Give a gift to neighbors, from the neighborhood
Gibson Caldwell
Dear Neighbors,
I sent out an email about 2 weeks asking for your support in adopting a family
for this holiday - giving a gift to a Riverwest family that's fallen on hard
times.
It took a while to put things all together but we did it. Now you need YOU to
donate your money or time to help with this effort.
Melissa Tempel, recommended the Alverio family. Melissa, with her kindness, not
only is Imauni's teacher but also lives close to the Alverios on the 2500 block
of Fratney. She has become really close to the family and never hesitates to
help them out in anyway.
Melissa wrote this bio of the family:
This loving family has lived in RW over 30 years and all their children
attended RW public schools. Grandparents double as Mom and Dad in this family
raising their granddaughters - Imauni, 11 & Julia 9 - that they legally
adopted after their mother passed away 6 years ago. The girls have been raised
to be bright, happy, respectful, helpful and beautiful inside and out.
The grandparents also have temporary custody of another grandson who is 14.
Grandma has a lung disease and a weak heart. She breathes from an oxygen tank
that she takes with her everywhere. She frequently gets pneumonia in the
wintertime and is suffering from it now. Grandpa has diabetes and was forced to
stop working as a mechanic a few years ago when they amputated one of his legs
and the foot on the other. The younger granddaughter has mild physical
disability that she is overcoming. The 11 year old, who grandma calls her
angel, takes charge of the house. She cleans, does wash, household chores
and takes care of her grandparents and her younger daughter without
complaint. They are a wonderful family who need a little help to make
this winter holiday season a little easier and lot happier.
Please help us give the Alverios a warm Christmas and some relief throughout
the year. They did not and would never ask for anything, but families like the
Alverios sometime deserve a little acknowledgment.
You can drop off donations at the Riverwest Co-op checkout counter (say it's
for Riverwest Adopt-a-Family). You can also volunteer your time to shovel snow
or pick up medicine and run errands for them. Also, Imauni goes to MEC Middle
school. The school determined that she wasn't qualified
for busing. If you or anyone you know drive kids to MEC in the morning, please
consider letting Imauni carpool with you. Gas will be reimbursed, of course.
Please let me know when you would like to volunteer your time (howa...@gmail.com or
4143640687).
You can also take on one of the items on the wish list below:
- Internet Subscription for 1 yr.
- Shoveling snow
- Pick n save gift cards, can be used for food or rx co-pays.
- Pizza coupons
- Bus tickets for kids in case of emergency
- Property tax bill
- Pueblo gift cards
- Ride to school MEC middle school 8:20a.m. for Imauni.
- Ride to dr/pharmacy or pick up meds
This effort is by the Riverwest neighborhood,
and not any single organization or individual. RNA helped organized and the
Co-op is helping to collect the donations but both organizations acknowledge
this effort is an act in the name of kindness to your neighbors.
I would like to see this as a tradition in Riverwest. Perhaps you know a family
that deserves some neighbors' kindness during the holiday.
Please pass this on to friends and family, or put this on your list to Santa.
Happy Holidays,
your neighbor
[ps. Co-op holiday hours: December 24th: 7AM - 6PM, December 25th: closed, New Year's Day: 12PM - 6PM with special brunch]