Ben's Bellings

Arvayo was nominated by his colleague, Tanya Sonoqui, who described him by saying, "He's kind and witty and genuinely cares about everyone who crosses his path."

"He can only be described as one big teddy bear of a man," Sonoqui wrote in her nomination. "He'll go out of his way for all of our employees and patients and he's one of the best fathers and husbands I've met in my life. He's a dynamite coach for every sport his kids are in; parents request him the minute they hear he's around. Patients make sure that he's here before they even walk in the door!

"Richard always has a smile on his face and sets an amazing example for those around him," she continued. "I have no doubt he'd give you the world if he could. I keep telling his wife if I could clone Richard, I'd give him to every woman I know! He's part of our activities and safety committees, he's our handyman though he doesn't need to be, he's the man you ask for help in any part of the clinic. We'd all be lost without him."

The Ben's Bells project began in March 2003, one year after Ben Maré Packard died of croup, just before his third birthday. His family hopes it reminds people to be kind, to help ease one another's pain.

The latest phase of the project began in September: weekly "bellings" for those among us who make our community a better, kinder place to live.

If you know people who deserve a Ben's Bell, nominate them to be "belled." Go to www.929themountain.com/ pages/jennie_itm.html and click on Ben's Bellings. To learn more about the project, go to www.bensbells.org.

And check the Star each Saturday to read about the latest recipient.