Day of love and kindness will honor the legacy of Lucy Weber of Shawnee

SHAWNEE, Kan. - Give someone a hug, say ‘thank you,’ or perhaps hand out water -- just a few examples for The Great Kindness Challenge.

Friends and neighbors of Bev and Brian Weber helped the Shawnee couple prepare for the day of spreading kindness and love.  It is a worldwide event taking place this weekend, Aug. 11.

“When you see someone, do a random act of kindness and make someone smile. They’ll see that and they’ll feel it,” explained Brian Weber.  “They can pay it forward. If not, they just feel good themselves. It makes the community better.”

The local event recognizes Lucy Weber, whom 41 Action News first introduced you to in September of 2010.  Then just 15 months old, Lucy battled a rare, malignant brain tumor.

When Lucy lost her battle in Nov. of 2010, her parents found a new understanding of what it means to help others, following the unconditional love and support they received.

“And when we thought about what we wanted to do about going forward, we wanted to do something where we brought out the best in others and continue to do that, the way she brought out the best in us,” Bev Weber said.

The Weber’s formed a Kansas City area chapter of Kids for Peace. The national organization teaches kids to make a better, more peaceful world, through cross-cultural experiences. 

The local Lucy’s Kids for Peace chapter has grown to about 40 kids. About 25 attend the monthly meetings on a consistent basis.

You can join the local Great Kindness Challenge by checking in with the command post at Listowel Park at 71st Street and Quivira in Shawnee, Kan., Saturday, Aug. 11 from 9 to 11 a.m.

Asked what she thought Lucy would think about all of this, Bev replied, “She had a smile that lit up the room, and I just think she would be that same focal point now as she was when she was sick and when she was bringing out the best in everybody.”

For more information on Lucy’s Kids for Peace, visit www.kidsforpeaceglobal.org and click on Chapters.

For more information on this weekend’s event, visit www.greatkindnesschallenge.org