Starting January 2009 - we began this web site to record the acts of kindness of Southern Indiana citizens - in the hopes that others will gain ideas on how they can duplicate these good deeds. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Sandy Lewis, Greater Clark County School System, contacted us to tell of a charitable effort the school administrators and staff were taking to raise money for a variety of charities/non-profits.   Sandy's email: 

 

 

 

 

Sandy hopes other organizations will PASS IT ON by emulating this effort in their workplace. Greater Clark County School System staff, we thank you for being Southern Indiana Extra Milers. 

 

7. Alice and Jerry Miles notified us about their wonderful neighbors, Cheryl and Bob Klueppelberg and their son, Eric.  Their good deeds as neighbors go back to the storm Ike.  After the storm, Alice and Jerry had limbs and leaves throughout their 1/2 acre property.  They came home one afternoon and every leaf and every branch had been picked up.  After making some calls to find out who performed this good deed, they discovered it was Cheryl and Eric Klueppelberg (Eric was 8 years old at the time). 

 

The kindness didn't stop there.  Last week, when the ice and snow storm hit, Alice and Jerry decided to stay indoors to avoid risk of injury on the ice.  The Klueppelberg's cleaned off a walkway to their mailbox and brought them their newspaper.  Alice and Jerry were appreciative of this act; however, there was more to come.  Jerry looked outside the next day and their neighbors were shoveling off their entire (slanted) driveway.  Alice said, "When we initially moved into this subdivision 5 years ago, we were concerned about living in a subdivision without more space around us, as we had all of our lives."  She added, "It didn't take us long to realize the importance of having neighbors close by to help when needed."  Alice and Jerry, thank you for letting us know about your caring neighbors, Cheryl, Bob and Eric Klueppelberg, who are definitely Southern Indiana Extra Milers. 

 

8.  Jeffersonville, Indiana –  To observe Random Acts of Kindness Week, the Greater Clark Board of School Trustees, Travis Haire (Interim-Superintendent), and all central office administrative staff will provide all Greater Clark students, faculty, and staff members with a special treat in appreciation for their hard work.  Travis Haire will send a letter of appreciation to all faculty and staff (teachers, custodians, para-educations, laborers, clerical personnel, principals, counselors, etc.) the day before the special treat is distributed.  Information will also be posted in all buildings promoting “Random Acts of Kindness”. Travis Haire and other central office administrative will be out at the schools helping with distribution of the special treat.  The special treat is a package of animal crackers.  This food item meets state requirements as a healthy food choice and is low in sugar for those with restricted diets or diabetes to enjoy. 

We are sure the children (and adults) will certainly enjoy the kind words and yummy treat!  Thanks for kicking of the week and setting the tone for the schools.  Thanks Mr. Haire, School Board members, and the central administrative staff, for being Extra Milers. 

 

9. RIVERSIDE'S CHAIN OF KINDNESS: Riverside Elementary, Jeffersonville, Indiana Student Council is sponsoring Random Acts of Kindness Week.  During this week students are encouraged to do unplanned, nice things for other students and adults. Our goal is to make everyone aware of how easy it is to be kind to others every day. Students will record their acts of kindness on colorful paper strips. These paper strips will be compiled into a class chain that will be stapled together with all other grade level chains and hung in the main hallway of the school. In past years, the children have completed enough kindnesses for others that the chain has filled the hallway outside the office.  The visual reminder of the chain helps students see how their individual acts of kindness, when put together with others, can help make our school a better place as well as giving each student a chance to feel good about helping.

 

10. The Evening News received a call from Pat Treadway of Jeffersonville.  She wanted to give kudos to one of our county officers, Nick Mobley.  "My car died as I was picking up my granddaughter from Jeff High School recently. Cars began beeping as traffic was backing up behind me, which upset me and my granddaughter, but I was unable to get my car going (the alternator had stopped working). Then, a County Officer, Cpl. Nick Mobley, showed up and was very nice. He motioned for help from some men and pushed the car for me to the side of the road. I was so nervous, I couldn't even steer, but he even leaned in the window and steered the car. I just want to recognize him for his kindness to us."

 

11. John and Delores Malone, New Albany, Indiana sent an email to recognize a great neighbor, Mr. Terry Rutledge.  They wrote, “We live in the Woodland Hills subdivision of New Albany and received a tremendous amount of snow and ice during the January storm. The driveway, from our home to the street, is long and has quite an incline. Although my husband had shoveled some snow and ice from the driveway, much more needed to be done.  One evening, in an effort to go out for food, we had great difficulty because the car kept sliding and the wheels kept spinning.  When we returned home, we were pleasantly surprised and grateful that our neighbor, Terry Rutledge, had been kind enough to come over and remove more of the snow and ice from our driveway. This made it so much easier for us to get in and out. As older citizens, we appreciated this help.”   

 

 

 

* Thanks to the Evening News and New Albany Tribune for publicizing events to benefit our injured Police Officers.  Keep it up! 

 

* Thanks to Andrew Shirey, who was honored by the Mayor of Jeffersonville, Tom Galligan, for raising $516 via his Pennies for Police campaign, to benefit our injured police officers.  This isn't the first time this active Georgetown Elementary fourth-grader has stepped up to help police officers - he raised money in 2007 for Floyd County Officers Joel White and the family of Frank Denzinger (who were ambushed when responding to a call (the call lead to Denzinger's death and White's suffering critical injuries).  Andrew, we appreciate your accomplishments and compassion - you are indeed an Extra Miler. 

 

13.  Jason Thornbury contacted me to to nominate the Floyd County Sheriff's Dept., FOP Lodge 171 and Cops against Cancer as Extra Milers.  These individuals are working hard to raise money to assist the wife of a fellow officer. 

 

Jason wrote, "Sara Kerberg is a 29 year old mother who lives in Floyd County, Indiana with her husband Jason and their two daughters (Meagan is 7 and Kayla is 4). Sara Kerberg has been diagnosed and started treatment for inflammatory breast cancer. Jason is a police officer with the Floyd County Sheriff's Department.  Thank you for visiting this site (provided below) and continue to keep Sara in your thoughts and prayers.  Please visit Sara's page at Caring Bridge to send her a message and check on her status: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/sarakerberg

 

There were two very successful benefits to benefit Sara Kerberg:  The Great Scavenger Hunt and the Totally Awesome 80s Dance.  Both were very successful.  Thank you Floyd County Sheriff's Dept. FOP Lodge 171 and the Cops Against Cancer for being Southern Indiana Extra Milers! 

 

14. Jeffersonville Police Chief Tim Deeringer publicly thanks everyone who gave blood through the American Red Cross (to help Police Officer Keith Broady and Cpl. Dan Lawhorn).  He also thanked the Jeffersonville Police Officers, the doctors and staff of the University of Louisville Hospital, the assisting law enforcement agencies from Louisville and Southern Indiana (including the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms), the Jeffersonville Fire Department, Yellow Ambulance medical technicians, those who have participated in fund raisers. Chief Deeringer said he couldn't thank the community enough for their support. 

 

15. Thanks from Melony to the kind stranger at Waffle & Steak in New Albany. 

"I did not realize a project such as this existed; WOW ! I'd really appreciate the opportunity to publicly THANK (perhaps, via the Tribune) a wonderful man, who sat at the same counter area as myself on Saturday a.m.at Waffle & Steak in New Albany; I noticed he was reading the paper after which he paid for both our tabs at the register and quietly left the restaurant before the waitress even told me. I could not have been more Appreciative considering I recently lost my job,and to be blunt I really only had quarters mostly to pay for my meal,a distressing fact considering I wanted to leave the waitress a tip AND had planned on attending an AA meeting at the Token Club;and honestly it bums me out if I'm unable to put .50cents - a dollar in the basket; not because they ask for it but because what I've gain from meetings doesnt even compare to such a meager contribution...which is why i think such a random act of kindness meant so much to me; it really reaffirmed my FAITH. Apparently the gentleman is a regular customer at the restaurant,the servers werent sure of his name only that he is a retired police officer ......Thank you Sir for making my week!"  Melony

Southern Indiana does indeed have many kind hearts and Extra Milers - Thanks for giving Melony faith in mankind. You may never know what your gift meant to her. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations Extra Milers and thanks for making a positive difference.

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The Group photograph:  The VFW/American Legion Color/Honor Guard of Charlestown are:  L to R:  Carroll Adams, Bill Cheesman, Jim Barett, Garnett Lowe, George Roberts, Chuck Grose, Ted Holder (front:  Capt. Tom Cook) - not pictured:  Ward Tackett, Everitt Long, Charles Ryker, Tom Bays, and Ed Giltner.

 

Extra Miler Pinning:  Bill Cheesman pins the Extra Miler pin on Capt. Tom Cook's lapel, as Ward Tackett watches in the background. 

 

 

 

 

 

November 28 and December 5, 2009

By Carol Dawson

They answer the call…when needed by a grieving widow or parent.  They answer the call…even when snow, ice, or rain makes it difficult to walk, much less to march while carrying flags and rifles.  They answer the call…even when their own bodies ache from pains they choose to ignore.  They answer the call…to honor the veterans of the United States of America. 

Our Extra Milers this month are the members of the Veterans of Foreign War (VFW)/American Legion Color Guard/Honor Guard of Charlestown.  They are a group of men who continue to answer the call to duty today, just as they did years ago when they answered our nation’s call to service. 

I met these Extra Milers during a Color/Honor Guard service held prior to a windy 5K race in Jeffersonville.  They arrived on a blue military looking bus. They arrived early; being late is not an option for what they do.  They marched in their military uniforms, holding with pride the American flag, along with the VFW and American Legion flags. 

As they began the ceremony, the National Anthem played in the background.  The flags whipped to and fro in the wind – demanding attention. After the Anthem, the bugler, Carroll Adams, beautifully performed "Taps." As the music began, the wind momentarily stopped as if receding in respect to our veterans.  Many of the runners were moved to tears and I realized how privileged I was to be standing in this spot – in this state – in this country – and near these men. 

 After the ceremony, Capt. Tom Cook and his men came by my office to be interviewed.  There was a natural camaraderie within the group, as they easily laughed and joked with one another.  As a military brat, I felt respect and an immediate kinship.   

These men serve as Color/Honor Guard over veteran funerals and special veteran ceremonies.  This means being called out approximately 50 or more times a year, which includes presenting the flag at more than 30 veteran funerals.  

Two of the Color Guard members are 89 years old, Bill Cheesman and Garnett Lowe.  Lowe has been a Color Guard member for 61 years.  It has become difficult for some of the men to walk or stand for long periods, but they will continue on until they are unable to walk.  I asked the men about their motivation.  Capt. Cook clearly spoke for the entire group when he responded, “We do it out of honor and respect for our great country and for the veterans who serve and have honorably served in our military.”

They do it for their heroes...especially for the soldiers who served and didn’t come home.  They also do it for the families who stand humbly by the graveside of their fallen veteran sons, daughters, husbands, and wives. 

The constant theme throughout our conversation was honor, dignity, and respect.  They are all proud of this country and despite the troubles we are having, these men believe the United Sates is the greatest country in the world.  So great, several said they would serve in the military again today if they were called to duty. 

Fiercely patriotic, they also know the importance of friendship and enjoying one another’s company to ensure they stay together – especially when performing such daunting and emotional tasks as military funerals.  When asked about the funniest thing that occurred during a ceremony, the men laughed in tandem.  Turns out, there are many…but one stood out.  It was during a military funeral.  Ward Tacket had not served previously as the Firer; however, he was the only person available and volunteered to shoot one of the rifles. 

After the gun salute, Capt. Cook was reaching across the grave for the flag when Ward accidentally hit the trigger instead of the safety and the rifle went off.  Capt. Cook was so startled by the unexpected loud noise that he nearly fell into the grave. The widow went from sobbing to hardly able to contain her laughter.  They also laughed at the time Chuck Grose’s cell phone started ringing during a ceremony and instead of turning it off, he just grabbed it out of his pocket and threw it as far as he could, breaking it to pieces.

After the laughter subsided, I asked what they do when they are not working.  Ted Holder spoke up, “We occasionally talk about women.”  I smiled and said, “Respectfully, I presume.”  “Of course,” and with a sly grin he added, “You know, we may be old, but we are not dead.”  These men are irrefutably youthful, with more passion for life than many people half their age.   

Typical of Extra Milers, the men wanted to thank others for allowing them to do what they can for our veterans.  They thanked the American Legion, the VFW, the auxiliary women who make sure they have a warm meal waiting when they come back from Color Guard duty, the sons of the American Legion and the men’s auxiliary.  

The Charlestown Color/Honor Guard members are undeniably Extra Milers for Southern Indiana.  They are friends, bound together by common bonds.  They believe wholeheartedly in this country and in the military men and women who currently are serving.  During our interview, it occurred to me that they serve as our country’s backbone - our strongest link to freedom…and all they have ever asked in return is to know what they do is appreciated. 

These men have undeniably answered the call…because their job is critical.  As long as their bodies will allow them to get on that blue bus, they will stand proud with the flag and honor the veterans of this country. Thank you…thank you...thank you! 

 

Extra Miler Tip of the Month:  Veterans, the Color/Honor Guards everywhere need your support.  They need younger veterans to help continue the work of honoring our country and our veterans.  Please consider stepping up if you can.  For the rest of us…never pass a veteran or military personnel without thanking him/her.  A universal sign of thank you is touching the tips of your fingers to your chin and then holding your palms open toward the veteran you wish to thank.  You can do this from across a room, the airport, or a parking lot.  Two simple words that mean so much, “Thank you.”