Random Acts of Kindness Press Release
2006
The Sky Valley Chamber of Commerce has been recognizing Random Acts of Kindness for many years. This year’s winners were announced at last week’s community awards celebration. We’d like to share their inspirational stories with all of you.
For more information or to submit a story please contact:
Sky Valley Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 46
Sultan, WA 98294
360-793-0983
Random Acts of Kindness
Submitted by: Braden Copple, Kaitlyn Morrell, Cody Young
On a cold, wet night earlier this winter, I learned that a very close friend of mine had lost his father. I went to Cody’s house to find that most of his family and some of his close friends were there doing their best to be comforting. After about an hour of jokes punctuated with sobs, Kaitlyn, Cody and myself decided to go get food for everyone. Once we got to McDonald’s, we felt like a cheeseburger would solve all our problems. Cody ordered what he thought would be comfort food for everyone. After about twenty-five dollars worth of food Cody swiped his debit card. It was not working. He tried it a few more times and it still would not work. I tried to pay for it with cash but I did not have enough. We decided to just forget about it. When we were almost out the door a man called to us, “Hey! Are you kids from Sultan?” We told him that we are students at Sultan High. Without thinking twice, he pulled out his wallet and payed for all our food. While we were trying to thank him, he mentioned that it was kids like us who supported him when he owned the Coop N’Cone in Sultan. Before he left, he told us that this community is a family; he saw a community member in need and he did everything he could to help. The only repayment he would accept was our word that we would help another community member if they needed it. Without many more words he walked out. On a night where nothing more seemed that it could have gone wrong, one man and his kindness showed my friends and I that we will always have a family member with this community, whether related by blood or not. After awhile I found the man’s name who was in McDonald’s that night because of his mention of the Coop N’ Cone. This man’s display of kindness and generosity makes me proud to say that I am from Sultan. Thank you, John Herrera, for being an outstanding community member.
Random Acts of Kindness
Submitted by: Kristina Blair
I was on my way to work very early one foggy cold day last fall when I managed to clip a chunk of wood in the road, sending it flying and causing a flat on my driver side rear tire. I pulled over on the side of Hwy 2 with only 1 ½ feet between my car and a steady stream of traffic on one side and a steep bank on the other. After emptying my trunk, locating my spare and the necessary tools, I endeavored to change it myself. Unfortunately the fog limited visibility and I found myself repeatedly waiting for a break in traffic. After several dashes to the back of my car in order to avoid being hit, I had only just started to loosen the lug nuts and had tried three times to place the jack in the proper place. About that time, a Good Samaritan pulled up behind me. I was so grateful to see someone stop to help me! A gracious man who was on his way to Sultan had seen me on the opposite side of the road, turned around, pulled in behind me and turned his flashers on. He didn’t say much. He just got to work as I stood on the side of the road trying to make sure traffic would see us and veer around. In record time he was done and after a brief introduction I knew he was on his way to work and had taken the time to turn around to help me. I had watched law enforcement vehicles drive past me and thought because of the dangerous circumstances they might stop, but they didn’t (for the record none were Sultan PD).
This may not have seemed like a big deal to this gentleman but it was for me! I want to acknowledge this selfless act. And I want to thank him for taking the time to turn around to help out a complete stranger. I hope he wasn’t late to work, but if he was, I hope this explains why. That person is Bob Crichton, Sultan Elementary PE teacher.
Random Acts of Kindness 2006
Darise Criswell and Jackie Rowe noticed Kathleen Reiner, a senior citizen, trying to clip blackberries with small hand clippers. Seeing that she has an entire bank of blackberries to clip (an endless task for her) they went over and spent a weekend and got the entire bank of blackberries removed from her place.
Submitted by: Iris Jensen