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JCC leads secondline with a message: Be kind

New Orleans police showed up at the Jewish Community Center Uptown this afternoon, but they weren't there to investigate a crime.

NEW ORLEANS -- New Orleans police showed up at the Jewish Community Center Uptown this afternoon, but they weren't there to investigate a crime.

Officers escorted nearly 400 summer campers and counselors on their first kindness march with a theme, "Treat everybody like it's their birthday."

As the Kinfolk Brass Band blew those familiar second line notes, the children carried signs and wore pins that read, "No, you're not alone. You're going to make this place your home."

The camp director said they are trying to empower children to set an example and tell all of New Orleans to be nicer to each other.

"Our campers pick up a lot of what's going on in the news, political world, in crime, living in New Orleans, just seeing how adults are treating each other," said JCC Camp Director Carolyn Shillinglaw. "And I wanted to remind them that they can be nice to one another and adults will follow as well."

Quinton Campbell, the head senior counselor, said the campers could barely stay still preparing for the kindness march.

"Awe, just, you know, you know, your character is everything, so, you know, be kind to one another and always, you know, treat others how you want to be treated," Campbell said.

The message seemed to get through.

"It's really exciting. I can't believe we're marching in front of a lot of people, because we need to spread kindness to all the, to everybody," said 10-year-old Sophia Hattier.

"It means that everyone gets to celebrate how they feel and it's a day for everyone to be nice to each other," said 9-year-old Jude Maskas.

It's a feeling they hope will last for many days in the future.

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