I recently attended a Lend A Hand Up event for my sweet niece Tamara. It was held in the lower level of The Elks in north Fargo, a space donated for the event. Many thoughts and feelings raced through my mind and heart during the four hours I was there. I remembered the time the doctors owned Dakota Hospital. Upon deciding to sell, they established the Dakota Medical Foundation. I was there to hear the resounding phrase "the sky will be the limit," referring to what could be done for good in our community.
There there is Pat Traynor, a model of servant leadership right here in the midst of our community. And Jeana Peinovich? She was there to help dream up the idea of helping ordinary people in a time of medical need. On this particular Saturday, I experienced a microcosm of what our world could be like if we chose to work together on a common project.
There could be harmony, peace, happiness, generosity, compassionate love. It felt so possible; it didn't appear to be that hard. Just roll up your sleeves; put on a Team Tamara shirt; give of your time; work hard; think of someone else; open up your wallet; forget the greed, selfishness, jealousy, divisiveness; and stay until the last kettles are scrubbed and put in place.
Here were the children, women and men, young and old, with special needs as well as the brilliant - all together as one. Can you imagine what it would be like if everyone decided to work together for even more than four hours?
