The FPCA Kindness Club recently participated in a trash-a-thon for the Leap of Faith Equine Rescue and Sanctuary. On Feb. 21, the Kindness Club members went out into the community for 60 minutes to pick up trash. All money raised was donated to the Rescue Group. Kindness Club participants found donors to sponsor them.  Sponsors could pledge 10 cents per minute, 20 cents per minute, or 50 cents per minute.

The Kindness Club was established in 2015 by Alana Duncan. 

“I felt like so many of the kids at our small private school were unaware of the needs in our community. We have many people and animals in our local community that are struggling; I wanted to make them aware of that. Although they are young, there are many different ways for a small child to help,” Duncan said. According to Duncan, in order for a student to become a member of the Kindness Club, a child must perform 10 random acts of kindness to be completed by a specified date. They are then inducted into the Kindness Club.

The Kindness Club raised $1,000 for the Equine Rescue. The money was presented to Selene Carlisle on Feb. 27 during FPCA’s weekly student chapel service. 

“A huge load of hay was purchased with this donation. It was enough to feed our 15 rescue horses for about 6 weeks,” Carlisle said. Carlisle started the rescue two years ago when she purchased a horse from a kill pen.  Carlisle said, “I was able to find out who he was and got in touch with the lady who bred him. She cried when I told her where I bought him, she had no idea he was on his way to slaughter. She had sold him four years prior when her husband died.” According to Carlisle, the previous owner’s story touched her significantly. “His registered name was ‘My Leap of Faith.’ My sister and I saved a second horse from a kill pen, he had been abused. After discussing what we could do to make a difference, we decided to start our rescue. We named it after the first the first horse we saved.”

Kindergarten student Olivia Martin said she joined the Kindness Club because, “I like helping people, and it makes me feel greater and stronger.” First grade student, John Blake Mobley, said “I have been in the kindness club for two years but it felt like 20.” He also said he wanted to join the club because, “I wanted to help dogs.”

For more information about the FPCA kindness club, contact Alana Duncan at aduncan@fpcahinesville.com. 

FPCA’s Journalism students Aida Ni, Taneiha Bowman, Matai Canada, Bianca Duncan, and Jade Varnedoe Cooke contributed to this article.