Life’s Reflections: Organizations, individuals help those at holiday time

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Jamie Parker, lert ,and Jimmy Parker fill up a vehicle with food that was to go to three households in the area as part of the Thanksgiving Food Drive. (Linda Moody photo)

GREENVILLE—Many families are seeing the good in people, especially at this time of year. Various organizations, churches and businesses are making sure families have enough to eat for the holidays with the donations they are giving to them.

For example, 16 families are getting food assistance which was made possible by the Road Hoggs Motorcycle Club at its Thanksgiving Food Drive at the Traffic Circle in Greenville, then taken to the Greenville Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7262, where members sorted, packed up and delivered the items that were collected.

Those helping with the delivery on Saturday morning were Dave Cline, Linda Arthur, Toni and Brian Profitt, Steve and Kelly Strick, Rick Eldridge, Bill Huntington, Jamie and Jimmy Parker, Shearl Pitman, Aron Lipps and Steve Swank.

Events such as this make Thanksgiving so special.

The care and thought which went into each stage of this event is indescribable.

I love it when people help each other out. It has to be appreciated by both the givers and receivers.

That inspired me to think about things for which what I am so grateful.

Mom, for a number of years, before beginning our Thanksgiving meal, would ask each of us what we were thankful for. I really didn’t care for that but I’m glad she had us do that.

After I jotted down the things I am thankful for in this column, I asked my son, Jamie, what his were, because he is so wise…and he didn’t disappoint, as he responded, “We have each other, God, all of our friends, a roof over our heads and some money in the bank.”

I had much of the same thing, although I was a little wordier.

Here is what I came up with things for which I’m thankful:

*For the friends I have made in my life and new friends that always seem to come into the picture nearly every day. I hope I’ve made an impact on people’s lives like others have done for me.

*My family. I have been blessed to have been a part of the Moody-Riffell tribe, which is comprised of many people.

*For good health for both Jamie and me and hope it stays that way. And, for the doctors, nurses and specialists that we come into contact with.

*For knowing that our loved ones are doing well in life.

*For having been chosen to live in Darke County and enjoying the various communities and their successes. Did I say I was proud to be an American?

*For co-workers throughout the years. Usually, we had great teamwork which made my respective work sites seem like a big family.

*For classmates I had, even though quite a few of them are no longer with us.

*For those parents who raise their children in a way to make this a better place to live.

*For God. He’s got our back and we owe Him everything.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Jamie and I extend our condolences to the families and friend

s of William Curtner, Tonya McConnell, Ron Small, Tony Robison, Margaret Westerman and Paula Stewart.

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Please pray for these people: Ron Mills, Noah Back, Harvey Hinshaw, Bruce Kaiser, Angie Brown, Nikole Baldridge, Melikka Riffell, Amanda Mote, Tom Moody, Gary Francis, Anthony and Theresa Grillot, Le

e Everhart, Paul Gigandet, Doug Whittington, Tracy Pratt, Kara Harter, Kinley Bernard, D’Arleen Waymire, Tish Hodson Shepherd, Clinton Randall, Sherry Klingshirn, Zach Urbancic, Sharon Gamster, Connie Stachler, Susie Francis, Rick Libert, Harold Libert, Randy Heck, John Rimmer, Joan Keen, Carol Hemmerich, Sharon Hummel, Dave Hinshaw, Larry P. Fitzwater, Jim Thomas, Neal Gray, Michael Mowery, Debbie Mayse, Kenny Edwards, Judie Hathaway, Ralph Byrd, Della Burch, Ned and Brenda Wallace, Connie Buemi Hodson, Rick Marker, Randy Garrison, Steve Waymire, Warren Menchhofer, Kenton Turner, Gary Knick, Karen Hecht, Barbara Alexander, Jannie Barrow, Kathy Gragorace, Danny Foster, Noella Combs, Clay Sheffer, Becky Everhart, Sharon Miller, Marie Rieman, Mary Bryant Arnett, Becky Oliver, Ronnie Young, Alb

ert Duncan, Jayden Martin, Jeff Rider, Stefani Priest, Steve Neff, James Enicks, Joann Freeman, Cathy Collins Peters, Donna Bixler, Vanna Hannam, Linda Subler, Roger McEowen, Jerri Barber, Sally Burnett Ganger, Gloria Hodge, Jeff Baltes, Cory Meadows, Judy Hoffman and daughter Shelly, Cathy Melling, Scott Clark, and all of those who are suffering from other life-altering illnesses.

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Happy birthday:
Nov. 24 to (My baby sister) Brenda Norton, Trella Cox, Michael Elleman, Carol Labig, Janet Kammer, Onneke Edwards, Riley Miller, Carroll Brown Bertke, Kathy Stone Brewer, Kathy Allread Weaver and Joy Thompson.
Nov. 25 to Karen Burkett and Dustin Schmidt.
Nov. 26 to Zhwanda Riffell, Bill Edwards, Sandy Bohman, Brad Freeman, Tim Harless and Susan Robinson.
Nov. 27 to Mindy Ward, Mike Appleman II, Susan Bowman Castle, Rick Clear, Linda Holden, Kara Didier, Becky Clifton, Harvey Hinshaw, Charles Chapman and Exzavier Moody.

Nov. 28 to Dan Schipfer, Jadilyn Snyder, Lara Brunner and Penny Palmer.
Nov. 29 to Jeff Shook, Jeff Lawson, Natalie Pepple, Waldo Jenkinson and Phil Stutz.
Nov. 30 to Bill Klipstine, Jan Riegle Spencer, Linda Lore, Dewey Ward, Mandy Steed, Julie Thwaits, Caleb Thwaits, Kathy Wilker, Lisa Heidenreich, Cindy Burns, Tess Osborne, Jessi Worden, Teresa Brewer-Wilson, Beth Cain, Darcel Geus Brown and Dave Brewer.
Happy anniversary to: Ed and Kay Curry on Nov. 27; Judy and Terry Pepple on Nov. 29; and Beverly and Ron Stump and Don and Carolyn Waymire, all on Nov 30.

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Think about it: “In the end, though, maybe we must all give up trying to pay back the people in this world who sustain our lives. In the end, maybe it’s wiser to surrender before the miraculous scope of human generosity and to just keep saying thank you, forever and sincerely, for as long as we have voices.”– Elizabeth Gilbert