TUCSON -- Before sunrise On Sunday, about half of the Sunday, dozens of people group that gathered in the clustered around a small square had never before ceramics studio near the distributed Ben's Bells. They University of Arizona to pick only knew that today, on the up their balm for a city in first anniversary of a need of healing. tragedy that had wounded Ben's Bells. Tiny handmade their city, it felt like the symbols of love and hope, right way to show their wrapped in paper bags in support. bundles of five. Colin Keating braved the cold "It makes me feel incredible to pick up bells for his to see the love that supports child's Cub Scout den. The this project and this idea," shooting last year had taken Ben's Bells founder Jeannette place at the Safeway just Mare told a shivering but down the street from his home, upbeat crowd. A sign-language and they would likely hang interpreter translated her their bells nearby. words. Mario Agundez, 38, held his 6- "I know you all know what it month-old daughter, Sophia, means and the incredible bundled in layers of pink power that this symbol has," fleece. His 13-year-old son, said Mare, who started the Mario, returned from the line project after her 2-year-old with a packet of bells. They son Ben died suddenly from didn't know where they would croup in 2002. Devastated, hang the bells but were she began pouring her time excited to do it. and to making the ceramic "This is such a meaningful bells. On the first day," said Mona Johnson, 57, anniversary of his death, as her golden retriever, hundreds were hung all over Cache, tugged at his leash. Tucson with a simple message: She picked up four packets of spread kindness. bells, and said she planned Now, hundreds of Ben's Bells to stroll along the Rillito are distributed twice a year: River to hang them. On March 29, the anniversary "Come on, we've got lots of of Ben's death, and usually walking to do today, Cache," once in the fall or winter. she said. They have also been handed No more than 10 minutes after out in cities as far away as sunrise, the square had New York, New Orleans and cleared and the volunteers countries such as Australia had scattered, off to and New Zealand. Some say you distribute 1,000 tokens of cannot find a Ben's Bell; one kindness across Tucson. finds you.
Tags: area, bells, Handmade, hope, later, love, Shooting, symbol, Tucson, Year
