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05/13/2020 09:00 AMAll around town, residents are likely noticing purple flags, planted on the green, waving from people’s lawns and front porches, or flapping in front of businesses, marking Guilford DAY Week, an annual initiative that seeks to raise awareness of positive choices for youth and substance-free living
This year, with schools and businesses shuttered and the coronavirus pandemic threatening lives and livelihoods in town and across the state, youth leaders decided they wanted to use the visibility and attention to shine a light on front-line workers and health care heroes, bringing the whole community together and letting the purple flags symbolize hope and gratitude.
“I think that this is a time—you’ve heard it a million times—unprecedented,” said Kiera Stankewich, one of the DAY student leaders. “And so I think that there’s a big need to find positivity in a time that can be so isolating.”
Flags are being offered for free to any resident and available outside of Page Hardware & Appliance, Bishop’s Orchards Farm Market, Palumbo’s Automotive, Deli U, The Marketplace at Guilford Food Center, and Fresh Market. DAY is also holding a contest for positive signs or sidewalk chalk drawings, allowing the whole community to participate and show their support during this difficult time.
DAY, which stands for developmental assets for youth, is a volunteer coalition of law enforcement, local officials, parents, and students that seeks to prevent high-risk behaviors like drinking and drug use in young people.
Since 2015, students and other community members have used DAY Week, sometimes known as Project Purple Week, for activities like medication drop-offs, social media initiatives, and a 5k road race. It’s always employed those iconic purple flags.
Stankewich emphasized that DAY was not putting aside any of these other very important projects or advocacy work, but that she and the other DAY leaders felt they had an opportunity to offer a large, visible symbol of togetherness in the community and appreciation for people working to keep everything running.
“We can express gratitude for people who have always deserved recognition for people who have always deserved recognition, but especially now it’s become more apparent, and I think [DAY Week] has allowed us to be able to show our thanks, and bring the community into it to show our gratitude,” Stankewich said.
Everyone working to support the community is included in this, from teachers and food service workers to health care professionals.
One of DAY’s adult co-chairs, Lisa Ott, said the whole push to expand and mold this message was student-driven and student-led. After the pandemic closed down the school and made most activities impossible, she and the other adults asked DAY students what they wanted to do, knowing that many regular traditions and events would not be possible due to the pandemic.
Ott said the DAY students were particularly aware of the schools’ cafeteria staff, who are working to provide free meals to all Guilford kids who need them throughout the shutdown.
“I think [the DAY kids] are just such a caring bunch,” Ott said. “And they really are seeing all of this amazing stuff that’s happening and they really are so appreciative.”
Normally, flags are sold to raise money for the DAY organization, Ott said, but by making them free, she said the hope was to bring even more people into the initiative. The flags are also placed at the various local businesses in boxes or buckets where residents can retrieve them without risking exposure.
One of the most fun and popular events of DAY Week was a visit from some of the older kids to elementary schools, with activities, talks, and sharing of positive feelings and thoughts. Stankewich said this year, she and other DAY high-school age students filmed a video that will be distributed to the elementary school students, focusing on health, connections, and staying active during the quarantine,
“Obviously it cant replicate [being] in person and being able to talk to them, but we thought that would be a better way to approach them. DAY wants you to be healthy and happy,” she said.
The contest, which is ongoing, asks any resident to share any positive drawing, sign, poster, or message that expresses thankfulness or support for those working and sacrificing during the pandemic, and share it to social media using the tag #day2020, Stankewich said.
Though there will be a prize offered, Stankewich said the idea is simply to get as many of these positive, happy messages out to as many people as possible.
“So that they can be viewed by many, as opposed to maybe the few that would walk by a house. It’s just another way to get the message out and really share it as a community,” she said.
For more information DAY and DAY Week, visit www.itsworthitguilford.org.