Kindness Winner for August
Chris Little - Winner
A native of Berkeley, Chris can be seen in the local spots doing what he does best, being KIND. You may spot him at the local coffee shop, church, helping a friend with groceries, driving someone to an appointment, helping someone walk after surgery, playing hackey sack with local kids, surprising a little child with some dollar bills for her birthday, praying for someone, sending encouraging texts to brighten someone’s day, and listening to what’s on your heart. According to Chris, “It is easy to make someone’s day, often with very little or no effort.” He often thinks he “was put somewhere at a specific moment to help someone.” We need more of this type of kindness that reaches far beneath the surface, into your soul. I can’t think of a better recipient for this award than Chris. “
Maya Merhige - Runner Up
Nominator said:
Maya Merhige is a Berkeley High School student committed to raising funds for pediatric cancer research while accomplishing some of the world’s most difficult open-water swims. She will do her eighth Swim Across America SF Bay Swim in San Francisco this year. Maya has raised almost $75,000 to support Swim Across America, a national non-profit. Funds raised locally go to two programs at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals in Oakland and San Francisco. Maya is the youngest woman to swim the length of Tahoe, to complete the Tahoe triple crown, and to swim the Catalina Channel. She is the youngest person EVER to swim the Molokai Channel, and she has the longest Molokai Channel swim ever recorded, swimming for 27:33 hours straight due to strong currents for the first 10 hours.
Maya is an extraordinary young woman and has already accomplished more than most people, even though she is only 15!”
Anthony Carrasco - Runner Up
Nominator said:
“Anthony developed a friendship with a homeless man named Nardy who would sleep in one of the empty carports at the student co-op Anthony lives in. Anthony helped Nardy enroll in community college classes as well as find fully subsidized housing through the Berkeley Student Cooperative. He has served on Berkeley’s Homeless Services Panel of Experts for several years. Anthony was formerly homeless himself and is currently a law student at UC Berkeley.
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