PRESIDENT’S CORNER
2014-September
by Kyle Jensen, MHA President
I have always thought about and looked for ways to help others, and now that I have a son, I want to find ways to involve him as well. I want to teach him the importance of giving over receiving. Simply giving my old things to Goodwill does not feel like I am doing enough to impart this lesson. I have adopted children through the Compassion organization, but I would like to become even more invloved, and in so doing, demonstrate to my son first hand that he can make a difference.
When I was a boy, I lived in a neighborhood that felt connected. I could leave my house and play anywhere without an adult present. We had a neighborhood association, but I didn't know what that was. Our association was typical and fought to keep PepBoys from building on the lot behind our neighborhood. We had block parties, cook outs and a Fourth of July parade. But there is one event in our 150-home neighborhood that I vividly remember. That was the neighborhood fundraiser.
This fundraiser was for a lady named Donna who had battled brain cancer since she was 29. She and her husband did not have insurance or the means to obtain coverage. Donna was 36 years old with five children: Todd, 16; Chad, 13; Kyle, 8; Scott, 3; Dawn, 1. She had three separate brain surgeries over seven
years without success. Her last resort, on the advice of her doctors, was to try radiation which could potentially give her a few more years with her family. The only problem in obtaining this treatment was funding. They would not be able to cover the hundreds of thousands of dollars that the treatment cost. That is when our small community stepped up to the plate.
Neighborhood fliers began started going out. Newspaper articles were hitting the shelves. Residents contacted their friends and family. Companies donated appliances, cars, supplies, and services. The community embraced the family as their own. They had one of the largest lot sales at a car dealership in the town's history. During an auction at an area hotel, I remember her saying that her only wish was to live long enough to see her one year old daughter have her first child.
That Christmas, the community goal was reached. A few of the residents had come together, engaged their community, and had raised funds for a lady simply trying to give life to her family.
This story is especially meaningful to me because that lady was my mother. As a child, it deeply affected me. I will never forget how that community gave life back to my mother and inspired hope to an eight year old boy. The doctors told me that she would hopefully see her 40th birthday. That was hard for a kid but long enough, and I was grateful. That Christmas, she had the radiation done. She did recover. She didn't lose her hair. She didn't have memory loss. She didn't forget my name. She fought the battle and lived to see 40. Then 41 and 42. Then 57 and the birth of my sister's first child. Then her second child and third. She is still alive and out there making a difference. She is now 65 and extremely active. She has been given awards for her fight and is the longest living survivor with her disease. The doctors don't have an answer. She gives many of us great inspiration and hope.
I owe the Township II/Hopkins Hills communities so much for my life. Without the hope and help from a few residents, my mother would have died that year. It is important to be a hands-on community. We need to be a team of people who are willing to step up and get dirty, to engage with action.
My lifelong dream of repaying community has come true with my service to the Mistletoe Heights family. It has encouraged me to reach out to other families. Especially in our current economic condition where we continue to hear stories of foreclosures, poverty, high unemployment rates, and even tragic stories of depression leading to suicide.
What if you could be responsible for providing clothing to a child who is cold, and then watch the child wear the jacket? What if you give food to a family, and then watch them eat and smile. What if you could make a difference in someone else's life who otherwise does not have a lot of hope. We all sit around listening to stories and think it is so sad but how could we possibly make a dent in the current situation? This neighborhood allows PEOPLE TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE in a loving, unselfish way. All I can say is that nothing will make you feel better than putting a smile on a face that otherwise would not be there. That eight year-old boy is here to thank you long after you made the impact.
Get connected. Be engaging. Keep sharing your experiences of Good Will in action. I want to thank you for your emails and encouragement as I continue on my journey of helping other communities. It has been an honor serving you. I hope and pray that my service helped you in some small way. My last day will be September 25. I will be back to chair my last meeting in November. Stay passionate and enjoy the journey as the only true Front Porch Community.
- Facebook Chat Room www.facebook.com/groups/mhneighbors
- NextDoor page www.mistletoeheights.nextdoor.com
- Webpage www.mistletoeheights.org/contact
- Next neighborhood meeting
- The back of the newsletter
Join us as we make an effort to clean up our neighborhood and improve the quality of life for all those that live here.