Senator Nozzolio Introduces Resolution Proclaiming Statewide “Pay It Forward Day”

State Senator Mike Nozzolio is pleased to announce that he has introduced a special legislative resolution memorializing Governor Paterson to proclaim April 29, 2010, as “Pay It Forward Day” in New York State. Pay It Forward Day encourages people to perform  good  deeds for others without asking for anything  in return except that they “pay it forward” to someone else in need.

Pay It Forward Day was brought to Senator Nozzolio’s attention by Mrs. Jennifer Ridley’s third grade class at Genesee Elementary School in Auburn and Genesee Librarian Anne Mlod. The class won a “Pay It Forward” essay contest held by The Citizen newspaper, and we were awarded $500 to develop their own Pay It Forward project.

“Pay It Forward Day is a brilliant initiative that provides an opportunity for every New Yorker to experience the true power of giving and make a positive difference, one good deed at a time,” said Senator Nozzolio. “Mrs. Ridley, Anne Mlod and the extraordinary third graders at Genesee Elementary are to be commended for their hard work at making the communities of  New York State and the world a better place to live.”

Mrs. Ridley’s class used the money to send “Pay It Forward Packs” to third grade classes in other local elementary schools around the Finger Lakes region. The packs contain a letter from Mrs. Ridley’s students with instructions on participating in the project, $20 for a class act of kindness, treats for the class,  Pay It Forward Coupons to be passed on when individual acts of kindness are completed and a copy of the book “Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed”, which illustrates the Pay It Forward philosophy.

Mrs. Mlod also created a website to share information about the class’s project, as well as each student’s individual acts of kindness and how other 3^rd grade classes are “paying it forward” in return. To learn more about the project, visit www.thirdgraderspayitforward.net.