Helping People

I just have to add to my earlier post today--

I got the best phone call a few minutes ago. A woman named Jane (who had a fabulous accent...sounded sort of Jamaican) called me to compliment me on my volunteer article and ask how she could get involved. We had a little conversation and she said my article made her want call me since she knew I would help her. She kept saying, "Bravo, young lady!" as she asked me more about my work here (I don't know how she knew I was young...) and was just gushing about my article. She said, "I bet your momma will be so proud of ya!" (She is.)It was so great to hear from someone who actually feels inspired by something they read, and has something positive to say in spite of negative comments the paper gets online or otherwise.

Reflecting back, I feel like I really have helped people here, and people have so many good things to say. I get so many calls and emails complimenting me on stories or asking me for more information because people want to help or be helped. Writing about volunteer organizations like Forgotten Cats, or inspiring stories like Amporn Vasquez's, or Kaz Sortino's 5K charity...it all makes me feel very positive about humanity.

One of the funniest responses is from my grandmother's friend, Dorothy. I guess my grandmother showed the women in her building my articles, and Dorothy emailed me after my first one to say some nice things. She said that she used to write for The Review when she went to Delaware (she won't tell me how long ago it was, but the paper was called the Blue Hen Review back then). She emails me after almost all of my stories are published with hilarious little comments and congratulations, and I feel like she is so excited to live vicariously through me.

I really feel like my final two stories (about the nonprofit/volunteer organizations Cleaning for a Reason and No One Dies Alone) will make me leave here on such a positive note. It's funny that I wrote so much about volunteer organizations in the state. So many of my articles were about people helping others, something that is very close to my heart. I find it really inspiring, and it puts the biggest smile on my face. That's what I like so much about features--often they are stories that bring our focus away from negative news and highlight all the good things to which we so seldom give our attention.

:-)