Random acts of kindness

Lost and found

I was in Winnipeg a week ago shopping, and upon returning home I discovered I had lost my watch. It has special meaning because my son had given it to me on my 60th birthday and it had "Happy 60th Mom" engraved on the back.

Remembering I had been shopping at Walmart just off McPhillips, I decided to phone and see if they had a lost and found, which they did.

The fellow asked what kind of watch it was and I described a gold Bulova with engraving on the back. He said, "It's here!"

I felt like I'd won the lottery, but no one knew who had turned it in. Whoever you are, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

-- Elma Kozub

Officers and gentlemen

YOU always hear about "Winnipeg's finest," but the Winnipeg Police Service officers who came to our family's aid this spring were as good as it gets. It wasn't much of a "random" act, but the care and concern they showed through hours with us went above and beyond.

Many thanks to Ryan Greenhill, Mark Dutiaume, Garry Duncan, and Brian Tucker for your patience, your skills, and above all, your kindness.

Thank you.

-- Margo Goodhand

Unexpected travelling companions

RECENTLY I was in the doctor's office waiting for an appointment when a pretty elderly woman came into the office.

I was sitting in the front row and there was plenty of room to sit. But she had a lost look on her face so I asked her if she would like to sit next to me. We chatted for a while about her life and the fact that not only had her husband died but also her daughter along with four of her best friends within a span of about four years.

Then the conversation turned to travelling and this is when another lady sitting on the other side of me asked if she could sit with us. So I made room for her to sit in between us. Well, these two elderly ladies chatted for some time and agreed they liked each other very much and exchanged phone numbers.

They both sounded like they were financially well off and were looking for travelling companions. One of them was 68 and the other was 76 years old.

After a while they told me they were not purposely ignoring me but it was because I looked so much younger than they did. Little did they know I was not that young myself.

Two lonesome ladies were brought together. Was it by chance? I hope they read this article.

-- Jacqueline Huselak

Still kind people out there

I work in a residential group home for people with developmental disabilities. We were out for supper for my birthday and there were nine people in our party. When it came time to pay our bill, the waitress said a customer who wanted to remain anonymous had paid it. I wanted to cry; the staff were all stunned, it just was overwhelming that someone would make such a kind gesture. One of the gentlemen in our party was so happy eating chocolate cake -- this is a man who is 56 years old with Down syndrome and just appreciates the simple things in life.

-- Angela Huebner

Timely rescue by bus driver

I came out of leaving the Gala Concert of the Winnipeg Musical Festival atWestminster Church. I was so happy I made all the steps, but then I stopped watching and fell flat on the ground. I tried to save myself but went down on my left knee and couldn't move as I had cracked my left kneecap.

The bus driver of No. 735 McGregor stopped the bus and helped me and I was trying but still couldn't get up. A woman (an angel) God sent picked up the opposite side of me and disappeared as fast as she came. The bus driver made several calls to my daughter and also to paramedics.

I am truly grateful for the beautiful people in Winnipeg.

-- Alice Collingwood

Thankful for wallet's safe return

LAST Saturday I took a load of garbage to the Brady Landfill site. My son and I had just finished dropping off our garbage and started our way back home.

We hadn't driven five minutes when I realized I had lost my wallet, so we quickly drove back. We searched with no success.

Later that evening I received a phone call that someone had found my wallet. This wonderful lady went to a lot of trouble to get this wallet back to me. When we met I was very thankful and offered her a reward which she promptly refused saying that someone had returned her son's backpack when it went missing.

She said perhaps we could do the same someday, in other words pay it forward.

A huge thank-you to Leslie and her son.

-- Emil Sokoliuk

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 30, 2011 G11