HANCOCK COUNTY — Despite the chaos, uncertainty and anxiety brought on by the pandemic, a lot of good things are happening in Hancock County. Random acts of kindness. Feats of selflessness. Compassion for others. This is the first in an occasional series of stories that will highlight some of the unsung moments of kindness that are bright spots in our ordeal.
Generosity by the pound
Tom and Franny Miller have given away a thousand pounds of ground beef since March 27, offering up one-pound rolls of meat to anyone who needs it.
The Greenfield couple plans to give away hundreds of more pounds outside their Life Choice office, at 1301 W. Main St. in Greenfield.
They’ve collected about $1,200 in donations to boost their efforts, enabling them to distribute more than they first anticipated.
The Millers say they wanted to give back to the community they call home. “My wife was born and raised here, and I’m a transplant who’s been here 20-plus years. This is our home. If there’s ever a time we had to come together to be strong for one another, this is it” said Tom Miller, owner of Life Choice, which provides community and residential care for those with disabilities.
Miller was motivated to have the meat giveaway after hearing from an increasing number of people who were losing their jobs.
“I think that this gives people a little bit of hope, and people need hope right now. They need something they can believe in,” he said.
The giveaway is not just for those living in poverty, but for anyone who has found their paychecks or the grocery store shelves to be lacking.
He credits the Knightstown Meat Locker, where he buys the beef, for giving him a break on buying in bulk. He plans to distribute ground beef at least three more times — 200 pounds each time — through April 10.
“After that we’ll reevaluate to see if the need is still there,” said Miller.
Although the posted time for the first meat giveaway was 1 p.m. on March 27, a line had formed by noon, and all 200 one-pound rolls had been distributed within an hour.
He welcomes the public to the meat giveaway on the following dates:
1 p.m. Friday, April 3
6 p.m. Wednesday April 8
1 p.m. Friday, April 10
MV teachers: video inspiration
A video montage Mt. Vernon High School teachers made for their students quickly racked up over 2,000 views after being posted on the school’s YouTube channel last week. It’s since garnered more than 3,100 total views.
The uplifting video features snippets of teachers with their own personal message for students, mostly filmed by themselves in their homes or out enjoying some fresh air and exercise. Their messages are linked together in a nearly 10-minute video, with the song “Don’t Worry Be Happy” playing in the background.
Teachers shared a glimpse into how they’re passing the time during this time of self-isolation. A few included their dogs, while another stood alongside her horse. Another sat sandwiched between her two energetic young kids.
One teacher showed off her baking skills, pulling a loaf of bread from the oven, while another riffed on an electric guitar. Language teacher Patricia Laughlin sang a modified version of “Stuck in the Middle with You,” adding her own comical lyrics about being stuck in her house with her spouse. Another teacher belted out the lyrics to the song “Lean on Me.”
Language teachers were sure to sprinkle in a bit of their preferred foreign language in their messages. Tom Shaver, a technology education teacher, shared his love of Kraft macaroni and cheese, holding a box up before the camera. “I eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner,” he joked.
One teacher shared her personal collection of artwork in her home, while another shared a poem she found especially comforting after 9/11 when she was a high school senior. Two teachers who are neighbors playfully acted out social distancing, and one of them demonstrated fun boredom-busters like an apple stacking challenge.
Instructional assistant Joana Goff finished out the video on a serious note, sharing a message a former mentor once shared with her when she set out for the Marine Corps.
“Tough times don’t last, but tough people do, and that is the (Mt. Vernon) Marauder mentality. I really hope you guys know that even though we can‘t see your smiling faces every single day, we miss you and we hope you are still reaching out and asking us questions and getting whatever you need, even though you can’t see us on a daily basis….Catch ya on the flip side.”
To see the message, search for “A Message to Students from the MVHS Staff” on YouTube.
A gesture that made his day
Michael Trumpey has a stranger to thank for a case of bottled water he took home from the Greenfield Walmart last month.
He was part of the crowd gathered there at the 7 a.m. opening on a Saturday, and was amazed at how jovial and courteous the shoppers were being to one another.
“There were probably 100 cars in the parking lot, and everyone was being very kind to one another, making way for each other in the aisles so everyone could get to what they needed,” he said.
As he went through the self-checkout lane with two cases of bottled water, an employee told him each customer was limited to just one case.
“As I was giving her the other case of water, a lady in the next lane said she would take it, so I gave it to her. After I had checked out and headed to the door, that same lady approached me and gave me back the case of water. I thanked her and offered to pay her for it, but she said no, so I thanked her again,” recalled Trumpey, who lives in Greenfield.
“The kindness of the lady giving me the water and how the people treated each other in the store made my day,” he said.
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Want to share a story of human kindness you’ve witnessed over the past few weeks? Email us at [email protected] and include your contact information. #hancockcountykindness
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