Jerri Zimmerman, center, helps Daryl Ritter, right, fill a basket with snacks for residents of the Olde Towne East neighborhood. Youths in Zimmerman's program, Empowering Youth TREND, did acts of kindness for seniors last week. (DAILY RECORD / SUNDAY NEWS -- PAUL KUEHNEL )

Daryl Ritter and Livia Simeon knocked on the door of a Reinecke Place home in York and introduced themselves when Pat Hess answered.

"This is an act of kindness," 9-year-old Daryl said as the pair handed the silver-haired woman a carnation and a small basket of candy and snacks. "I hope you have a good day."

Daryl, Livia and nine other children in the Empowering Youth TREND program spent a recent afternoon surprising neighbors with acts of kindness. They filled small baskets with goodies, gathered carnations donated by Lincolnway Flower Shop and set out to help others.

The Olde Towne East Neighborhood Association sparked the event, said Greg Clayton, the group's president. The association is tired of the bad reputation the youths in the community have gotten, he said.

"We're trying to change that perception of kids," he said.

Jerri Zimmerman, a community resource assistant with York City Police, runs the TREND program. The children head to the Community Resource Center on Reinecke Place every afternoon to use computers and participate in activities.

Children want to do good things, but sometimes they don't know how, Zimmerman said.

"One of the things I know the kids will get out of it is making someone happy," she said.

Daryl said everyone should perform acts of kindness.

"It made me very happy inside," he said.

He's helped people before, he said. He once delivered one of his mom's meals to a neighbor.

"You will get blessed back," he said.

The children knocked on several doors in the Broad Park Manor apartment building. They surprised a woman in the midst of perming her hair and another who didn't speak much English.

They also surprised Clifford Green when they told him they were doing nice things for the elderly.

"I'm not that elderly, but thank you," Green, 50, said, laughing. He told the kids he thought what they were doing was wonderful. "And I'm not old."

As the kids left the apartment building, they spotted Heidi Robinson walking toward it. They ran up, offered her a gift basket, then carried her grocery bags to the front door.

"It was a nice surprise," she said.

When Hess opened her door, she hugged the children who gave her the gift.

"I'm astonished," she said. "I am just thrilled."