Michelle Goetz Grahl of Traverse City arrived home after a hectic day recently to find a group of teen-agers in her front yard raking leaves.
"By the time I parked the car and came through the house, they were gone," Michelle wrote. "But, there they were down the block raking another yard! So I chased them down. Who were they and why did they rake my yard? (There was no bill, I checked). It turns out that it was the St. Francis boys' basketball team just out doing some good.
"I have been thinking a lot lately about the importance of being a good neighbor. Thank you, gentlemen, for being good neighbors and brightening my day. I know raking a few yards seems like a small thing, but for me it was huge. My family will cheer a little louder this basketball season."
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Country Side Kids 4-H group completed similar good deeds by working through the Grand Traverse County Commission on Aging to rake lawns and do fall cleanup for two families in the Grawn and Chum's Corner areas.
"We have a waiting list of yards that need to get cleaned up (and) without your help the lawns you cleaned up wouldn't have been raked. Thank you very much," Jill Case from the Commission on Aging told the 4-H group.
The 4-H Club members who worked on the project were Krystal Sheffer, Elizabeth Stephen, Jenny and Jessy Humphrey, Hunter Sutton, Austin Sheffer, Samantha Lamie and Brandon Vant'Hof. They in turn would like to thank parents Dan Sheffer, Candy Humphrey and Mitch Sutton for their support and help.
Group leaders Jane Sheffer and Theresa Phillips said their goal is to have the kids walk a path of giving, sharing and understanding what a rewarding experience can feel like, adding that it was a great experience for the young adults to be able to help those in need and the group looks forward to repeating the experience next year.
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Ashlyn McFadden is 21/2 years old and has Down syndrome. She also recently was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia.
Ashlyn's mom, Nichole, wrote that within days of her diagnosis, Ashlyn's Uncle Todd and Aunt Jen, along with the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Department and a "slew" of others, most of whom had never met the McFadden family, put together an amazing benefit dinner and silent auction.
"Living in Traverse City and having to travel to DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids is no simple task when having to (do it) numerous times for chemotherapy treatments, as well as spending weeks and weeks living in a hospital room," Nichole wrote.
"With the help from this benefit (we) have been able to (ease) some of the financial pressure and for that we are eternally grateful to all those who participated. We honestly don't think we could possibly thank everyone enough for all the support and prayers our family has received during this time of hardship. We love you all," wrote the McFadden family -- Jim, Nicki, Andru, Caleb, Dylan and Ashlyn.
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Judith Weaver was rushing out of town for a fast round-trip to Indiana to return her grandchildren to their parents and stopped at the Marathon station at Hammond and Garfield roads for gas. As she was preparing to leave, a young woman pointed out that the left front tire on Judith's car was flat, something Judith hadn't noticed.
"In my panic at having a new problem to solve, I missed the lovely young woman's departure," Judith wrote. "I am so very grateful she took the time to warn me of a problem so I didn't end up dealing with a dangerous blowout on a super highway in the rain.
''The best thing about this experience was being reminded anew how thoughtful and caring so many, many people are in our beautiful city. Many thanks to this lady, and to so many others who live their lives with kindness each and every day."
Items for this column may be sent to Northern Notes, Record-Eagle, P.O. Box 632, Traverse City, MI 49685-0632; e-mail sbeach@record-eagle.com.
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