GREENTOWN, Ind. – After a family in Greentown received a racist letter earlier this month, members of the community are coming together to welcome the family with open arms.

“They’re so much more accepting, they see everybody as they are,” 6th grade Language Arts teacher Amy Warnock said of her students. “They really don’t get why somebody would feel negatively towards someone else based on their color.”

As a language arts teacher, Warnock knows the power of words. After a racist letter was left on a family’s doorstep in Greentown, she knew it had to be mentioned in the classroom.

“We just talked about it being something that happened negatively in the community to a family,” Warnock said. “It’s been a good conversation in class with the kids about tolerance and acceptance and I think they are even now being a little more aware of people’s differences.”

At home, parents like Susan Tobin are teaching the same lesson to their kids, and their response was overwhelming.

“It felt really great to see children respond with such an open heart,” Tobin said.

Tobin talked to Warnock about an idea to have kids write letters to the family,  hoping that all the positive voices would drown out the one negative

“Even if people say bad things to you, don’t let them take you down,” said Tobin’s fourth grade son Allen Tobin.  “There are people who are nice.”

In total, about  70 cards along with gift baskets were delivered to the newly moved in neighbors. Spreading the message of acceptance, and what Greentown is all about.

“There’s different types of colors and races all living around here,” said Tobin’s seventh grade son Dakota Tobin.  “It’s okay if you’re black or you’re white, we’re all the same.”