Kindergartner tries to spread joy through a box in his front yard
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TURLOCK, CA (KTXL ) — A Stanislaus County kindergartner aims to spread happiness and how he plans to do it starts in his family’s front yard.
“Get to write a note and then you get to put it in here. And we get the key, put it in, unlock it and take it out then the wish comes true,” said Levi Navarra. “It’s called the Joy Box.”
Six-year-old Levi said he believes that finding happiness is as easy as visiting the Joy Box.
“So much negativity and divisiveness in our world and then this kid comes along and is like, ‘Let’s spread some joy,’” said Levi’s father, Dan.
Levi’s parents said the whole idea started last summer when Levi said he wanted to spread joy.
“So, we decided to take all the people to Disneyland,” Levi explained.
Quickly, Levi realized a road trip with the entire city of Turlock may not work out.
“Poof! It didn’t happen,” he told FOX40.
But then he had another thought.
“Pancake party, that was fun. So we came up with this idea,” Levi said.
Months later, after a trip to Home Depot, a bit of elbow grease and careful placement in front of the Navarra home, there came a box of joy.
“So, if you have a wish, you can just put one in here,” Levi explained.
The Navarras said so far they have found some donations and wishes as small as toys and as big as a house.
“But we’re hoping as momentum and time builds up that we can do as much as that we possibly can,” said Levi’s mother, Amy.
As happiness continues to stuff the box, the 6-year-old’s parents said they are in awe of what their young son continues to teach.
“It’s amazing when you have kids what they end up actually teaching you,” Amy told FOX40. “And I always tell people I want to be like Levi when I grow up.”
“That generosity and kindness and joy would be like markers of my kid and I think that would make him a really, really fantastic addition to humanity,” Dan said.
The family encourages people to visit and drop off their boxes. The Joy Box is located on Smith Drive and North Johnson Road in Turlock.
They have also set up an Instagram account documenting their Joy Box called Navarra Party of 5.
They say a family in Rocklin and Georgia have already said they would install a Joy Box of their own in their own front yards.
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