People Are The Prize

My daughter’s Fifth Grade teacher sent out an email saying that cups, spoons and hot chocolate were still needed for the class Holiday Party. Within 30 seconds, she got several responses and the needs were all filled right away.

At my other daughter’s school it was evident a few kids, who perhaps relied on school lunch each day for food to eat, may not have the Christmas feast that many of us will enjoy. A discreet plea went out from some concerned parents and students, and families responded by bringing in baskets full of food! Enough so that several families could enjoy a Christmas feast! (And there was lots extra, to help them  get through all of Christmas break.)

Driving my kids to school this morning, I noticed a car pulled over to the side of a busy road. I didn’t see a driver at first, but as we went by I could see the head of an elderly woman peeping over the steering wheel. As I prepared to turn around to see if she needed help, I noticed in my rear view mirror many other cars had already stopped to see what was the matter.

So for as much as I write about The Good Life here and my love for the schools,  the many activities for families, the fact that it seems Rick Springfield is often performing in a six-hour radius and the DIVISION 1 HOCKEY! It always, always comes back to the people.

The people in the Greater Mankato area, that are so generous with their time, talents and often their money. Whether it’s simply sending in a pack of plastic spoons, feeding a family of four, or getting out in the cold to help a stranger, it’s more than “Minnesota Nice.” People here see a need and fill it without thinking of themselves.

People are what truly makes living here, The Good Life.