Two young men were out in a rowboat when it overturned. Luckily, two women were nearby in another boat and came to the rescue. The men were a long way from shore and needed medical attention. Unfortunately, the women had neither a radio nor a motor on their boat.
The women screamed for help at each passing motorboat on the waterway, but their pleas were ignored. By the time they were finally able to secure help, one of the young men had perished from his injuries.
This was the story Lorraine Jara read in her local newspaper one day, more than 30 years ago. Though Jara did not know any of the people involved in this tragedy, it touched her so deeply that she had to do something. So, on August 25, 1988, Jara created Be Kind to Humankind Week.
To encourage others to engage in kind and civil behavior, Jara created the following themes for each day of the special week:
• Sacrifice Our Wants for Others' Needs Sunday,
• Motorist Consideration Monday,
• Touch a Heart Tuesday,
• Willing to Lend a Hand Wednesday,