Pelham Together Focuses on “Hope”

Pelham Together has launched a campaign to spread hope and they are looking for residents to join. This month, they are sponsoring a contest for middle school and high school students to submit their creative interpretations to the prompt, “What brings you HOPE?” There will be prizes, including a Grand Prize of $200. You’ll see banners in town promoting their website’s “Resources for Help and Support,” a page with information about vetted therapists, reliable websites, and helpful organizations. 

Their youth group has been spreading messages of hope since Valentine’s Day with candy/flower grams wrapped up in words of kindness, to Thank You notes sent to all Pelham teachers for Random Acts of Kindness Day. Currently, a group of young people are working on knitting words of hope to be displayed in Town, keep your eyes peeled. And look for Pelham Together’s social media campaign, which will ask followers to share ideas about what gives them hope. 

There are certainly things happening in the world that signal that the world is on the upswing from the pandemic, that the worst is behind everyone, that some important aspects of life are heading towards “normal.” 

However, as the area endures more cold weather and everyone continues to try and bounce back from the challenges faced over the past two years, it is helpful to identify what gives each of us hope and it is equally important for family members, friends and neighbors to find their own sources of hope.

So how will we spark hope, in ourselves and others? We need to recognize the things that give us hope and then make them happen. Get up early to see the sun rise or to exercise. Plan an outing with a friend to a sporting event or a concert. Call a distant relative and make plans to see each other. Bake cookies for a neighbor. Nature, friendships, music, exercise, connections, kindnesses – these are all common sparks for hope. Start small so you don’t feel overwhelmed. In taking these small actions, we take back some of the control that’s been lost over the past two years. We foster hope by moving forward, starting a cycle of hope and progress. 

Let’s all help each other find and create sources of hope. Join Pelham Together’s HOPE Campaign by encouraging a student to enter the contest, or by following their social media campaign on Facebook at @Pelham Together or Instagram @PelhamTogetherFamilies, or by encouraging a friend to find help on their Resources page, or by surprising someone with a kindness. Let’s get each other through to Spring; let’s spread hope.