Gaurav Verma – Tata Consultancy Services Ltd.
There are a few things that we can’t help but repeat because you had such a good experience after trying it for the first time, aren’t there? It could be that trendy musical hit that we play on loop, that local favorite wood oven pizza joint where you love to go again and again or that noble volunteering activity that we participated-in and know that it really does make an impact.
We had that first time good experience when we partnered with Ben’s Bell project in March, 2018. Their mission is to inspire, educate, and motivate people to realize the impact of intentional kindness, and to empower individuals to act according to that awareness, thereby strengthening ourselves, our relationships and our communities.
We found the idea of spreading kindness as a message very fascinating and partnered with them once again. This time, we were a big group of 32 associates from different locations Danbury, Norwalk and Stamford of Tata Consultancy Services-BMO, Tata Consultancy Services-GE and Tata Consultancy Services-Wells team.
Team at the Ben’s Bells centre
At Ben’s Bells Bethel-CT studio, we as volunteers helped and worked to make the ceramic pieces that consist of the bells and coins. It was wonderful to work on those ceramic pieces. It is a suitable activity for all age groups and a perfect team-building exercise with fun. Each bell that is made here, is a compilation of the volunteer work of at least ten people from the bead making to several rounds of painting and assembly.
As final bells and beads goes through multiple steps, we had several steps to be worked upon. Some of us started with creating coins out of ceramic sheet wherein first we flattened ceramic sheet and cut coins using cookies cutters and put them to dry out.
Artwork made by the volunteers
Another activity was to paint the coins and bells. It was where, creative side of our group came out. We did 3 coat of solid paint on those coins and bells and once the paint dried out, it was create a design on it. Making designs on coins is so much fun, playing with different colors and trying out different patterns. We came up with some real good design of flowers, stars and so on.
Last activity was to tie a kindness message note with coins and beads those were already sculpted by others.
We all had a really good time while working on all these activities and left with beautiful coins, beads and bells that will be one day adorn a Ben’s Bell throughout communities. Thanks to all the volunteers for taking time to participate, looking forward to more such events.
Be Kind