24 things Tucsonans are thankful for

On a rainy September day I had to pick up medication at Walgreens. I have to use a walker to get around. Everyone was parked near the door, so I had to park many spaces away. As I started to my car, the gentle rain became a downpour, and I was getting soaked. Then a car pulled up, a gentleman I didn’t know popped out of the car and said, “You just get in, ma’am. I’ll put your walker in your car.”

Helen A. Lindberg

This past year, I have experienced the loss of my sister, followed by her husband, a suicide, and a sister-in-law, leaving me as the last of my immediate family. I decided to embark on a day of browsing the stores. Beginning with a specialty coffee shop, I was greeted with a warm cup of flavored brew, plus a huge sincere smile by the barista. Already, I was feeling happier. Throughout the day, I interacted with a request to assist, polite people opening doors, and many pleasantly saying thank you. My grief was lessened by store personnel that may have put aside their own problems to assist a customer. I appreciate and am thankful for all employees who make a difference in a shopper’s life.

Christine Reding

Tired after 20-plus hours of international flying, searching Tucson International Airport for assistance, a gentleman asked if I needed help. “A skycap would be wonderful,” I responded. Telling me to wait, he soon appeared with a cart, helping with heavy luggage and walking me to the curb to wait for my ride. When I offered a tip for his services he said: “No thanks, I am not a skycap, I just wanted to help you.” Needless to say, I was stunned and melting with appreciation.

Izabel Williams

I was shopping at Fry’s Rita Ranch and asked a fellow shopper if she could reach an item for me. She kindly did, then we got into a nice conversation. After a bit she came back and invited me to have Thanksgiving with her family. How sweet and generous. Thank you, Joanna.

Karen Christian

One time I didn’t have a sand toy at school and I felt sad. And then somebody gave me a shovel. I don’t know his name. Then I started digging and I dug and I dug until somebody helped me dig. So it was actually two kind things. That made me feel happy. Now I help other kids dig.

Andrew Allen, age 6

As a full-time caregiver for my hubby, a World War II veteran, my daily plate is full caring for him. Understanding this, my wonderful brother, Charly Rossman, arranged for my flight from Seattle to Tucson. I was delightfully surprised by all the fun activities and warm hospitality of his community in Oro Valley. From hiking to biking, swimming, to just sleeping in, it was dream respite.

Dolores Maria Rossman

My grandmother, Janet Fuller, is 92 and uses a cane. We’re walking into CVS and a nice young man offered his arm. She took it and off they went down the aisle. That put a kind of smile on her face that I rarely see anymore. She said: “Thank God there are still nice young people that really care today.”

Alexandra Ozbourne

In regards to to my sister in God, Joyce Meredith, she is deserving of great recognition for all the hard work she does to feed the homeless at the Main Library on a regular basis. She was a member at First Assembly of God Church. On Thanksgiving Day she would be at the church at 3:30 a.m. preparing everything to make sure the homeless and anyone else would have a good dinner. She is now a member of Flowing Wells Assembly. Surely she continues to work just as hard. May God bless Joyce.

Ralph Armento

Many, many thanks to Dr. Juan Yanez, the selfless, undying, unending and unpaid CEO of the Arizona Center of Autism, a 501©3 organization that umbrellas the Abbie School, a place that allows students to thrive as individuals as well scholars. Yanez’s leadership and passion has grown an environment into what one student so aptly put, “they teach to my brain.” Thank you Dr. Yanez.

The Abbie School Board

Kiernan’s Kindness has been bringing their wonderful therapy dog team to visit the young adults in our special-needs day program here at the JCC for the past few months. It’s always such an amazing experience to watch the interaction between the members in our group and the dogs that come each week. Kiernan’s team helps provide a sense of connection and also a beautiful communication between man and canine. We are thankful for each of the dogs and their compassionate owners who help make this special experience possible.

Amy Massie

Gayle Chadwick is a gracious and generous doer of good deeds in our Rivers Edge II neighborhood in Oro Valley. She personifies the phrase “good neighbor.” She always takes the initiative when someone needs assistance, whether it be helping after surgery, helping with a move or comforting in time of grief. We are so blessed to have Gayle in our neighborhood.

Francine Crist

I’m an old-timer who got a flat tire on my Prius, loaded with model airplanes, at a spot on Twin Peaks Road just east of I-10 where there was a lot of traffic and no good place to get to the side. It’s about 8:30 a.m. and I had just unloaded everything to get to the jack and spare when out of nowhere came this young man and his lady. He stopped and wouldn’t even let me help change the tire. Nor would he take a dime. “Just paying it forward,” he said.

Don Thompson

The staff at Arizona Oncology on Rudasill deals with lots of patients with serious illnesses. Every staff member does their work with big smiles. They make it a happy and kind place for us who have to be there.

Lillemor McCrum

Dot Maxson, Pat Connolly and Kathie Dosh are the “welcoming committee” for Catalina del Sol, a community of 80-plus homes on the northeast side. These ladies make everyone feel welcome into our Tucson family. Their commitment to making sure that each new neighbor receives a welcome letter along with a potted plant makes our community not only friendly but stronger. New residents, whether they are homeowners or renters, are personally greeted and welcomed into the fold.

Keith B. Connolly

I am a cashier at the McDonald’s at Oracle and Magee. I would like to thank my many guests who have come through my line with a smile and a question: “How much is the car behind me?” One day it continued for over 15 cars. I know that it encouraged each person in the line and it was such a blessing to me.

Amy VanDerLinden

My wife, Beppie, was in memory care due to dementia. She was transferred in June to Pacifica Senior Living and in July received care from Agape Hospice. She died on Nov. 11. The staff of both Pacifica, Agape and their volunteers were wonderful. Especially kind was Belinda Motzkin Brauer, Agape’s volunteer coordinator. She found out that we were having our 70th anniversary on Sept. 2 and asked if we would like a party. I didn’t know how my wife would respond to that, but perhaps it might lift her spirits. She arranged with other volunteers for two musicians, flowers, cake and lots of pictures. And during my wife’s last week of her life, when she was heavily sedated due to pain, Belinda and other volunteers kept my wife company when I couldn’t be there.

Alex L. Lutgendorf

Five years ago I had just turned in my bike and bought a trike. It was stolen. In the next week, my neighbor at the retirement home told her daughter, who told her boss. He went right out and bought me a new trike; it was the week before Thanksgiving, and I was thankful! I rode that trike almost daily — until I broke my hip in a home accident — for fun and for errands. A friend is taking her turn “at the wheels” now.

Bev Williams, 93

I am 81 years old. My young neighbors Jody and Scott Sherman cut down tree branches, take in my garbage bins, call several times a month or come over to see if I’m OK or need groceries. I didn’t have my car for a month, and they took me where I had to go. I want them to know how much they mean to me and how much I am blessed to have them in my life, and also thank their children, Emily and Tyler, for their help.

Sheila Summers

I was running errands. Parking nearest my first stop, I attached my portable motor to my wheelchair, made one stop, and coasted downhill to my second. Filling two grocery bags, I set them on my lap, and began the climb to my car. I activated my motor for the assist, but it didn’t work. It was hot, over 100 degrees, and I doubted I could go uphill in the heat carrying groceries, but I had no choice. Part way, I hit a bump; my groceries tumbled off my lap, rolling across the parking lot. I was overheated and exhausted. A truck stopped and a stranger jumped out. He ran over, picked up my groceries, and pushed me to my car. His kindness meant so much to me.

Gail Lively

This summer while riding my bike down Kolb/Sabino Canyon Road, the weather was nice and cool and clear when suddenly a few raindrops bounced off my helmet followed by an immediate deluge of hail, then drenching rain. As a Type 1 diabetic I’m hooked up to all sorts of electronic gizmos from glucose monitors to insulin sumps, whose controllers are not waterproof. I pulled off onto the gravel shoulder to bag up the rain-sensitive electronics in a Ziploc I usually carry but somehow forgot to bring along on the ride. I was standing there in the pouring rain trying to figure out how to save hundreds of dollars of electronics when a car pulled over behind me and a young woman named Kelly rescued me. She allowed me to put my bike in her nice SUV on top of her much nicer bike than mine and drove me home in the opposite direction of where she was going. Later that evening she came back to my house to deliver bike paraphernalia I had left in her car.

Kim Stone

As for kindness, I recently had 7.8 cm x 7.4 cm of my right face removed due to skin cancer. I am horrified. The surgeon who is caring for me understands my fear and assures me with her eyes of faith, expertise and experience it is well with my soul. I am so thankful for life.

Linda Coates

We were driving home on I-10 south of Phoenix when our front left tire blew out. My husband safely stopped the car. I then said, “All we need is an angel to fix our car.” At that very moment, as if on cue, a pickup truck pulled up. The driver immediately changed our tire with the speed of a pit crew, deemed the spare safe and departed. He raced cars. So grateful.

Andrea H. Gold

The first six months of 2018 I suffered from the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatment for cancer. I was too exhausted to do anything but rest. Every Monday during that six months my daughter-in-law, Taundra, arrived with her bucket of cleaning supplies to clean my house. It was the kindest thing anyone could do for me.

Ina Moreno

I have the privilege of having a supportive and giving friend, Ann Punske. She inspired me during a very difficult time, the loss my husband, with unrelenting encouragement and support. You can not imagine how much your strength, wisdom, care and encouragement has meant to me during this difficult year. I am most grateful for your friendship and love.

Deb Gracie