Nevaeh Denine's legacy celebrated with new Girl Guides patch
The Nevaeh's Acts of Kindness patch can be earned by guides at different age levels in the program
When a cancer recurrence meant Nevaeh Denine could no longer participate in Sparks, her Goulds troop presented her with a special sash filled with the badges she was working toward.
That sash still hangs on Denine's bed, says Holly Denine, the mother of the young girl and fundraiser who died in August at age nine.
Her daughter was proud to be part of the Girl Guides organization, Holly Denine said, which makes a new patch issued in her memory a huge honour. The Nevaeh's Acts of Kindess patch will be issued to guides of various ages who do random acts of kindness.
"Just knowing that so many young girls across the province and outside the province are learning about Nevaeh and doing acts of kindness, it's something I'm so proud of and I know she'd be so proud of," Denine said.
When Nevaeh died last year, Lori Cooper-Crane, the deputy commissioner of Goulds' Girl Guides, and the local district commissioner wanted to find a way to honour her.
"She loved coming to the meetings, her adventures, her crafts," Cooper-Crane told The St. John's Morning Show.
"She represented what Girl Guides is, and more."
'An amazing legacy'
When they got the idea to develop a patch in Nevaeh's memory, Cooper-Crane said, they approached Holly Denine — first to get her approval, and then for ideas for the design.
The badge is round with a purple border, two lemons, butterflies, the Girl Guides symbol and two hands reaching together. Lemons were an obvious inclusion, given her daughter founded Nevaeh's Lemonade Stand, and the hands represent her daughter's generous spirit, Denine said.
"Nevaeh was very, very giving her whole life, even at a young age," she said.
The Nevaeh Acts of Kindness patch created by the NL Girl Guides goes beyond honouring Nevaeh. This patch named after that brave little girl will teach an important lesson to so many. I hope it spreads across Canada, and the globe. <a href="https://twitter.com/girlguidesofcan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@girlguidesofcan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KindnessMatters?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KindnessMatters</a> <a href="https://t.co/ezdBKpPbjg">pic.twitter.com/ezdBKpPbjg</a>
—@hirider750Purple and butterflies represent two other things Nevaeh loved, said Denine, who thinks the patch is perfect.
The patch was originally intended just for girl guides in the Goulds, but quickly spread across the province, and is now being given to guides across the country, Cooper-Crane said.
"It's truly amazing that such a little girl can have such a big inspiration to so many people," she said.
The patch is earned through acts of kindness appropriate to the ages of the Guides members — things like helping to recycle, donating to a shelter or volunteering with a food drive.
"Just little things to make a difference in someone else's life," Cooper-Crane said.
It's wonderful to think of the many acts of kindness that are happening in her daughter's name through the patch, Denine said.
"It's just an amazing legacy to leave, and I'm just so proud of her."
Nevaeh's legacy also continues to live on through Nevaeh's Lemonade Stand, which raises money to support families in the province affected by pediatric cancer. So far, the organization has raised more than $300,000 and helped to ease the financial burden of pediatric cancer for 56 families in the province, Denine said.
This year's event, which Denine expects will be its biggest yet, will be held July 27 at the Paradise Double Ice Complex in Paradise.
With files from The St. John's Morning Show