This article appeared in Peterborough This Week. For me it felt good to hear about a child caring for others, and especially a First Nation’s child from our area. We forget that children have so much to teach us. This time it’s “do what you can, one person at a time.” Too often we shrug our shoulders and tell ourselves, give a little money, not too much, we don’t want to support a drug addict. One homeless man I see often always carries a sign, “need work. Will do anything.” I don’t know what to give him to do, so I hand him money instead. Kenni-dee, the little girl from the Curve Lake first nation community, chose to do something. Her parents are wise. They support her in her endeavours. Here is her story.

Kenni-dee wanted to help the homeless in the Peterborough area. She puts together kits of needed items and gives them to the people she meets when with her family on the streets of our city. Last year she gave out fifty of the kits. “It’s good to be kind and to help others,” Kenni-dee says. In the kits are items such as socks, gloves, bottled water, granola bars, noodles and a small monetary donation. Her parents say that Kenni-dee has been learning to help others in school.

Kenni-dee means “good medicine” in Ojibway. She has also created her own vegetable garden. She makes pickles, jams, apple butter and salsa for the elders of her community. She provides the “word” or “phrase of the day” in Ojibwa to the Mississauga Nation Facebook page, she participates in the Women’s Hand Drum group as well. Kenni-dee teaches everyone. (Summary of article written by Angela Lavallee)

Sounds like Kenni-dee has life figured out. Don’t just lament about needs you see and can’t fill. Decide what you can do and get busy doing it. We can all learn from this young girl. The article doesn’t say her age, but from her picture I’d say grade 4. That’s mighty young.