CHEERS to the 101 people who were trained in hands-only CPR
, more than 30 volunteers who donated their time, 11 blood donors and staff from Three Rivers Ambulance Authority, Fort Wayne Fire Department and City Communications for providing demonstrations at the Oct. 3 Don’t Miss a Beat event. CHEERS to Brookside Community Church, which donated the use of the building, plus Kroger and Bagel Station for their in-kind donations, Wal-Mart for donating of a gift card and the other sponsors who made three community CPR-training events possible in 2009. CHEERS also to local businesses that donated door prizes for participants. CHEERS to the organizations that compose the Three Rivers CPR Task Force: city of Fort Wayne, Three Rivers Ambulance Authority, American Red Cross of Northeast Indiana, Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health, Focus on Health, Fort Wayne Fire Department, Lutheran Health Network and Parkview Health. Since October 2008, the Three Rivers CPR Task Force has trained more than 600 people in the Fort Wayne area in the potentially life-saving skill of hands-only CPR.
GARY A. BOOHER Executive Director Three Rivers Ambulance Authority Three Rivers CPR Task Force Member
CHEERS to Parkview Home Health and Hospice and Parkview Health Laboratories for partnering with United Way of Allen County on its 17th annual Senior Health Fair. CHEERS also to organized labor, agencies, companies, volunteers and Turnstone Center for Children and Adults with Disabilities.
VICKIE MEYERS Director of Labor and Community Services United Way of Allen County
CHEERS to the community members who donated Beanie Babies for Operation Beanie in Iraq.
TONY BELTON Community Relations Coordinator Arc of Northeast Indiana Inc.
CHEERS to Ron Michael, a former Marine, at Epiphany Lutheran Church for collecting magazines and mailing them to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The troops appreciate receiving them, and we hope more people will do this.
FRANK and NANCY ACKER Fort Wayne
CHEERS to the person who turned in my red diaper bag, with my wallet, into the Coldwater Road Walmart lost and found after I had left it in a shopping cart. I was so relieved to return to the store and get it back.
JANAE FANNIN Fort Wayne
CHEERS to Dalene and Barb at the Lassus Handy Dandy in Roanoke for finding my diamond ring. After finding it, they watched their videotapes and deduced that it might possibly be mine and called me. It is so refreshing to know that there are still people who will go the extra mile to do the right thing.
CLARA ALLYN Fort Wayne
CHEERS to a very kind woman who was checking out of a Scott-Kroger store in Waynedale a couple of weeks ago. I had several items but forgot my Kroger Plus card. I noticed the lady behind me had one, so I asked her whether I could borrow it. She said “sure” and then insisted on paying for my groceries, too.
RALPH DEITCHE Fort Wayne
CHEERS to the staff of the Allen County Public Library downtown for making the library experience so wonderful. From providing meeting space, to the benefits of “cruising the shelves” via the Web site and reserving books from the comfort of your home, to the Paul Clarke Non-Profit Resource Center’s classes, to the genealogy section – well, you can’t ask for much more. Thanks for making the library one of the best parts of living in Fort Wayne.
NANCY MCCAMMON-HANSEN Fort Wayne
CHEERS to the gentleman who paid for our meal last week. My husband and I were at the Trolleybar celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary, and we chatted briefly with a gentleman sitting near us who was with his daughter and granddaughter. They left before us and wished us a happy anniversary. When it came time for our bill, the waitress told us it had all been taken care of – by this thoughtful, generous stranger. There is still goodness and kindness in this world, and he is a living example of it.
MAJELLA SCHEER Fort Wayne
CHEERS to Mayor Tom Henry and his “Action Team.” I’m a Realtor and had what I thought was a really arcane, esoteric question about a business that a client wanted to open and the appropriate zoning. I e-mailed the mayor’s “Action Team” and, after receiving an initial “out of office” reply, assumed it might be weeks before I heard anything, if that. I could not have been more wrong. I had a call back within the hour with the information I needed. Kudos to the mayor and his team for being super-responsive to taxpayers.
KEN SCHEFFLER Fort Wayne
It was a beautiful day on Aug. 15 when we held the second annual Roots & Rhythm to benefit Vincent Village. The tremendous support of our board, sponsors, staff – and especially those who purchased tickets – helped us raise more than $20,000 to help homeless families with children. For 20 years, Vincent Village has always understood that without roots, you lose your rhythm in life.
Today, the economy is causing families and their children to be thrown into homelessness at alarming rates. That’s why we created Roots & Rhythm as a music festival to bring awareness and support to these families.
As dedicated as our board, staff and supporters are, it still takes a lot of community support and a belief in our mission to continue the work. Every day, we get calls and requests for assistance. Every day, we do our best to do all that we can.
Vincent Village, and all of the families we serve, extend a heartfelt CHEERS to everyone that made Roots & Rhythm a success again this year.
ANN HELMKE Executive Director Vincent Village Fort Wayne
