Tonight, Everyday Heroes Banded Together for Kindness

November 18, 2015November 18, 2015 Leigh Ann ErricoLeave a comment

Tonight marked the third annual holiday event for Wear the Cape’s kidkind foundation, and it just might have been the best one yet. With over 90 women in attendance, 20 Cape Kids who volunteered their time, and many vendors who donated their services and specialties, the kidkind foundation raised over $9,500(estimate) to use for GOOD.

Thanks to generous donations, in 2016 Wear the Cape and the kidkind foundation will be bringing to elementary schools a fun and inspiring, hour-long assembly with a new, positive approach to preventing and stopping bullying, publishing a children’s book that beautifully illustrates that it’s better to be a hero than a bully, and putting money toward scholarships for deserving young men and woman who embody Wear the Cape’s mission.

As the near 100 guests arrived, they were greeted by young Cape Kids decked in red capes, who assisted them with their generous donations. They also came laden with much needed supplies for our troops overseas via Operation NJ Cares, toys for underprivileged children via NJ Children’s Shelter of Trenton, and delicious treats for a cookie swap. By sharing one tray of cookies each with all, women were able to bring home tins of “kindness cookies” to enjoy and be reminded of the good in the world throughout the holiday season.

Guests even gained an early start on holiday shopping. Cocoa Fete, Fabulously Frilly, Eileen McDonald, Silpada, Rosie Posie Botique, Pampered Chef and Petit Lily were among the vendors who donated a percentage of their profits back to the kidkind foundation. Wear The Cape also introduced its new merchandise – a comfy long-sleeve tee, a warm and fuzzy hat, love-inspiring lip moisturizer and a beautifully crafted Cape pin – complete with “hero tags” that coach kids on making the right choices and being “BETTER THAN THAT™”.

Additionally, several local business owners, including Ann Nappi, Sandrine Boegart, Ann Fournier, and Danielle Mazzurco donated to a for-goodness-sake raffle. Pink Buttercup donated a cake and the valet fee was donated by YLP Parking, as well.

But the fun didn’t stop there! Madame Clare entertained and inspired adults and children with positive fortunes of their heroic deeds in the future. Colleen Grunfest of Warren, a beloved, local teacher who is committed to building good character in kids, donned a costume to play the part.

A highlight of the evening was watching the video trailer for Wear the Cape’s soon-to-be-released assembly, which will be brought to schools in New Jersey and beyond beginning this January 2016. One awesome Cape Kid summed up the video by saying, “My favorite part of making this movie was showing that it really is cool to be kind.”

For more information on how you can preview the assembly and bring the interactive, multimedia presentation to your child’s school, please email Leigh Ann Errico at leighann@wearthecapekids.com.

Cape Kid Spreading the Love AND Love of the Game

August 2, 2015August 4, 2015 Leigh Ann ErricoLeave a comment

Cape Kid: Teen Edition

I’ve found living proof (again) that it’s cool to be kind…

Meet Evan Druskin. He’s our newest Cape Kid and a 16-year-old who clearly embodies Wear the Cape’s heroic values. A soon-to-be high school junior, Evan plays baseball at Gill St. Bernards School in Gladstone, NJ, AND he’s a kind kid who helps others.

What started out as a mitzvah project became so much more. For the past decade, this everyday hero has been collecting baseball and softball equipment for underprivileged youth via the PITCH IN FOR BASEBALL organization. Evan’s good deeds are instructive: he combined his passion for helping people with his love of the game of baseball. Evan shared,

“During a project for my religious studies, I visited the [PITCH IN FOR BASEBALL] warehouse operation, and I was so impressed with everything that I saw that I wanted to stay involved beyond my project.”

Evan gathers used sports equipment through a school-wide drive he runs at the Gill St. Bernards upper, middle, and lower schools, as well as through Zoned Baseball Academy, a baseball training facility in Bridgewater, NJ.

Over the years, Evan has been one of the highest producing providers to PITCH IN FOR BASEBALL, having gathered and donated over 500 pieces of equipment. This equipment, once collected, is shipped worldwide to applicants who are in need, from the corners of America to the reaches of Africa. Evan explained that, for children living in volatile nations—including many in the Middle East—playing a sport such as baseball or softball can serve as a form of escape and as a coping mechanism for dealing with difficult situations.

When I interviewed Evan this summer, I was amazed at how focused and productive he is at a young age. While many his age do not hold regular summer jobs, we had to coordinate the interview around his busy schedule of working at Teknicks, an agency in Bayhead, NJ where he’s learning the world of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). A quick study, Evan said he did not know much about SEO when he started out this summer but now he feels very comfortable with this burgeoning field. I love how passionate this Cape Kid becomes about everything in his life.

When I went to interview Evan, I brought my two oldest children Tommy and Samantha to help give Evan a goody bag of Cape products. And a testament to the fact that everyone—young and old—has the power to make an impact and lead by example, my kids still bring up Evan’s name and gush about his good deeds.

Evan punctuated our interview by words that should be inspiration to us all,

“I am able to change people’s lives by putting my time and energy toward giving back. I am truly helping people because I volunteer.”

(To read the “Top 10 Reasons to Encourage Your Kids to Volunteer”, according to Wear the Cape’s resident character education expert Dr. Brown, click here.)

A Cape Kid in action and a great role model, indeed! Evan, we thank you for wearing the cape!

To learn more about the PITCH IN FOR BASEBALL organization or to make a donation of your own equipment, contact Evan: evandruskin1 at aol dot com.

If you know of a young person whose heroic character shines and should be a Cape Kid—whether 2 years old or 22 years old—please send me an email: leighann at wearthecapekids dot com. We’d love to highlight his or her efforts to create a better, kinder world!

Choose kind,
Leigh Ann

To make a donation to the kidkind foundation, a registered 501 (c)(3) charity, click here, or send a check payable to the kidkind foundation to:

kidkind foundation
16 Mt Bethel Road, Suite 191
Warren, NJ 07059

Thank You Notes and Being Intentional about Your Dreams

May 7, 2015May 6, 2015 Leigh Ann Errico1 Comment

Many of you have heard about a new young buck on the golf scene named Jordan Spieth. Last month, Spieth claimed a prestigious, preppy green jacket of his own, at the age of 21, when he conquered Augusta. He even tied the all-time record for The Masters with his stunning score of 18 strokes under par.

Near as I can tell, Spieth’s reputation and his character seem to be stellar. Let’s hope this remains the case, so young people can continue to look up to this rockstar and admire him for his talents and his goodness.

Jack Nicklaus weighed in on Spieth:

“I like everything about the young man. He’s polite. He’s humble. He handles himself so well, on and off the golf course. And he’s obviously a wonderful player and now a Masters champion. I think Jordan Spieth is a great person – just as I think Rory McIlroy is – to carry the mantle for the game of golf.”

Not a bad comment to receive from the most successful golfer who ever walked the earth, eh?

Another super-cool tidbit that I learned about Mr. Spieth is that, back in 2009, he received a scholarship through his high school’s work grant program. This newly-minted golf superhero took the time to write an authentic note of thanks to the scholarship donors to express his appreciation.

Not only did Spieth have the class to send the thank you note, but he also had vision; in his letter, he shared his dream to someday win the Masters. From a parent’s perspective, I think the lesson that we can impart to our children is twofold:

Show gratitude for the opportunities that come your way.
Figure out what your dreams are and what you want out of life so you can go after it!

Gratitude and dreams – now those are two great concepts – so simple yet impactful…and positive!

So, Jordan Spieth, thank you for the inspiration and for being the gold standard of polish and class, on and off the links. While I may not guide my kids to perfectly duplicate your heavenly swing of irons (hey, it’s their call on what dreams they pursue), I can certainly share your playbook around taking the time to do the right thing, all while keeping focus on your goals!

Choose kind,
Leigh Ann

P.S. Want to help your kids make a habit out of expressing gratitude to those who gave them something to appreciate? Try Wear the Cape’s Gratitude-Strong Thank You Cards. Ten come in a pack, and they’re perfectly-suited to teach kids what gratitude is AND what it looks like in action. They even have wide-ruled lines to make writing a brief note easy. Order by clicking here.