‘What a wonderful town this is’

Diane Woodcock of Kokomo sends this Cheer:

“I moved to Kokomo just over eight months ago and it seemed a pretty good place to live. Little did I know what a GREAT place it is to live. I found out on Saturday, May 2nd, when my husband decided to head off on a bike ride on 26.

“He does this all the time. He has been on rides of 100 or more miles in the past. I decided to watch some movies and get some reading done. The next thing I knew, there was a sheriff deputy knocking at my door, asking if I was Mrs. Woodcock and saying that my husband was at Howard ER but that he did not think he was hurt bad.

“I was thinking about a fall off the bike, maybe a broken leg, and was thinking I wanted to throw that bike as far as I could. When I got to the ER, a doctor met me and told me that it had not been an accident but that he had had a heart attack. I thought I was living out a nightmare! How could this be? My husband had no heart problems. But, yes, he did. He had to have two stents, as all of his arteries were blocked.

“On Sunday I found out the story of what had happened when some people, name of Webber, came to the hospital to see me. He had his heart attack in front of their house. They called 911 and stopped traffic along with someone else who was passing by.

“Then their son started CPR. Then a nurse came by and she stopped instead of driving by, and then two EMTs who had been mushroom hunting stopped. My husband received immediate care, which is why he is alive today. Then two ambulances came, and they only had to shock him once to restore his pulse. He was dead on the road before these people stopped.

“I have lived all over this country, and in most places the people would not have wanted to have gotten involved or would have run over him. Not in Kokomo! People went out of their way to care for a total stranger! I will never take the goodness of people for granted again!

“My husband received top care in the ER, in the cath lab and now in the ICU. The chaplain’s have sat with me, cried with me. I have never been in an ICU unit before, but this one is a family where they truly care for the patients. They have been kind to me and my family. I really feel like I have been given a BIG HUG by the city of Kokomo.

“I wish I knew the names of the nurse and the EMTs and the ambulance people. They all deserve a medal, as far as I am concerned. My husband is having a slow recovery, but I am so grateful to have him alive. He was dead and now he is alive and, hopefully, we will have many more years together. I wish I could let everyone in Kokomo know what a wonderful town this is.”

Conference celebrates families

Former mayor Matt McKillip sends this Cheer:

“Hats off to all the many volunteers at St. Joan of Arc and St. Patrick parishes for all their efforts and long hours to make the Holy Family Conference such a big win for our community and families. This two-day event, which was attended by over 600 people, inspired many and gave us new tools to build our families into the Domestic Church as God intended. In our secular society, where the sanctity of the family is continually eroded, it was refreshing to see family (husband, wife and children) celebrated and called to deeper love. I look forward to the event again next year!”

Banquet raises $5,600

The Howard County Automotive Heritage Hall of Fame board sends this Cheer for support of its 2008 annual banquet and inductee ceremony:

“We want to thank our 2008 donors for their tremendous support. The following 36 2008 donors contributed $5,600 toward our efforts ‘to recognize and honor those individuals that have played a significant role in development of the automobile and the preservation and promotion of our automotive heritage in Howard County, Indiana:’

“Stephen and Joyce Nudge, Steve Ortman, Tom Trauring, Duane E. Johnson, Don’s Sewer Service, Vernon and Shirley Graves, H.E. McGonigal, Dave Burress, Burress Excavating, Mike’s Sewer Service, Pioneer Auto Club, Haynes International, Bob Gollner, Syndicate Sales, IBEW Local 873, Gary Loveless, UAW 685, Stout & Son, Moore Title, Griffey Contracting, Golden Corral, Haynes Community Federal Credit Union, United Steelworkers 2958, The New Chrysler, Half Moon Restaurant & Brewery, Paul G. Wyman, Freedom Financial Group/Kirk J. Daniels, Windmill Grill, Eriks Chevrolet, Roto Rooter, Kool Breeze Cafe, Buckner Distributing, Lin Ortman, Chrysler Dodge Jeep of Anderson, Mark and Beth Ann Allion, Dodge Bros. Club.

“Thank you, 2008 donors, for your support!

“We inducted Elwood Haynes into the Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Apperson Brothers in 2008.

“Our third annual Automotive Heritage Hall of Fame Banquet and Inductee Ceremony will be held Sept. 24, 2009, at the KAM. We invite all those interested in automotive heritage to attend. Call (765) 614-2886 for information about the Hall of Fame, third annual banquet or being a 2009 donor.

“We also extend an invitation to all to visit the Howard County Automotive Heritage Hall of Fame display in the KEC/KAM.”

Comcast employs polite people

Mr. and Mrs. George E. Schrader of Kokomo send this Cheer for two employees of Comcast:

“What a delightful experience we had today.

“We had a service call, and Cory Collins and Greg Jay came to our home and fixed a problem we had.

“They were very polite and efficient.”