The election is over. The yard signs and banners are down. The ideological angst should begin to dissipate.
It’s time to stop seeing each other as Democrats or Republicans and calling each other liberal or conservative, as if these are inherently bad. It’s time to re-‘friend’ or re-‘follow’ our family members, acquaintances and colleagues on social media and share the extraordinary moments of everyday life at a safe distance. Let’s resume being neighborly.
For our part, we invite you to celebrate each other with a new online feature:
Up-to-So-Good Citizen Spotlight
Our inbox often gets emails from people who want to simply recognize somebody else for doing good. Recently, for example, we heard from Traci Schellinger of Sartell who wrote about Cheryl Braun, the receptionist at Welch Dental:
I genuinely get excited to call my dentist because I get to talk to Cheryl. Cheryl puts forth genuine concern in any issues a patient is having, apologizes for rescheduling needs out of her control and empathizes with people as she works through her job daily. She keeps track of me as an individual and inquires about how things are going, remembering details from previous visits. Cheryl goes above and beyond to seek answers and provide patients with anything they need, exceeding all customer service that I’ve ever experienced. Quite honestly – when I call the dental office, I feel like I’m calling my mom. This is the level of investment Cheryl has in me having a good experience. She cares, she listens and she offers helpful advice. She seems to love her job and as a result – her patients feel that. Thank you, Cheryl. For someone who hates the dentist (no offense Dr. Welch), you really make those twice a year cleanings pleasant!!! Keep up the amazing work and thank you for making Sartell a great place to be!!
Our own Carolyn Bertsch, assignment editor from Sartell, shared this:
I’d like to recognize Amy Walker, of St. Joseph, who stopped to help at a car accident she witnessed in St. Cloud Nov. 21. That Saturday my 80-year-old father was taking my younger sister for a drive when his minivan was struck by another driver. The driver, from Anoka, had attempted a left turn but instead crashed directly into my Dad’s driver-side door. The door was mangled requiring my Dad to climb through a passenger door to exit. Amy saw the accident and was quick to stop and lend a hand. My Dad does not carry a cell phone, but Amy offered to call the police using hers and wait with him on a cold 34-degree day. “I didn’t have anywhere I needed to be right away, and I had a feeling that it was important for me to stop. I am glad I could be there for support and help him feel a bit better after a stressful situation.” Both drivers left the incident without major bodily harm, and although my Dad’s spirits were cast down by the damage sustained to his beloved minivan, they were again raised up by the kindness of a stranger during unfortunate circumstances. Thank you, Amy!
Have you experienced someone doing a random act of kindness? Do you know someone who is a tireless volunteer? Is there an employee who is exceptionally helpful, courteous and exceeds expectations? We’d love to know about it and share it on our website and Facebook page.
In 200 words or less, let us know who this person is, if they live or work in Sartell, St. Joseph or St. Stephen, and why they should be recognized. Include a photo. (Get their permission, too. Some people aren’t comfortable with the attention, and we want to respect that.)
As we close out 2020 – a year marked by pandemic and political unrest – let’s be in a place of celebration and appreciation.
Send submissions to editor@thenewsleaders.com.
