Clean up, America!

The Great America Clean up is Sat., May 17, 2008 from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m., to clean up public areas of Fort Wayne. At our last board meeting several persons expressed interest in cleaning the perimeter of Kirkwood on Crescent & Coliseum. The City will provide garbage bags, gloves, gloves, T-shirts & flower seeds. The post-cleanup party is at Freiman Square from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

There might be a conflict of interest for some of you if you are having a garage sale that day.

Please respond ASAP to Joni Weber with your shirt size & the number from your family participating. There are male & female work gloves and small, medium, large, & extra large shirts.

Please invite your neighbors that do not have Email.

Spring must be here — it's garage sale time.

The annual Kirkwood Park Association Garage Sale date is set for Saturday, May 17, 2008, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Want to have a great sale? Gather a few of your immediate neighbors and plan a block-type sale. If  you know a neighbor who only has a few items, invite them to join you. The more the merrier! It'll be a great way to clear your homes of unwanted items.

Overwhelming support.

The Shidelers are in their new home and are going about the business of rebuilding their lives. Thanks go out to the many, many people who have donated their goods, services, time, talents and financial aid.

It's difficult to imagine what this must feel like to the Shidelers — to come to grips with the fact that everything they've worked for — every piece of furniture, every scrapbook, every piece of art, a favorite shirt or pair of pants — all of it is gone. It's quite a bit to absorb, I'm sure.

That is why we've removed our call for donated items. At the moment, their basic needs have been met. They have a home, a bed, food, and the love and support of their friends and neighbors. We need to let them settle in a bit and determine what it is that they still need. We may repost the items at some future time.

They will, however, still need financial support. They will be faced with the expense of demolishing their home and the clean up, which will be very expensive. That's why we're continuing to encourage you to donate to the "Shideler Family Benefit Fund." Contributions can be made through any branch of First Source Bank. The Fort Wayne offices are listed in the side bar. If you are from out of the area, feel free to mail your contribution to any branch. Gift cards to stores such as Wal-Mart, Meijer, Target and Kroger are always welcome, as well as gasoline cards.

Contact me at bheironimus@verizon.net if you have any questions, and on behalf of Dean and Ellie and the Kirkwood Park Neighborhood Association, I thank you.

Grrr-ateful.

It may have been dreary out today, but the sun was shining on a certain Boston Terrier. Pug made it through the weekend and has been discharged. He is now happily at home with the Shidelers. Many thanks to Dr. Daniel Rodgers, DVM at the Aboite Animal Hospital. Without his perseverance and faithfulness, Pug would have been another loss the Shidelers would have had to bear.

The list of items in the side bar has grown, but many important items have also been donated. Thanks to all who have helped. I'd like to remind everyone that it's not too late to contribute to the "Shideler Family Benefit Fund." Contributions may be made through any branch of First Source Bank. Their Fort Wayne offices are listed in the side bar under the list of items needed. If you are from out of the area, feel free to mail your contribution to any branch.

Living next door to the Shideler's, I see the charred remains of their life's work every day, and am awed by how quickly things can change. The only certainty in life seems to be that nothing is to be taken for granted. I am blessed to live among such caring people as the residents of Kirkwood Park.

If you have questions, comments, concerns, e-mail them to me at bheironimus@verizon.net

Pup-date.

Pug, the Shideler's Boston Terrier so famously rescued by the FWFD, is not doing well. On Friday he started experiencing seizures. He spent the weekend under the care of Dr. Daniel Rodgers, DVM of the Aboite Animal Hospital. Dr. Rodgers kept vigil over Pug, consulted with Purdue University and, at one point when Pug's heart stopped beating, brought him back to life. Our thanks to Dr. Rodgers for his extraordinary efforts, and our thoughts and prayers to Pug and the Shidelers.

A friend in need.

On Tuesday, March 11, the home of Dean and Eleanor Shideler was destroyed by a fire. It was Laura Stronczek who noticed the smoke and alerted the fire department, and Ben Franke who pulled them through a window to safety. We owe them a debt of gratitude.

Thank goodness the Shidelers survived — It’s truly a miracle. But Dean, Ellie and their little Boston Terrier, Pug, have a long way to go. Almost everything they own was lost to the fire.

There are many ways in which to help them. There has been a fund established in the name of “The Shideler Family Benefit Fund.” Contributions may be through any branch of First Source Bank. See the side bar for First Source Bank Locations in Fort Wayne.

They have a place to stay and will need furnishings and other household goods. A bed has graciously been donated by Klopfenstein Furniture as well as two cell phones by Centennial Wireless. The contribution of gift cards to stores such as Wal-Mart and Meijer is encouraged. See the lists on this page for items they need and contact us at bheironimus@verizon.net if you can help.