Letter: Good Samaritans bring joy during troubled times

In these times of greed and dishonesty, I’d like to share a little story of generosity.

At last month’s Art in the Park, several people took found objects to the information booth. Their honesty was heartening, as objects ranged from sunglasses and odd credit cards to a full wallet. My favorite story involved a family that turned in an envelope of cash. The children seemed disappointed (unless I was reading more into their reactions than I should have), as if they’d hoped we’d say they should just keep it. We volunteers speculated later that they might have been dreaming of how much ice cream they could buy with the money!

Nobody claimed the envelope that day, and it was taken to the Gallery at the Park. The next day, someone did ask about it, describing the contents enough that the administrator gave it to her. I wish the family who turned it in could know that the person who lost it appreciated their efforts. I applaud the mother for setting a good example for her children, especially in the gray area of found cash. They could have bought lots of treats, but instead made someone else’s day brighter.

This story was originally published August 21, 2017 at 2:50 PM with the headline "Letter: Good Samaritans bring joy during troubled times."