Soon after Delaney’s passing, area schools started reaching out to support her message of kindness and inclusion. The Live Like Delaney Foundation knew that many area schools needed to hear her message of light and faith right in their own classrooms.

Through the generous donations of Saint Joseph Parish School students, the foundation has been able to create Kindness Kits that will be sent to various schools. The kits include bracelets, stickers, and a curriculum written by Delaney’s mom, Megan Kilbane that focuses on little acts of kindness.

Schools include local schools like Avon’s Holy Trinity and St. Mary’s, St. Peter, North Ridgeville, and St. Raphael in Bay. Other Cleveland area schools that want to spread her light are LCA, St. Chris, St. Mark’s, and OLA among others. The kits should be on their way in early May to the second grade classes at each school.

On April 14^th, the Harlem Wizards dedicated their game to Delaney, and presented her family with a special jersey. More importantly, 1,200 people learned about her mission of joy and faith so they can spread her kindness and light too. Thank you Wizards!

We are proud to shine our very first kindness spotlight on St. Joseph Parish School fourth grader Mallorie Gulgas. Mallorie is always a sweet, patient, and kind-hearted student in the halls of SJS. But on her recent Spring Break trip to Palm Beach Shores, she took the mission to spread Delaney’s light even further.

Knowing that Delaney’s happy place was the beach, Mallorie painted pink and purple heart shaped rocks with the foundation’s name on them, and spread them around on Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday. Mallorie said, “The reason why I chose to be kind is because Delaney was Christ-like and I want to be like her: to be the kind, smart, Christ-like soul that she was. Mrs. Kilbane was so lucky to hold an angel in her arms and I did cheer with Delaney and I miss her so much!”

We know Delaney would be so happy to see her message of kindness spread to the ocean beaches that she loved!

Truly, it would be impossible to thank every person and organization who has stepped up in a variety of ways to offer strength and support to LLDF. From stickers to wristbands, painted rocks to monetary donations, the message is clear: Delaney’s kindness and light will continue to spread.

One donation stands out this month, and we are so grateful for the kindness of Tim Gerity of the Lamar sign company for the 9 billboards they have donated to spread Delaney’s message. From 480 to downtown Cleveland, her most powerful message stands to those who need it most.

The Delaney Foundation is committed to spreading her message of kindness and inclusion, and ten Cleveland area schools have instituted the Kindness Curriculum this May. Over 500 second graders have received bracelets, stickers, and Delaney’s message of love, along with a daily kindness challenge. The impact has been fast and far-reaching. Lakewood Catholic Academy second grade teacher Patricia McGinty said, “The students looked forward to learning about the kindness challenge of the day and ways that they could live like Delaney through their actions.”

Delaney’s innate ability to reach out to those who need it most is a hallmark of the Kindness Kit program. LCA second grade teacher Lauren Raffel said, “During the kindness challenge to write a note to someone, one of my students had tears in his eyes from reading about why he was special to someone else in the class. You could see in his face that he did not even know why he was crying, but that he was just overwhelmed by the joyful emotion. Another student went over to the boy that wrote him a letter, someone he does not usually spend time with, and gave him a hug and asked if they could have a playdate sometime.”

The experiences of the students at LCA are not unique. From asking a new friend to play, to giving compliments, students in second grade Catholic school classrooms across the area are focused more on kindness this month to spread Delaney’s light.

Second grade students in Delaney’s class at SJS have experienced the Kindness Kits in a unique way. Through the compassion and warmth of Miss Mackin, second graders have renewed their dedication to doing good deeds and being more inviting to keep Delaney’s loving spirit alive. She is a part of their work time and play time and prayer time, and is still shining her light on her friends and classmates! As a special tribute, the second grade teachers have hung the kindness challenge in the main hall so that the whole school can participate.

Stella Sisson has always lived a life of kindness: including others, looking at the positive, and sharing her joy. As a fourth grader in Ms. Kilbane’s class, she was introduced to Delaney. They quickly built a special bond, and Stella has committed herself to spreading Delaney’s light. Every Monday, in fact, she posts a “Live Like Delaney” feature to encourage others to live with compassion and do little things for others.

Stella has also spread Delaney’s light at her cheerleading competitions, telling her story and encouraging teammates and competitors to do acts of kindness. She has also spread the message to her cousins in Georgia, who have painted inspirational rocks and talked to their Bible Study about Delaney’s message.

Stella’s work to share Delaney’s joy is not done. She is busy choreographing a special dance for the SJS Talent Show with some first graders to embody the light, joy and compassion of Delaney and her beautiful heart. And soon she will spread the message to Avon Lake High School where she will be a freshman. We know Delaney is smiling about Stella’s kindness!

Even as a young child, Delaney was grateful beyond her years. We carry this gratitude with us for all of the big and small ways that people have stepped up to spread her light. One company that stands out this month is J. McLaughlin in Rocky River. Through the kindness of Donna Biven, the store made a generous donation from a shopping event on Mother’s Day Weekend. Each customer also received a flower to honor the kindness of Delaney.

During the last school mass of the year at Saint Joseph School, the first Live Like Delaney Scholarship was awarded with the help of a generous anonymous donor. After Megan Kilbane gave an inspiring kindness talk to the eighth grade class, she and Tommy Kilbane presented the inaugural scholarship to eighth grader Meredith Quinn.

During her talk, Kilbane entreated the students to “Choose kindness. Choose compassion. Choose to make people feel seen, valued, and loved. Because these choices have the power to change lives.”

True to her humble nature, Quinn was totally surprised by the award. Afterward she said, “I will carry Delaney’s light to Magnificat by being kind, loving, and compassionate to others. I hope to do this in little ways by sharing a smile, listening to a friend who needs support, or making sure others feel included or loved.” We know that Magnificat will surely shine brighter with Meredith’s presence!

Each month the Live Like Delaney Foundation will do a Kindness Drop to celebrate Delaney’s spirit of giving. The inaugural drop took place on June 13^th, when a wagon full of snacks and drinks was dropped off for the Avon Lake Police and dispatchers to thank them for their faithful service to the community. We appreciate their daily selfless efforts!

Truly, there have already been countless good deeds done in Delaney’s name, but this month our Kindness Spotlight shines on rising sixth grader Brooklyne Bartel for her many acts of love. From helping to create a rock garden at Saint Joseph School, to designing coloring pages, Bartel has put her heart into celebrating Delaney and her kindness. She also made and laminated collages of Delaney’s pictures, and created homemade bracelets to pass out to classmates. To top it all off, she spearheaded the Girl Scout Memorial Day kindness card candy drop, with over 200 pieces of candy shared during the parade.

Brooklyne said, “Doing this has not only made others happy, but also made me happy to share Delaney’s light. This summer, I am going to put together more goodie bags to pass out to people in the community.” We are so proud of her!

We are beyond grateful for each and every act of kindness done in Delaney’s name, but Emilie’s Coffee Shop and Wine Bar deserves a special thank you this month. Through the generous spirit of Emilie Stack and her mom Erin Stack, their one day fundraiser for the foundation lasted nearly a full week and raised over $4,000. We are so thankful for the chance to move forward with our kindness initiatives, and also celebrate how this brought the community together. Thank you will never be enough!!

To celebrate Delaney’s first birthday in heaven, her mom Megan invited eighteen of Delaney’s friends to a very special party. Complete with cupcakes, the singing of “Happy Birthday”, and special activities, the young girls were treated to an unforgettable afternoon to remember a very special young lady.

During the party, each girl was given a picture frame featuring a picture of her with Delaney, which they decorated as a special keepsake. The girls also decorated flower pots to take to a local nursing home later this week.

Attendee Rosalie Sisson said, “One of my favorite moments was when everyone gathered together to sing "Happy Birthday" to Delaney, and Ms. Kilbane lovingly blew out the candle for her. It was such a beautiful moment that brought everyone together. While we were all playing in the front yard, a beautiful butterfly kept circling around us, and it felt like Delaney was right there with us. The whole afternoon felt full of love, kindness, and little reminders that Delaney's beautiful spirit is still touching so many lives.”

This month’s Kindness Drop took place on July 15^th and featured a beautiful circle of kindness: Big M Pizza generously donated dinner for the crew at the Avon Lake Fire Station so they could take a break from cooking for a night. We are so grateful for all the firefighters and paramedics who keep us safe, and they truly enjoyed the pizza, wings, salad, chips and dessert from Big M. Gratitude all around!

Incoming sixth grader Mary Sminchak really shines with kindness, and she is devoted to spreading Delaney’s light whether on the volleyball court or in the classroom. She recently spearheaded a secret kindness movement that lit up the city. Modeled after Halloween “Boo Bags” that are secretly dropped off to offer some fun fright to their recipients, Mary and her friends created kindness bags that they dropped off to area people to spread joy and kindness.

Mary said, “Delaney made others feel special, and I want to carry out her legacy. When I see someone who is happy, it makes me feel happy. Kindness makes the world a better place. I feel like it's a train: if you are kind to someone, they'll be kind to someone else, and the chain will continue. If no one was kind, what a sad world it would be.”

As a conductor of kindness, Delaney continues to shine her light through all those who continue her mission. Thank you Mary for spreading her light!

Delaney’s light has spread in so many directions, and one way we would have never anticipated is into the world of home construction. Special thanks goes to Wigton Homes for their new Delaney Model, with a portion of every one of these models sold going back into the foundation. Each Delaney home will be stamped with a butterfly and have some special features to bring light and joy to the new owners. We are so grateful to Wigton Homes for their innovative donation!

Saturday was a day filled with butterflies, rainbows, and a plethora of beautiful chalk designs throughout the city of Avon Lake. Delaney brought together strangers, friends, young, and old to create a more vibrant and joyful city through chalk designs.

After spending the morning chalking, attendees were happy to celebrate Delaney’s 9^th heavenly birthday and the dedication of her buddy bench. With bounce houses courtesy of Ireland Rentals and delicious cupcakes donated by Fragapanes, there were smiles all around. Special thanks to Nicole Marcellino of the Cavs who was the MC, and mayor Mark Spaetzel who attended the special event.

Erin Kelly said, “It was truly an honor to attend the Chalk the Walk for Delaney. The beautiful artwork and kind messages show how many lives Delaney has touched, and the unveiling of the Delaney Buddy Bench was beautiful.”

August’s Kindness Drop involved something near and dear to Delaney’s heart: school supplies. The foundation was able to donate enough school supplies to the West Side Catholic Center that will help around 100 students have a more successful school year. Every donation to the foundation helps acts of kindness like this happen, and we are so grateful for all of the support of Delaney’s mission.

Along with all of the random acts of kindness done in Delaney’s name, the foundation is committed to a Kindness Curriculum that takes a more methodical approach to teaching kindness in public and private classrooms around Cleveland. This month we would like to spotlight two special teachers who are helping bring the curriculum to life. Mrs. Cara Hartzell (Delaney’s homeroom teacher, pictured) and Ms. Hanna Sliwinski were the first grade team when Delaney was in first grade, and have spent countless hours refining curriculum and leveling it for grades K-2, 3-5, and 6-8 for both public and private schools. The profound impact they will make on students in Cleveland and eventually the country cannot be overstated.

Mrs. Hartzell said, “Being Delaney’s teacher was an incredible honor, and she taught me more than I could ever teach her. She literally radiated joy, coming into the classroom each day with a huge smile and a cheerful good morning. I am excited and proud to be helping with the curriculum because we really all do need to Live Like Delaney and spread kindness, hope, love and joy.”

The curriculum will go live on the website in September so that teachers and students across the country can benefit.

The foundation has been blessed this month by two women who reached out to help raise awareness for our kindness mission. On August 11^th, Janel McLaughlin, a Fairview Hospital nurse manager, honored Delaney with a Kindness Clip activity at the Gift of Life event during the Asian Lantern experience at the zoo.

And just a few days later, Beth Ulrick of the Epilepsy Association offered a table at the Epilepsy Walk on August 16^th that attracted around 800 walkers who were able to learn about Delaney’s mission.

We are so grateful for all who are willing to spread Delaney’s light!

Friday September 19^th was a night like no other, under a beautiful tent lit by chandeliers and sunset rays, and adorned by beautiful flower arrangements and tasteful decorations.

Over one hundred women gathered together for a bougie night of champagne flights, delectable foods, and the time they don’t always have to relax and enjoy the perfect weather with friends.

Kudos to Toni Rotz and Ashley Leber for planning a beautiful night, along with several vendors that made the night even more remarkable. With the lovely musical tones of Kahrin underscoring the night, guests were treated to food by Chef Bo Mueller and Let’s Eat CLE, as well as several loving parish volunteers. Vendors Furbish and Fire, Reflection Room Tattoo, On Board Avon Lake, and Fuse rounded out the night.

Beyond the wonderful time with friends, the event was a fundraiser to support the mission of the foundation, and raised funds to help the elderly, the underserved, and the underprivileged youth of our area.

September 18^th was a pivotal day for the foundation, when Megan Kilbane ran her first retreat at St. Raphael’s School. She led nine grades of students through her kindness curriculum, reflections, and meditations designed to help all students spread kindness.

As part of the day, students made 500 comfort care bags that were later distributed to St. Herman’s, St. Malachi’s and the Westside Catholic Center. Five hundred people in need are living a little easier this month with the help of Delaney’s mission.

This month’s Kindness Spotlight shines on sixth grader Kiley Kinyon. Kiley has gone out of her way to do so many little things with great love, just like Delaney did. There are many examples from the past year where she jumped in to help. For instance, last year she filled Easter eggs with candy and passed them out with kindness cards at her volleyball tournaments. She even spread Delaney’s light and love while on vacation in Puerto Rico!

Most recently she visited Towne Center to deliver flower pots and spend time with several residents. She was really moved by the interactions with the residents and the way they appreciated her love and attention, and she plans to go back in the future.

Kiley said, “Living like Delaney is important to me because one small act of kindness can make a big difference in someone’s life.”

September was a month filled with kindness. A huge thank you to Nicole Follen Photography for joining us in the sunflower field to create beautiful butterfly portrait sessions. She also kindly donated 40% of each session to ensure that the mission of the Live Like Delaney Foundation moves forward.

Just a few miles away, Harper and Maren Saxe hosted a lemonade stand in conjunction with Belle in Rocky River, and Belle matched all proceeds. These sweet acts of kindness affect the entire community positively.

We are so blessed to have so many people in so many places who are willing to spread Delaney’s love.