This week’s “Taste of Community” is all about something sweet – fruit salad sweet! Thanks to our friends at Prevail, Inc., we had the joy of learning from the one and only Baleigh Tolksdorf, who shared the beautiful story The Fruit Salad Friend: Recipe for a True Friend by Maria Dismondy.
It was the perfect way to spark a meaningful conversation with my little Brownie Girl Scouts, who were earning their Making Friends badge. In a world where kindness sometimes gets overshadowed by bullying and big emotions, this story reminded us how important it is to be those friends – and to be there for those friends – who are supportive, understanding, comforting, joyful, respectful, inclusive, and who still know the value of giving others space to grow.
Photo provided by Pooja Thakkar
Photo provided by Pooja Thakkar
Just like a bowl of fruit salad, we learned that we may not love every fruit that goes in, but together, each piece brings color, texture, and flavor that make the whole mix special. Friendship – like that salad – is about celebrating our differences and finding joy in the blend.
I’m grateful for community partners like Prevail, Inc., who do their fair share to be a resource for those who need it most and who continue to create spaces where awareness, inclusion, and empathy can grow.
Photo provided by Pooja Thakkar
Photo provided by Pooja Thakkar
To close the activity, each girl wrote a friendship message to someone they adore – on colorful paper fruits – a small reminder that we all have the power to sprinkle a little sweetness into someone else’s day.
Pooja Thakkar is working to build connections through cuisine. You can read her column each week in the pages of The Reporter.