Visiting cyclist impressed by helpful locals
To the Editor,
My wife Sharron and I took a motorcycle trip to your country a couple of weeks ago and stopped in Goldendale, where our battery died.
A gentleman said he’d be happily obliged if we needed a ride. We went searching for cables to jumpstart the bike, but being Sunday, most businesses were closed. We found one place - Carquest Auto Parts. The lady said she would lend me cables, plus a meter and yes - if I needed a new battery, they had one in stock. I asked her if she’d like a deposit and she replied: “You’re going to bring them back aren’t you?” I said I would and she said: “Then I don’t need a deposit.”
It turned out the battery was dead because the alternator had burned out. I called AAA for a tow and got a lift back to Carquest where the owner, Terry Campbell, asked what kind of motorcycle I had. I told him it was a 1995 Honda Goldwing and he said he also had a 1995 Honda Goldwing - and a spare new alternator he’d lend me and I could just mail it back to him.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Not only did Terry not know my name or where I lived - or the fact that I didn’t even live in the same country, but he was willing to trust me after knowing me for about 30 seconds. I called AAA and told them I wouldn’t be needing their services. Terry arranged to get our motorcycle to his home, where he removed the broken alternator and installed the new one. I asked him how much I owed him and he said to just give him my address, and if I didn’t want to ship the alternator back to him, then I could just send him a check after he figured out what it was worth. When I questioned him about trusting someone for what was sure to be at least a few hundred dollars, he just said ‘ Well, you’re riding a Honda Goldwing, so you must be trustworthy!”
In this day and age, you don’t hear many stories about people doing good things for other people, and I figured the town of Goldendale should be aware you have pretty nice citizens living amongst you.
Richard Beveridge
Duncan, British Columbia,
Canada
Firefighters, DNR respond quickly to area fires
To the Editor,
We would like to thank all the firefighters who responded to the lightning cause wildfires that threatened our property and homes. Striking only a few hundred yards away and down the slope the fire grew rapidly and quickly moved towards our homes.
Within minutes, crews from DNR, Rural 7, Centerville, High Prairie, and Goldendale City fire departments were on the scene. We do not know how many engines were here, or how many firefighters, but they were everywhere.
We were most impressed with the number of volunteers who came out to help us, on a Sunday evening when they would most likely rather be home with their families. Our community should be proud and appreciative of our fire departments. These people spend hundreds of hours training and fighting fires to protect life and property. All without pay, all because they want to contribute to our community.
We have been aware that one firefighter had medical problems that night and subsequently had to be air-lifted to Portland. Our hearts and prayers go out to him and his family and we wish him a speedy recovery.
Dan and Sherrye Morrison
Dick and Bev Wheelhouse
Goldendale
|
