A Friend Indeed

Pull up a chair, friends. It's story time.

Two weeks ago, we received a call from a lovely lady we've been helping for years. Even though her mobility is greatly compromised, she remains fiercely independent and will only reach out for help if the situation is dire.

So when the phone rang and her name popped up on the screen, I knew it was about to be go time.

She was clearly distraught as she told me she'd received a letter in the mail from her city stating that if her grass was not mowed by the end of May, they would be sending her a bill for $100. And if it STILL wasn't cut by mid-June, they threatened to put a lien on her home.

She had tried and tried to find someone to hire to cut her grass, to no avail. She obviously couldn't do it herself; she can barely get herself from the living room to the kitchen. She was in a state of panic (with a little fury thrown in for good measure).

As you are aware if you've followed this page for any length of time, we are struggling this year to find volunteers to help us with our "adopt-a-lawn" program. Through this initiative, our goal is to help our older neighbors with their lawns during the spring and summer months, primarily for a litany of safety reasons.

I mentioned our dilemma when chatting with a group of friends and the next day one of them, a dear sweet woman I adore, contacted me wanting to help. She took her own equipment and started in on the high grass. Even the tiny front yard you see in these photos took multiple days to address, as the grass was nearly knee high.

But this volunteer persisted. Not only did our older neighbor get her lawn cut to her (and the city's) satisfaction, but she got the added bonus of a sweet little flower garden she can see out of her front living room window.

What we do is just that simple.

One member of our community using their skills and gifts to come to the aid of another community member.

One neighbor reaching out to lend a helping hand to another.

We invite you to be part of our neighborhood, and put your talents to use offering a ride to a medical appointment, a trip to the grocery store, or giving a yard a good trim.

It will strengthen your heart muscle more than anything.