Many readers let me know how much they enjoyed reading about 11-year-old Olivia and what she did to help her neighbor get through her quarantine.
When I let Olivia and her parents know of my readers’ appreciation for her kindness, her parents informed me that Olivia, on her own initiation, had started her own community outreach project, “30 Hearts for 30 Days.”
I was confident my readers would be interested in Olivia’s project, and I am pleased she agreed to be interviewed.
Olivia, why do you call your project “30 Hearts for 30 Days”?
The President of the United States asked us to social distance as a country for 30 days. I thought it would be nice to deliver to someone one heart for every day we had to social distance
How does your project work?
With my parents’ help, I make big red hearts, and I try to put one heart on someone’s door every day. I take a picture of the heart, including myself or the person receiving it (always at a distance away from me). When I am done spreading the hearts to people, I am going to put all the pictures together in a slideshow so we will remember this pandemic as a desperate time of need for joy and happiness
Why did you decide to share hearts?
The heart represents several things. I think it provides encouragement and hope that the spread of the virus will be over soon. Most important, the hearts represent a big thank you to the healthcare workers for taking care of all of us. I want them to know they are amazing.
My best friend’s mom is an Emergency Room (ER) doctor at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London, CT. I wanted her to know that I really appreciate what she and her coworkers are doing. They are helpful, caring, and courageous. One day my parents and I sent a large heart and lunch for Dr. Tucker and all the doctors and nurses in the ER to show how appreciative we are of them.
Who receives one of your hearts?
The first person I gave a heart to was to our next-door neighbor who was in quarantine.
Then the hearts spread through our neighborhood, to the homes of my friends from dance and gymnastics, and on the doors of local businesses, such as my dance studio.
Eventually we mailed some hearts all the way south to Florida, as far west as Hawaii, and as far north as Alaska.
What has been the reaction of people when you deliver them?
The reaction of people when I deliver the hearts is big smiles and lots of thank yous.
Recipients of Olivia’s hearts
This makes me feel so warm and happy inside because I feel like I might have lifted someone’s spirits that day. My hope is that they will spread love, joy, and hope to others.
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen is published every other Tuesday.
E-mail queries to Karen@mommybites.com
Dr. Rancourt’s most recent book is,
Its All About Relationships: New Ways to Make Them Healthy and Fulfilling, at Home and at Work
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