Background
A man named Jerry Parkin passed away at 91 years old, and the fast food restaurant “Burger King” was kind enough to engrave his name on one of their chairs. The location of this Burger King was in North Branch in Cleveland, Ohio. The employees at Burger King did something that they didn’t have to do that took time away from their day.
Jerry Parkin used to always go to Burger King with his friends for a morning gathering with coffee. Parkin was a loyal customer that the employees at Burger King enjoyed, as soon as he came into the fast food restaurant they had his order ready for him. Parkin even celebrated his 90th birthday there with the employees, which showed how much love that was lingering there. King employees viewed Parkin as family and when he passed, many expressed their sadness.
For his remembrance King employees took the chair that Parkin used to always sit in to the back of their kitchen. They used a wood burner to engrave Parkins name, year of birth, and the year he passed. “Jerry Parkin 1933 – 2024.” Several of King’s Employees attended his funeral, taking the chair with them to honor Jerry.
Parkin even decided to have his last meal from Burger King. “He said he wanted chicken nuggets, a cookie and a shake, says Leo Parkin.”
The chair is now back at the Burger King fast food restaurant and Jerry Parkins’s family members were able to sit in the chair that Parkins always sat in when they visited the restaurant, The family showed appreciation to the workers for showing love to their father and grandfather.
Kindness
Kindness can be shown in a variety of ways whether you’re helping someone, or even just being around someone showing you care. The definition of kindness is “The quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.” A part of being kind is being considerate of other people’s feelings around you, meaning thinking about what you say to people before you say it. Or being someone’s friend even if you think that they’re weird or annoying you can try to adapt to their personalities.
Ways kindness has been shown at MMS
MMS requires the four R’s “Respect, Risk taking, Responsibility, and Right attitude. Kindness is included in “Right attitude” and “Respect” even “Responsibility.” The Wildcats should show kindness in each of them.
Examples:
- The teachers on the 8th grade Maverick team bought gifts and a cake for a student that was leaving MMS and going to a new school.
- Some parents gather snacks and pizza for students’ birthdays that have passed or are coming up.
- Students may bring in treats to share with teachers or classmates.
- Ms. Saunders brings in a little something for 8th grade Journalism/News Writing students when they finish their stories.
- When a student is feeling a little low on 8th grade Maverick team, the teachers do the best they can to comfort them. A teacher even brought a student some hot cocoa and cookies the next morning.
- From the source 30 stories about kindness it was explained how a random man decided to pay for the person’s snacks behind him and wouldn’t let them pay for themselves
5 ways you can show kindness:
- Say good morning/ good afternoon/ good evening/ how are you ?
- Help your classmates around you.
- Do volunteer work around your local community.
- Donate toys/clothes/shoes/supplies to charity.
- Get to know someone you don’t know that well.
Sources that were used:
- 30 stories about kindness
- Burger King workers show up at beloved regular’s funeral with chair engraved in his honor
- Random acts of Kindness
