Printer Friendly Version - ‘Please Be Kind!’ Signs Spreading to Other Towns

Branford’s Ken Engelman launched his grassroots “Please Be Kind!” lawn sign campaign in January with red and white signs around Branford. Just as he hoped, the signs (made by recycling expired political lawn signs) are spreading to other towns, done in the school colors of those towns. Engelman is shown here with North Branford’s Kim Dawson with one of the signs they’ve created in purple and white for North Branford. Other signs have been made for towns including Guilford (see next photo). Photo Courtesy Ken Engelman

As his “Please Be Kind!” grassroots lawn campaign spreads beyond Branford, Ken Engelman has taken up Guilford’s school colors of green and white and created signs for the Guilford community. He’s also made signs in blue and white which have been requested for the West Haven community. Photo Courtesy Ken Engelman

Just as Branford’s Ken Engelman hoped when he launched his grassroots, Branford-based “Please Be Kind!” lawn sign campaign in January, the signs (made by recycling expired political lawn signs) and their important message are spreading to other towns. including North Branford and Guilford.

As previously reported, in the month since Engelman launched the project, news of the signs was been picked up by area media, helping to further the momentum of the project.

“With the overwhelming response, people are reaching out to me asking for their own signs,” said Engelman.

“I think every town in Connecticut should have just 15 signs in each town, at strategic locations. And that would inspire enough conversations, and people taking photos of the signs and uploading it to social media, to where the buzz will continue. That’s one of my goals,” he said.

Recently, Engelman teamed with North Branford resident Kim Dawson, who transformed a number of her 2023 campaign signs for the cause. Dawson serves on the North Branford Board of Education.

“With the help of my friend Kim Dawson in North Branford, we created a purple-backed sign to put around in North Branford. Purple is their high school team color, just like red is Branford's high school team color,” said Engelman.

Next, Engelman took up Guilford’s school colors of green and white and created signs for the Guilford community. He’s also made signs in blue and white which have been requested for the West Haven community.

“We're going to continue this kindness campaign, town by town,” said Engelman.

Engelman is also the founder of non-profit Community Volunteers United. He said placing a few of these signs around towns can help remind us all of the value of civility and respect for one another.

Visit Community Volunteers United’s Facebook to see a reel of Engelman and Dawson creating the North Branford signs, or to find out more.