CHARON, Ohio — Later this month will mark ten years since the school shooting at Chardon High School, a day that took the lives of students Danny Parmertor, Demetrius Hewlin and Russell King.
The Coach Hall Foundation, formed as a result of the shooting, began a new initiative called “27 Days of Be The Change” meant to help improve the quality of life in school communities.
The 27-day challenge encourages people and organizations to commit to doing one act of kindness a day through the month of February leading up to February 27, marking ten years since the shooting.
“We just want to keep Danny, Demetrius and Russell's memory alive,” said Coach Frank Hall, who is credited with chasing the teenage shooter out of Chardon High School that day.
The campaign calls for small gestures meant to leave a lasting impact.
"Hopefully if you do one intentional act every day, it becomes a habit, and then it goes beyond February 27 and it goes through the rest of their lives,” Coach Hall Foundation President Tim Armelli said. “Hopefully it will just keep growing and growing and we’ll see great things happen.”
For Chardon parent Kerry Willman, whose business WH Farm Chardon is also taking part, the month-long effort will instill an important virtue and help bring a friendlier school environment for her children.
“We’re choosing one kind thing to do every day,” she explained. “Something really silly that doesn’t include money. I have a note on my iPad and we keep giving each other ideas.”
To learn more about how the Coach Hall Foundation is working to help prevent school violence, click here.
