THUNDER BAY – Irony is the only way to describe the situation. A young girl, Laurenn attended the talk by Dog the Bounty Hunter in Thunder Bay. Laurenn was part of the group from the 31@ Junot Centre who were able to attend the show courtesy of the Chapman family. Laurenn heard the message about how working together people can take back their neighbourhood.
Coming home from the event, Laurenn’s bike, which was brand-new this spring had been stolen. The thief had cut the lock, and made off with the bike. The theft put a damper on what had been an amazing evening.
Happily, the story doesn’t end there.
Through the efforts of Dee from Rock 94’s morning show, Alan Cranston from Fresh Air Experience heard about what happened.
The amazing team at Fresh Air Experience helped to get Laurenn a brand new Norco Groove bike for an amazing price.
Then RE/MAX Broker Vince Mirabelli, an individual with a heart as big as the Sleeping Giant found out what had happened. Vince picked up the bike, paid for it, and delivered it to Laurenn at the 31@ Junot Centre. Mirabelli has a bit of a history of helping youth in our city. From the The Vince Mirabelli Paediatric Endowment Fund, to his many efforts for countless charities along with his efforts like helping Laurenn, Vince is a tireless face of the best of Thunder Bay.
One of the things that makes Thunder Bay so special is that in our city of over 100,000 people there are so many people who reach out to help those who need help when there is an opportunity.
For Alan, Dee, and Vince, the smile on the face of a little girl whose summer was restored is payment enough for a good deed.
For me, what is neat to see is how local business, local media personalities, and local business people can all take the time out of their busy days to make a real difference in Thunder Bay.
That of course is just my opinion, and while your mileage may vary, in this case, I hope it does not. If we all work together to make the lives of children in our community better, in the long run we will all benefit. When we all work together with local businesses, and full co-operation it is even more special.
James Murray