Groceries bought for those in need
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By Thomas Geyer | Sunday, October 29, 2006 |
John Schultz/QUAD-CITY TIMES Lisa Dodson of Bettendorf gives Amy Hanna a hug after she paid for her groceries at the Fareway Supermarket in Bettendorf during a Random Act of Kindness event. Hanna, along with her mother and a friend, received $1,000 each from Oprah Winfrey and were instructed to use the money for some kindness. In the background is Dodson’s boyfriend, Jim Sly.
John Reed of Davenport was all smiles Saturday as he walked through the Fareway Store at 3800 Belmont Road in Bettendorf.
With Reed was his 18-year-old son, Elias. There are two other children at home, he added, along with two grandchildren.
Putting needed food and other items in his basket, Reed said happily, “This is such a blessing and a half.”
Reed and his family were just one of more than a dozen families that got about $200 of free food from Fareway, courtesy of Oprah Winfrey and three Quad-City women — Amy Hanna and Susan Burke of Bettendorf, and Hanna’s mother, Marcella Johnson of Port Byron, Ill. — who were at a taping of the show Thursday in Chicago. That show will air Monday.
Hanna explained that Winfrey told an audience of about 300 people that when she gives to those less fortunate her reward is experiencing a deep feeling of satisfaction.
“She said that, ‘Today I’m giving that feeling to you,’ ” Hanna said.
Bank of America gave check cards worth $1,000 to the people in the audience. That meant $3,000 worth of food was going to be given away by Hanna, Burke and Johnson.
So, wearing green T-shirts that read, “Random Acts of Kindness ‘Go out of your way today,’ ” the three women used the check cards for every cent they were worth.
Brownie Troop 198 from Pleasant View helped the people take their groceries to their cars.
When Reed walked up to check out the first time, he was told to go back and fill his basket.
He came back with it filled.
“We always end up putting stuff back because we don’t have enough money,” Reed said. “Me and the wife have done that too many times.”
Fareway manager Allen Weimerskirch said when he was approached about the idea of the women buying food for those who needed it, he jumped on board.
“I thought it was a great idea,” he said, and the people at the food store’s main offices “welcomed it with open arms.
“Fareway is a family-owned company and they leave these decisions to the store managers,” he added. “I think it’s a great way to kickoff the holiday season.”
Burke, Hanna and Johnson sent out e-mails to friends and family asking them if they knew of anyone in need they could help. They also walked around the store looking for people who they could buy groceries for.
It was a welcome surprise for 86-year-old widow Matilda Tubbs of Bettendorf.
“That shocked me,” she said. “That’s really going to help my budget.”
Paul Burroughs and Rachel Woodling, both 19 of Davenport, were in the store shopping with their 7-month-old daughter, Lily.
“I couldn’t believe it,” said Woodling, adding that she and Burroughs are students at Scott Community College, she in nursing while Burroughs is studying to be a dietician. Needless to say, their budget is very tight.
Diapers and baby food were among the first items in the cart.
“It makes me want to go out and do something for somebody else,” Woodling said. “It makes me want to be a nurse even more.”
Danielle Behnke of Bettendorf returned from University Hospitals, Iowa City, in time to take advantage of the grocery giveaway. Her 3-year-old daughter, Kelsey, is suffering from acute lymphoblast leukemia. Kelsey was running a high fever so they had to hospitalize her.
Behnke and her husband, Chad, also have a 2-year-old daughter.
“A friend e-mailed us Thursday and told us to get here,” Danielle Behnke said.
The medical bills the family has racked up since Kelsey was diagnosed Sept. 5 have been formidable, and friends and co-workers have thrown benefits to help.
Getting a couple hundred in free groceries is a bonus.
“It helps out a lot,” Danielle Behnke said.
Burke said that the check cards they were given along with video of the event have to be sent back to Oprah’s show by Nov. 7.
Videos and stories will be selected for a show to be aired in November, she added.
Thomas Geyer can be contacted at (563) 383-2328 or tgeyer@qctimes.com.
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