KINDNESS HOTLINE

Caring students

All students at Orchard Elementary School, grades one through three, are holding a loose change drive as a Random Acts of Kindness project.

A week of kindnessSouthwestern Bell Wireless employees are planning a week of kindness. They will collect canned goods for the needy and hand out lollipops to children all week. On Thursday, they handed out cookies and lemonade to workers at the building in front of the mall. They also took cookies to the fire station on Mt. Auburn and the police department the same day. Today, they will dress down for charity and serve refreshments to customers.

Money returned

When Jackie Lee and a friend were leaving Pizza Inn, a young girl ran up with money her friend had dropped and returned it to her. "I thought it was so nice," said Lee.

A helping handSusan Noland thanked Virginia Heston for her assistance at Biometrics. Heston helps Noland, who is blind, from one exercise machine to the next. Heston is very kind in offering help to everyone. Noland said Heston has helped her considerably in the weight loss program.

A true friend

Bessie Cook thanked her friend Mildred Brown for helping any way she can. Cook runs a day care center. When she had to take her daughter to the hospital, Mrs. Brown stayed with the children. When Cook had to attend a funeral, Mrs. Brown took care of a garage sale that Cook has already scheduled. Mildred Brown does this even when she's in her 80s.

Home run help

Bill Tate was dropped off at Parker Field at the SEMO campus where he was going to watch the women's softball team play. He had made arrangements with his wife to pick him up after the game. After his wife left, Tate found out that another game was going to be played before the SEMO game and that his wife would probably arrive early. He began looking for a telephone when two of the SEMO ball players, first baseman Joanna Hicks and right fielder Chris Shetley, caught up with him and offered to drive him home after the game. They did help find a phone so he could get a message to his wife.

Caring neigbhors

Helen and Paul Edwards, neighbors of Beth Tilghman, perform constant acts of kindness, not just "random acts of kindness." They "adopted" her, share their garden goodies, tend her yard and house and monitor lifeline calls for her. When Beth pays Paul for some work he's done, he never takes full payment. It is very comforting for a senior citizen to have such caring neighbors.

Medical thank you

Shannon Anders recently spend week at Southeast Missouri Hospital and sent thank you notes to the nurses of 3 West, the LPNs and the student nurses from the Vocational-Technical School for their wonderful care and kindness. She also called in to thank her doctors.

Caring educators

Betty Deardorff called of Jefferson Elementary School in Cape Girardeau called to say the faculty had a "gym sale" on April 25 to benefit a teacher whose family is having medical difficulties. Cindy Halter and Ruth Smith organized it. Doug Kitchen helped tremendously.

Custodial cheer

Mrs. Dinkins' fourth grade class at Jefferson Elementary School plan to gather a box of goodies and treats, make a big card and surprise Doug Kitchen, the custodian at the school. He is does helpful things cheerfully for all of the school.

Kindness buddies

SBC Operations, Inc., employees have drawn names of co-workers and will be doing something kind for that person.

Kindness lookouts

Southeast Missouri Hospital Hospice folks were at West Park Mall to watch for people who are kind in some way or another, by picking up a piece of trash, helping someone, etc. The volunteers gave kind people handmade pins.

Principal kindness

Rick Goodman, principal of Shawnee Elementary South in McClure, Ill., prepared lunch for the staff of the school on Wednesday.

Thanks, mom

Karen Drew Horrel of Delta called in to say her mother, Mrs. Barbara (Hurst) Drew, has been there for her and family members. There had been a death in the family and three immediate family members have been ill. Her mother has helped by taking them to and from doctor appointments, making lunch, talking with them. She is just a wonderful person. She has a garden and raises chickens. She is always giving away eggs and garden vegetables. She's a retired school teacher from Chaffee High School.

A star for Stahr

Nancy Stahr cares for her church, Lynnwood Baptist Church. Whenever there is a need, she will show up with a hot loaf of bread or soup, will share new recipes she likes. She does this year round when you least expect it. She has a kind, sweet spirit that goes along with it.

Business lends hand

Regency Management, a human resources house for the developally disabled, planted flowers for the Monticello House Nursing Home in Jackson on Tuesday. On Wednesday, they picked up trash at the Jackson City Park.

Seventh grade thank you

Mike Dumey of Schultz School praised Mimi Higgins, who has worked the last four years on costumes for the seventh grade play. She works dozens upon dozens of hours on the costumes without pay, fashioning some of them without a pattern. What's so amazing about her dedication is that she's never had a child in the play.

Helping veterans

The Cape Girardeau County Republican Women took cookies to residents of the Missouri Veteran's Home Friday.

Patient thank-you

Jerri Kassel thanked the cardiac staff at Southeast Missouri Hospital, neighbors on Carolyn Drive, friends, former classmates and churches for all the kindnesses shown during open heart surgery in April.