.”
In her heart, she knew there was a way.
“Everyone can (help), Wanninger said. “And it’s simple. It boils down to kindness.
“Include others. Smile. Hold a door. Encourage someone trying something new. Offer a hug when someone is hurting.
“It doesn’t take much effort for us to express our actions to another person, ‘I see you and you matter.’ ”
As Wanninger was starting to get the message out independently through her photography business, Sweet Lemonade Photography, Mahomet-Seymour High School physical education teacher Kristin Allen was following a similar path on her own.
It started with a bracelet she had made and began wearing.
“You can get positive quotes,” Allen said. “Mine was ‘Be the change.’ “
One of her students saw it and asked, “if I got it from Heather,” Allen related.
The short answer was ‘no,’ but the query prompted Allen to contact Wanninger.
“I called and told her the story,” Allen said. “We have the same views. Happy people don’t hurt people.
“Acts of kindness can help. We developed the ‘face of change’ based on the bracelet.”
The women created nomination forms for high schoolers to use in nominating others for showing kindness.
“We really want all the kids to be thinking about kindness, looking for and acknowledging the kindness others show to them or someone else,” Wanninger said. “We hope that by putting them on the lookout for the kindness of others that they will be more intentional with their kindness to others as well.”
Allen believed it was a terrific starting point.
“We agree that everybody can play a part,” Allen said. “It may be a small part, but they end up being big parts.”
Last spring, Wanninger and Allen put together a series of videos that they share at the high school.
“We have quotes we will share weekly on the slideshows at the high school through the multiple TVs where they promote upcoming events and such,” Wanninger said. “We will also put it on Facebook and Instagram:
Wanninger said there is room for the initiative to evolve.
“It’s our hope that future videos will be students that are willing to share their own personal story about how someone helped them during a tough time,” she said. “Trying to put a face with the stories.
“Everyone struggles. And yet with social media, oddly enough, everyone feels alone because most people make their lives on social media look perfect.
“We want to encourage people to share the imperfect moments they experience in a way that can allow others to feel like they are not alone in those thoughts or feelings. We want the positivity to continue through nominating others they see showing kindness to those around them as well.”
It’s important, Allen said, for the voices to be heard.
“A lot of times, we don’t verbalize to people,” she said, “and they have no idea the impact they’ve made.”
Allen reported that the feedback has all been positive.
One student discussed with her the reasons a particular nomination was made.
“(The speaker) was all smiles,” Allen said, “thanking them for being the first person to be nice to them when they were new in the district.
“I don’t think any negative can come from acts of kindness. It’s more of a grassroots thing.
“It might be the person sitting by themselves in the lunch room and someone trying to make a connection with that person.”
That Jackie DeShannon song rose to No. 7 on the U.S. Hot 100 in July (1965), but later reached No. 1 on the charts in Canada.
It wasn’t just the melody, but the message:
What the world needs now is love, sweet love,
It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of,
What the world needs now is love, sweet love,
No, not just for some, but for everyone.
Heather Wanninger and Kristin Allen are doing their parts to continue sharing the thoughts of kindness.
“Kristin is such an incredible motivator/encourager to the kids in general at the high school,” Wanninger said. “When she and I realized our similar desire to make an impact beginning with the youth in the community, we were eager to create a simple initiative that we hope will produce a snowball of kindness that never ends.”
