Started in 1994 as Project Love, Values-in-Action has been providing social-emotional and character education programs to schools in Northeast Ohio for 29 years. Now with programming in schools in all 50 states, its mission is to empower students and adults to build communities of kindness, caring and respect through programs that teach, promote, and provide skills and tools to enable individuals to make positive, values-based decisions every day.
Through the Kindland movement, Values-in-Action Foundation is bringing together communities, businesses, organizations, and schools by recognizing and sharing the acts of kindness around us in an effort to inspire a ground swell of positivity and goodness. Kindland relies on the power of the people to do, recognize, report, and share the acts of kindness happening every day. The goal is to create communities that can sustain a unified sense of kindness, compassion, empathy and understanding. These values are the foundation we need for our community to have the strength to find solutions to our most prominent issues including poverty, social justice, racism, and political polarization.
On Wednesday March 19, 2025 they honored some amazing people at the Cleveland Kindland Leadership Awards in the Rotunda of Cleveland City Hall. The honorees were Cleveland Councilman Mike Polensek, Global Cleveland CEO Joe Cimperman, County Councilwoman Meredith Turner and Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough.
Stuart Muszynski, Co-Founder, President & CEO of Values-in-Action, welcomed the crowd.
Stuart Muszynski
He then introduced Board Chairman Mike Gibbons who gave his remarks including sharing personal stories.
Mike Gibbons
Watch the video of Mike Gibbon’s remarks. Note: The Rotunda of Cleveland City Hall is a beautiful building but it is not the best for recording sound or video.
Stuart then shared some success stories. Watch.
The first honoree was Westlake Mayor Dennis M. Clough who was introduced by Westlake City Council President David S. Greenspan. Watch the video.
David S. Greenspan introducing Mayor Clough
Westlake Mayor Dennis M. Clough
David Greenspan and Mayor Clough
Cleveland City Council President Blaine Griffin introduced Councilman Mike Polensek. Watch the video.
Council President Blaine Griffin
Councilman Mike Polensek
Councilmen Danny Kelly, Mike Polensek and Blaine Griffin
Maple Heights Mayor Annette Blackwell introduced Joe Cimperman. Watch the video.
Maple Heights Mayor Annette Blackwell
Global Cleveland CEO Joe Cimperman
Mayor Blackwell and Joe Cimperman
Cuyahoga County Council Past President Pernel Jones introduced Cuyahoga Councilwoman Meredith M. Turner. Watch the video.
Pernel Jones
Councilwoman Meredith Turner
Cuyahoga County Council’s Meredith Turner and Pernel Jones
After the inspiring remarks, the honorees gathered for a group photo. Standing from left to right: David Greenspan, Stuart Muszynski, Mike Gibbons and Joe Cimperman. Seated (left to right) Susan Muszynski, Meredith Turner, Dennis Clough, Annette Blackwell and Mike Polensek.
Kindland Awards Group Photo