“Just Be Kind,” For the Strength of Youth, June 2024.
Just Be Kind
Raegan (14) and Rylyn (12) are spreading kindness in their community—one painted sign at a time.
Photographs by Cody Bell
Raegan and Rylyn from Kentucky, USA, were grumpy, hungry, and tired. It had been a long day doing service with their family. But on the drive home they saw a sign on the side of the road that changed their attitude. It said, “Just Be Kind.”
“It made us less upset—and grateful we were able to serve,” Raegan says. “We started wondering if we could make signs like that,” Rylyn says.
The Family Connection
After seeing the Just Be Kind sign, they had a home evening discussion with their family about being kind to their older sister Kendall, who had Down syndrome and was starting to get sick. Raegan and Rylyn decided to make their own Be Kind signs. “We thought it could help prevent bullying,” Raegan says.
They were also thinking about their other siblings, who each have Down syndrome too. Their older brother Kallen passed away as a baby, and they have two adopted siblings—Leena and Liam. “We wanted to raise awareness for kindness to them,” Rylyn says.
Reagan’s and Rylyn’s siblings are part of their motivation for spreading kindness. Leena and Liam both have Down syndrome, and so did siblings Kendall and Kallen, who have passed away.
Signs to Share
Raegan and Rylyn began painting “Be Kind” on waterproof signs. They went to shops and farmer’s markets to sell them, and they gave the money they raised to local charities, including Blessings in a Backpack, the Humane Society, the American Red Cross, Down Syndrome of Louisville, and local programs assisting those with distinct abilities, or special needs.
Three years later, Raegan and Rylyn are still painting. They have made over 5,400 Be Kind signs and raised over $50,000 for charity. “Sometimes we have church groups, friends, or the missionaries come over to paint like 100 signs at once,” Raegan says. Once, a Baptist church requested 40 signs for their lawn. Raegan and Rylyn see the signs in people’s yards, and some signs even ended up in other countries! The girls also speak about kindness at schools and community events.
Reagan and Rylyn make and sell “Be Kind” signs in an effort to increase kindness in their community and to raise money for charity.
Service and Comfort
Painting the signs has helped Raegan and Rylyn through challenges. “When Kendall was sick, there were times we didn’t really want to be in the house because it was hard for us to see. So we decided to go and paint, and that lifted the load a lot,” Raegan says.
Kendall eventually passed away at age 16. Raegan says, “It was hard, but we knew that families are forever. We knew that even if we didn’t have much time with her, if we do our part, it’ll help us be closer to being with Kendall and Kallen again.”
More Like Christ
Through it all, the girls are striving to be like the Savior and eventually return home to their Heavenly Father.
“At school, there’re some people who don’t fit in as much. So I’ve made a goal to say something to them to make their day,” Raegan says. “I feel like little acts of kindness can help change someone’s life more than you realize. I think about how the Savior went out of His way to love others around Him. I think about Him healing the blind or raising the dead. And I think about how there are simple things that I can do to show my love and be kind to others.”
Rylyn says, “Instead of thinking about things that you can’t change, think about the things that you can. It’s just the simple things that you can do, like holding the door for someone or smiling. When you do the small things, you get closer to meeting God again.”