Yesterday, during the 'Commissioner's Comments' portion of the Greensboro Parks & Recreation Commission, I used my time to relate a 'point of personal privilege'. Because the meeting is televised over cable Channel 13, it was the only way I could think of to thank my community in person for what it has done for my family during the past year.
You people can't imagine the outpouring of support we have received since Jinni's breast cancer diagnosis; spiritual support, emotional support and financial support have all flowed into the Hoggard home in copious amounts - and it continues.
Starting with the amazing and humbling blogger organized 'HoggFest' (more) back in May, Greensboro has taken my family under its collective wing and sent us soaring to heights of gratitude that I find extremely hard to express. But let me try.
Accepting the kindness of others, especially kindness that comes anonymously or from people you wouldn't know from Adam if you met them on the street, is kinda hard. It is especially hard when the only thing you have done to deserve such generosity was to share an experience with a community you really care about as a way to hopefully guide others who might find themselves in a similar circumstance some day.
Sure, we expected... and received... many emails, phone calls and letters from people thanking Jinni for helping them through their diagnosis and treatments for many types of cancer and other ailments. Her story was cathartic for many, and for Jinni it was a way to cope during many months of chemotherapy, surgery and radiation. After all, misery loves company, and the N&R's offer to publish 'Jinni's Journal' provided her with the company of 200,000 or so readers. We will be forever grateful to JR, Maria and others at the paper for that rare opportunity.
But what we didn't expect was money. Take yesterday...
The mailman brought an insured package to our door with no return address. In it was a little box. In the box was a note...
Dear Dave and Jinni,
I hope that this small gesture will help you pay bills or buy gifts. It has been a pleasure to collect it on your behalf. This has been a joint effort involving fellow members of our community. May your holidays be made a lot sweeter by virtue of our collection.
God bless, & Jinni, may you continue to feel better each day.
Anonymous homeowners
Inside the note was a cashier's check for $615.00. The "purchaser" line read: Friends in Moss Creek Development.
So, what do you say to something like that? How do you respond? How can you even send a note of thanks to "Moss Creek Development" when you have to utilize Google Maps just to find out where Moss Creek is? And this was just one of three gestures of support we received yesterday.
As inadequate as it feels to me, all we can really do is say thank you Greensboro, whomever you are and wherever you are. What you have done for my family has sunk in real deep and somehow the five of us will find a way to give it all back with compounded interest.
As Christmas approaches, I have not heard my children do their usual seasonal clamoring for a bunch of stuff that they really don't 'need' anyway. They seem to realize on some level that they have already recieved gifts beyond measure this year: A healthy mom and the good fortune to live in the finest, most unselfish and caring community imaginable.
Again, THANK YOU Greensboro... but you have done enough... it's our turn now.
9:12:59 AM 
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