For 365Z clubs, kindness all in day's work across Worcester County

Emily Smith expected this to be the best spring of her life. The St. Peter-Marian High senior was looking forward to pitching her final season for the Guardians softball team, spending a few more months with her friends before heading off to college, embarking on her senior class trip and attending her prom and graduation ceremony.

With the coronavirus continuing to spread, she's taking her classes at home via Zoom and her softball season, prom and graduation ceremony may all have to be canceled.

"It really is heartbreaking," she said. "It's a different feeling when you're a senior and you know you might not ever play again."

Smith plans to attend Stonehill College, Worcester State University or Westfield State University in the fall, but she doesn't intend to play sports.

St. Peter-Marian usually conducts a baccalaureate Mass along with an awards night and graduation.

"Those are the three big things for the seniors," Smith said. "Those ceremonies mean a lot. As a junior I'd see all my friends who were seniors get excited for these things and I was extremely excited for them. Knowing that we're probably not going to have them, it hurts. It's sad, definitely."

Nevertheless, Smith continues to think of others and not just of herself. She put together 100 bags of Easter candy and eggs that Walgreens donated to the 365Z Foundation and on March 27 she and her father delivered them to the Rev. Jonathan Slavinskas, pastor at St. Bernard Catholic Church of Our Lady of Providence Parish.

"It's just good knowing that kids are going to be happy this Easter," she said, "getting something like that because they may not have Easter this year or ever. It definitely was a good feeling knowing I could give back to them."

"That's something over and above the call of duty," said Rosemary Ford, president of the 365Z Foundation. "I got nervous. I don't want any kids getting sick because they're being kind. It's almost like I can't even express myself properly to say how incredible her actions were, thinking of others before herself."

Smith throws to her father in the backyard to keep her arm in shape in case some portion of the final softball season can be held before the school merges with Holy Name High to form St. Paul Diocesan Junior-Senior High School.

"Something about going up to that field on game days," said Smith, who has captained the softball team since her sophomore year, "with your teammates, especially when it's a big game, I'll definitely miss that atmosphere."

Ford and Paul LaCava formed the 365Z Foundation in 2013. Ford had spoken about the 2011 death of her 20-year-old son Zachary to a class LaCava teaches at Quinsigamond Community College about death and its effect on families, and she mentioned that in her son's memory she performs an act of kindness each of the 365 days of the year. Soon afterward, LaCava formed the foundation to spread kindness and Ford became president. The letter Z was added to the name in honor of Zachary. The foundation holds fundraisers to fund its donations to local agencies.

Over the last seven years, 365Z Foundation clubs have formed in about 40 local high schools, junior high schools and elementary schools, including St. Peter-Marian, Doherty, Burncoat, South, Worcester Tech, Leicester High, Auburn High and North Brookfield High.

Smith belongs to the 365Z Foundation club at St. Peter-Marian. In February, club members put together Valentine's Day care packages of combs, hand sanitizer, body wash and snacks. Smith and fellow SPM senior Grace Kiritsy delivered theirs to the Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Worcester homeless shelter.

"I'm so glad I joined," she said, "and I definitely met new people and you just see where kindness gets you. It's so much easier to be nice than to be mean."

During the announcements at the end of each school day at St. Peter-Marian, a club member reads the kindness quote of the day.

Senior Chloe Manu belongs to the 365Z Club at South High. Her contact with her friends during the coronavirus outbreak is limited to FaceTime and she realizes she may not see them again before she heads to college.

"I cried, actually," she said.

"My heart aches for all the seniors," Ford said. "Your high school graduation is a rite of passage. It's such an important part of those kids' lives."

Writing a goodwill letter to senior citizens on behalf of the 365Z club brightened Manu's day.

"I wrote, 'I know that God is going to help us through everything that's going on,' " Manu said, " 'and this whole thing is going to be over if we stay home, wash our hands and do what we're supposed to do.' "

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, about 30 students have written letters that Amy Waters, director of the Worcester Senior Center, and her staff posted on the senior center's Facebook page and emailed to more than 2,000 senior citizens.

"The ones that are helping others have discovered," Waters said, "how good it feels to be helping others and I'm glad that they realize this and I hope it helps them get over their disappointments."

Manu, who turned 19 on Tuesday, doesn't play a spring sport, but Eastern equine encephalitis canceled night games early in her soccer season last fall.

Wearing a mask and gloves, Manu helps prepare meals from 4 to 7 p.m. three days a week at the Jewish Healthcare Center, where three residents died of COVID-19 last week.

"I feel like this is the time they need us the most," Manu said. "I'm worried, but it's not that bad. I'm actually safe there because they do everything to protect us from it."

"Talk about dedication," said Jean McNerney, the 365Z club coordinator at South High, where she teaches physical education and wellness. "She's a great, great, great girl. Unbelievable."

At South High, 365Z club member Nana Ekua Budu provides a word of kindness during the morning announcements and the club performs various acts of kindness, including "hug a student" day.

Jane Dowd, a guidance counselor at Burncoat High, said the 365Z club has 36 core members, but as many as 75 students take part in some projects. Members read to elementary schools and spoke about how everyone can make a difference. They hold fundraisers and seek donations to help stock the school's food pantry, clothing closet, and hat and mitten tree for students and their siblings, and they help maintain them.

For Valentine's Day, the 365Z Foundation purchased and donated 550 bags of toiletries, candy and cookies to local shelters and food pantries. High school students helped them. Each school associated with the foundation reaches out to its own neighbors. Ford teaches second grade at Union Hill School and its 365Z members write cards, read books and sing songs to the nearby nursing home.

With the help of fundraisers and donations, 365Z Foundation contributes to those in need and awards 10 $1,000 college scholarships to high school seniors.

Jeff Cammuso is a 365Z board member who mentors students at St. Peter-Marian, Burncoat, Doherty and South.

"It warms your heart," Cammuso said. "With everything they're going through and the fact that they're still out there doing what they're doing and caring about other people, it's incredible. It warms your heart. I wish there was a program like this when I was younger."

Contact Bill Doyle at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BillDoyle15

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