Celebrating the tremendous impact of kindness in eliminating violence in our community, Synergy Services will honor the kind acts of individuals and organizations at the 22nd annual Kindest Kansas Citian Awards Dinner. The event, planned for May 11 at Studio Dan Meiners in Kansas City, Mo., raises money for Synergy’s STOP Violence programs, which provide anti-bullying and other violence prevention workshops throughout the community.
At the event, Tom Barnett will be honored for a lifetime of kindness with his induction into Kansas City’s Kindness Crew. Among his many claims to kindness is his year-round commitment as a volunteer swim coach to children throughout the community.
Barnett has been a swim coach since he was 16 years old. Today he works with a wide variety of children, from beginners to those preparing for swim teams or working on a Boy Scout merit badge. Every summer he volunteers his time to give lessons, focusing on children with disabilities. Sharing his passion for swimming is just the beginning — he also serves as a mentor for his swim students. For the past six summers, Barnett has also volunteered as the assistant pre-competitive swim team coach at the Jewish Community Center.
Barnett’s love for working with kids also involves teaching at The New Reform Temple, where he has been teaching since 1989. One of his favorite activities is taking the confirmation class on a tour of New York City with the rabbi, where their focus is on Jewish history and culture.
Barnett has served on the Temple board on and off for 12 years, including two stints as board president. Though his teaching is a paid position, he donates his earnings to the Boy Scouts.
He also serves on the board of the Heart of America Council of the Boy Scouts; as a volunteer delegation leader for People To People International’s Global Youth Forum; and as teacher-for-a-day at The Barstow School, where he enlightens the eighth-grade history class about the evolution of weaponry from the Revolutionary War through the Civil War.
Barnett and his wife, Carol, are co-owners of the business he started in 1984, Mid-America Merchandising, Inc. They have three daughters, Jami, Amber and Samantha, and two grandsons, Tyler and Dylan.
For more information about the event or tickets, visit www.synergyservices.org or by call 816-505-4914.
