FRANKLIN
Bryan Fenters is helping to bring a revolution to Western Tidewater.

A “Kindness Revolution,” that is.

The local agent for State Farm Insurance Agency is sponsoring a movement to promote that positive quality and others — courtesy, dignity and respect — among people.

Fenters said he became involved with the project after having been approached by Ed Horrell, who wrote the book “The Kindness Revolution.” Eight years ago Horrell began a non-profit mission of “raising the awareness of values, such as kindness, in leadership, customer service, schools and communities.”

His research found that “as many as 80 percent of us who go to work every day hate our jobs. Also, our children face a bullying problem of epidemic proportions … This decline in employee and customer satisfaction and the increase in disrespectful behavior in our schools all result from the same basic problem — how we treat each other.”

To help make a difference, Horrell is recruiting what he calls a “local business Champion” in every community he seeks out.

“Our Community Champions are our voice in their communities and represent the ‘best of the best.’ They are willing to speak on behalf of kindness since they emphasize those values in their daily customer service.”

As a way to spread the word about the movement, colorful wristbands with sayings such as “It’s Cool 2B Kind” are available to wear. Should a person wearing one see another individual demonstrating an act of kindness, he or she is asked to present their wristband to that person and ask that they eventually “pay it forward.”

To learn more, contact Fenters at 562-5551 or on Facebook at Fenters.thekindnessrevolution.org.

Further information about Horrell and his mission can be found at www.thekindnessrevolution.net.