Thanks All the Guardian Angels for Their Help

To The Editor:
I am writing in appreciation to all the people who have touched my daughters’ and my life in the last year. We lost a wonderful husband and father last year to a freak house flood that created medical problems, which he was unable to overcome. Immediately, friends and family jumped in to help me start to organize my new existence, as I was never the one to manage any of the household affairs – we were all my husband’s “princesses.”
Since that event I have had numerous occasions when guardian angels have stepped in and helped carry me through one crisis after another. Of course I have also made a good many mistakes and I can only hope that I learn(ed) something from each one. People have told me that I have done such a great job and that I’m strong. That’s not true – if it were not for God and all the wonderful caring souls – both friends and strangers – I could not, would not have survived.
I’ve had co-workers and virtual strangers give me sage advice, help fix my car (if it was fixable), work on my house so that I can put it up for sale, and recently volunteer their services to help improve the inside and out. Three weeks ago, my daughter’s youth directors, originally from Lighthouse Church and now at another church in the area – brought out a group of members from at least two churches and spent a Sunday raking up the multitude of leaves in my yard (I have about 85 trees on three-fourths of an acre). They were an awesome group of men, women, and young adults who selflessly donated their time to help me – a stranger – and managed to accomplish the job in about 10 hours, filling a dumpster the size of a semi. There were so many leaves that it required the full time efforts of a young man to stomp them down like Lucy and Ethel in the renowned “Grape Episode.” In addition, they mulched my front garden and planted multicolored annuals to enhance the front.
But that’s not all. A wonderful group of students from Cape May County School for Special Services, led by Gina Lanza and Marge Krah for the Cape Kids Care program, came out on two occasions to work on my back garden. The program is a year-long series of Service Learning Projects funded by a $25,000 Sprint Character Education Grant and fully supported by the Cape May County Special Services School District Board of Education. These students were teens from Tim Myers, Donna Coffee’s and Gretchen Wiley’s classes who are special because they work every day to overcome a variety of challenges. They were so excited to tell me that they were coming to my house, and one student, who is wheelchair–bound, couldn’t wait to use a hoe to turn over the soil. I had the pleasure to come home on their second excursion to see them digging and planting a variety of annuals and perennials. They were so proud of their work and for being able to help others with problems when they are usually the recipients of the aid.
It’s been a long year, but I have learned that when you put your faith and life in God’s hands, wonderful little miracles will happen just when you think you can’t go on. Thank you to all for your love and kindness.
Linda Keech
Cape May