Last Tuesday, I became involved
in an incident that played out in my neighborhood, an area which I fondly refer
to as the Milton College Historic Neighborhood.
It’s a great neighborhood, rich with history and filled with great
people who care and watch out for each other.
While it would not be appropriate
for me to share all of the details of what occurred, there are some people who clearly
need to be recognized for their part in turning what could have been a very
negative situation or even a tragedy into something far better and heartwarming.
Kim Krause was an initial
player. Her compassion and caring for
others began this story on the right track.
Susan Probst & Tim Schigur come next exhibiting their professional expertise
& skill in providing unconditional positive regard for an unknown person
who unexpectedly crossed their path.
As a neighborhood person who just
happened to be there I moved the scene to the Tasty Bites restaurant which
turned out to be a good place to land as, of course, they have food &
coffee. If you haven’t been there, you
should give them a try. They are great contributors
to the community and were extremely gracious & empathetic as this little
slice of life continued in one of their booths.
While sharing breakfast & chatting with the main character of this
story I initiated some calls to seek out resources for him
The person who answered the phone
at Gifts Men’s Shelter was extremely helpful.
Rock County Crisis Intervention, particularly Sarah with whom I spoke,
was amazing. While I don’t have his name, the gentleman on the phone at Rock
County Communications was so calming & professional. Milton Officer Ryan Spangler was the epitome
of professionalism, caring, and concern.
This story ended with a
remarkably good ending. But, in a way,
this ending was just a beginning, especially for the family and individuals
closely involved with the main character’s life. But the take away here is when we care about
each other – choosing kindness, life
goes up a notch for all of us.
Those mentioned above make me so
proud to live in Milton. Their caring, concern,
and practical help was over the top.
They chose kindness rather than a cold shoulder. They stepped up rather
than stepping back. They were proactive rather than being frozen in place by
apathy. Thank you to all of these players.
#KINDNESS#WAM
