September 26, 2022

Dear Community Members,

It is my great pleasure to tell you that Benicia has been chosen as a Be Kind Community! There is no better community to receive this recognition. This gives us a great opportunity to turn the month of October into a month dedicated to recommitting ourselves to kindness and to really show we are deserving of the title. We will be partnering with the Benicia Unified School District, the Chamber of Commerce, the Benicia Industrial Park Association, Rotary, Carquinez Village, and other service organizations, as well as religious institutions across the City. You may have already received a mailer from Be Kind Community. You will now begin seeing Be Kind Community stickers and magnets around the City. All this is, at its heart, is a recommitment to kindness…to being proactive in showing kindness at every opportunity. To helping create a culture of kindness. It is generally easy to be kind to those we love. Its more challenging to be kind to strangers…those we might normally never even acknowledge.

The campaign is broken into four weekly initiatives:

October 1-9: See Someone Say Something. 
One of the things I’ve always tried to do when I run or walk is say “good morning!” or “good afternoon!”. Often, I’m met by some surprise, but usually by pleasant surprise. Sometimes its easy to get discouraged when some people ignore me, but I just keep on trying. You can also just start up a conversation at your favorite coffee spot or grocery store. Wave at pedestrians or other drivers (and not that other wave we’ve been seeing so much of during COVID!). Take a moment of patience to be extra, extra courteous to other drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians when you are driving (driving might be the place for the most room for growth in regards to kindness).
 
October 10-16: Pay it Forward.
This could be as simple as holding the door for someone or buying coffee for the person behind you in line. It could be more complex as you work with a charity or focus some real effort on someone you know who is down on their luck.
 
October 17-23: Serve a Servant.
There are real heroes amongst us. For me, I always think about our teachers…a group so important to us, but so often we don’t take the time to thank them. Also, as a soccer dad, how about those sports volunteers (coaches, referees, team managers). Of course, our public safety frontline staff. Also, volunteers in our various community service organizations and volunteer groups are community servants who deserve our great appreciation. Of course, none of these folks expect anything…that’s part of what makes them so special…so let’s surprise them!

October 24-31: Kindness Card.
Send someone a note…completely unexpected! Tell them how they make your life better, how much you appreciate them.

Each week I will be promoting these initiatives further, along with my partner, Superintendent Dr. Damon Wright, as well as other community leaders. On the Be Kind Community website you can share your stories…please do!!! Let’s jump into this with both feet and make October the most amazing example of kindness ever seen in any community. Let’s drop a pebble in the ocean that starts a tidal wave of kindness and show everyone what it means to be a Benician!

Be Kind Community stickers available at the City Hall front counter and around the City at various businesses and churches.

Erik Upson
City Manager