The Tale of Two Daves: Neighbors Helping Neighbors!
“Wow. Oh, man. Let me give everybody a hug!” Dave exclaimed.
The hugs were for some of the many generous donors who had gathered to present our neighbor, Dave Lengle, with his brand-new e-trike. A few weeks earlier, when Lengle shared that his only way of getting around had been stolen while he was grocery shopping at Ralphs, I knew I had to do something to help. Within just 24 hours of reaching out to people for donations, we had more than enough to buy a replacement e-trike. As more donations came in from his neighbors and the entire University Heights community, it was clear that the love and support for someone in need were truly shining through.
All the collected money went to buying the e-trike, assembling it (thank-you, MJ’s Cyclery!), a hardened steel chain and lock, and the rest to Lengle.
Lengle got a new e-trike, and guess what? Thanks to the kindness of donors, he’s regained his mobility! That’s the whole spirit of UHCA’s “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” initiative.
We’re also super grateful to our incredible volunteers who came to help a neighbor at 1525 Meade Ave. His yard was totally overgrown, and he was feeling really overwhelmed because he couldn’t keep up with it. After about an hour and a half, the team got it all under control and even managed to fill 6 green bins! Our neighbor, also named Dave, was over the moon with gratitude.
If you have a neighbor that could use a bit of help around the house, visit www.uhsd.org/neighborhelps and nominate them for the next event. Just be sure to ask if they want help first!