Lainey

My sister has a heart of gold. She "gets involved." My granddaughter was having trouble sleeping (mentioned in other threads). I knew my sister had trouble with one of my nephews when he was little so I asked her about it. Turns out the situation was not quite the same, but she got involved.

She came up with an email address and a screen name for a six year old girl named "Katie" who is one of Santa's elves, lives in the North Pole, has a baby brother and has trouble sleeping. She sent my granddaughter the cutest email. Then she spent some time online using her "Katie persona" exchanging Instant Messages with my granddaughter last night (I was typing Ally's replies). The kid was thrilled. It's her first "pen pal" and how amazing is it that Katie has the same problems that Ally does!

This AM, Ally had me send Katie an email telling her that she slept pretty well, and asking her how she did.

Now, someday Ally will learn the truth as to who Katie was, just as she will learn the truths about Santa, The Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy. I hope when that happens, she appreciates the time "Katie" spent with her, as much as I did.

One more story coming....

Lainey

Another story. Same kind hearted sister.

Recently another sister's best friend lost her 27 year old son to suicide. While we had all met the women, a few of us only knew her as an acquaintance, but we all felt the need to do something. Sympathy cards were sent from each of us, as well as from my Mom. MY ME sister (the subject of this story) drove two hours one way, to attend the wake in NH, and felt she needed to do more.

The young man who died had a serious bone disease all of his life. Much of his early treatment was at a Shriner's hospital in Canada. My sister thought a gift to the hospital in the young man's memory was in order. Now the easy way would have been for all of us to contribute and to send a check. The family is always notified of such gifts and the family of the deceased young man would know we thought of them.

But, sending a check is not getting involved enough. My sister was thinking about all the little kids who are in the hospital, sick, hurting, and sad. Kids, like toys, new toys might bring a smile to their face, so toys would be the donation. We sent her our contributions. She is a bargain shopper. She took that $ and bought toys worth twice that amount. She bought toys for kids of various ages who are hospitalized, and sent them to Canada in memory of the young man.

The hospital recently sent the family a letter notifying them of the donation. While the mother was reading the letter to my NH sister, she was crying, as she could not believe that people she hardly knew, most of whom never met her son, would go to such trouble. My part was easy. I wrote a check. My ME sister put the into our gift.

PS I also must mention my other sister, from NH. She is best friends with this woman, and she was involved in helping the family get through this ordeal. From helping to make the funeral arrangements to just being there for them. Is it bragging to say that I think Mom and Dad did a pretty good job.......

Golden Eagle

Several years ago at Christmas our engineering department decided instead of me buying gifts for each of my employees and them in turn pooling their money to buy me a gift I suggested we take their collection and I would add to it and use the collection to help someone. We then all vote on one or two individuals from our company who had experienced sickness or hardship over the just past year and give the money to them. This year was extra special...

We had already decided on two very deserving and needing people to give our Christmas gift to when suddenly a few days before our Christmas shutdown the entire family of one of the young ladies at our company was in a terrible wreck. Her husband and youngest daughter were airlifted to the hospital and the other daughter was also transported by ambulance. Even thouugh we had already decided on our recipients as a result of the recent accident we all decided to give a large portion of our gift to this young mom who was holed up in the hospital watching over her family.

We still gave part of the money to one very nice lady who has limited resources of her own but always helps people whenever she can. In fact she always the top fundraiser in the county every year for the annual March Of Dimes. She was so appeciative and emotional when we surprised her with the gift. I can't tell you how good it made us all feel. So what does she buy with that money? Nothing for herself, instead she bought a phone card for her cousin so she would be able to call her mom in Minnesota who had terminal cancer!

We also gave part of the money to another lady who had a mastecomy earlier in the year. So what does that lady buy with that money? Nothing, she also was very appeciative but said she wanted to give it all to that young mom whose family was in the traffic accident.

Boy, you talk about experiencing the spiriit of Christmas we sure did! It truely it is more bessed to give than receive!

shotgunjimmy

I dont have a story near as compasionate as the others, but kind none the less. I live in a high rise apartment complex, and one day, while entering my apartment, i left my keys in the outside of the door. at least an hour later, my neighbor came home and noticed my keys. she rang the door bell and handed them to me. I was so happy that she did that, as it could have been much much worse.

Jumpy Guy

Great stories Lainey, hugs to you and your sister.

Golden Eagle

One day, a few years ago, Joyce and I were eating lunch in a fairly nice restaraunt. After lunch we asked the server for the check and she said "the gentleman who was at that table over there has already paid it for you!"
I never knew who he was? Nice gesture though

Lainey

^
Jay, on our first Vintage meet, we had a crew heading to PA. We stopped in Gettysburg at the Lincoln Diner for lunch. When it came time for the check, the waitress said there was no check.

BobbyB of NY picked up the tab. Mind you a few of us had only met him the AM of the drive to WV. Nice guy, that BobbyB.

sstodvictory

As a graduate student I didn't have good enough medical coverage. An allergist I was seeing picked up the tab for about $300 worth of medications. Years later I contacted him to inquire about payment. He asked that I donate it to his favorite research foundation. After talking it over we figured out a scheme. I dontated $500, my employer matched that, raising it to $1K, and my allergist knew a charity that would match the $1K, making a $2K donation to his foundation.

That's the good part. The sad part is that he told me he had helped other students too, but none of them had ever offered to repay him.

Steve

paS2K

^^ ....I do this with my wife, but she doesn't usually thank me

paS2K

When your +1 could give Mother Theresa a "run for her money" in niceness, it's hard to think of ONE story. At every turn of sad events (sickness, death in family) among our friends and neighbors, Kathy is :there: with a casserole dinner, big bowl of soup, flowers, condolence card, etc.

She spends hours on the phone giving moral support to churchmembers (part of her job, but she goes a step beyond); taking walks with a friend who's having a tough time (job problem, recent divorce, etc). Hard to believe, but sometimes it even rubs off....leading ME to help others too

Just ask Granny about my +1...she had first person experience