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When you drive into Holden on Route 1A, the sign that greets you now includes a reference to the town’s 25 Days of Kindness effort, along with the man who founded it.
“Home of Chris Greeley’s 25 Days of Kindness,” reads to sign, updated this year following Greeley’s untimely death. The longtime police chief died in March after a brief illness. He left behind an inspiring legacy of kindness, which the town and those close to him continue to demonstrate.
The initiative — which for several years has helped support people in need around the holidays with things like gift cards, food, paper products, fuel, presents and cash — is back again this year. It is the first without its founder, but the spirit of togetherness and hopeful enthusiasm he brought are still on display.
“I know how much this meant to him and how much he believed in it and he loved doing it,” Donna Greeley, Greeley’s wife, sa id on Dec. 1 as the annual effort got underway once again.
BDN reporter Marie Weidmayer outlined how, at of the start of December, the Holden Police Department has already raised more than $20,000 this year, according to Chief Eddie Benjamin. The Holden Fire Department raised $7,000 by selling “Chris Greeley End of Watch” bracelets, and donated that money to 25 Days of Kindness. Donna Greeley and son Cole Greeley knocked on doors to hand out boxes of food and gift cards. G&M Family Market has collected and matched food donations. Customers already filled a large sleigh at its store and are working to do so again.
Together with Pulse Marketing, the BDN has also launched an initiative donating to 25 Days of Kindness to support the invaluable mission that Chris Greeley started and many people have kept going.
“He is here looking, watching, critiquing, laughing at me, I’m sure,” Donna Greeley said laughing about her late husband, according to Weidmayer’s reporting. “Laughing at all of us. He kept everybody laughing and he made people feel good.”
His work and the people continuing it are still making people feel good. The welcome sign says they are Chris Greeley’s 25 Days of Kindness. They are his, and they always will be. But they also belong to every person who joins in the effort.
There is perhaps no better encapsulation of its collective impact than the Holden resident who received a $25 gift card and re-donated it back to help others.
“You get something, you always give back,” said the resident, who declined to share his name, as reported by Weidmayer.
This spirit of giving should not be limited to one initiative or one town. It is a mission for all of us to take up, around the holidays and throughout the year, if we are able.
No matter the cause and no matter the organization, we continue to hope that those with the means to help others will do so. This is important, not just on Giving Tuesday or during the holidays, but all year round.
