So we are back for another installment of Unsung Heroes.
Now more than ever, it is important to focus our attentions on stories that will encourage us, enlighten us and also sensitize us to, about and for people.
Most people go about their daily lives doing what they do and many if not most times, no one takes notice but if they didn’t do what they did………
Our communities I dare say would not be better off if these unsung heroes were not there.
The fatigue of this period of time has worn on so many so some real stories of everyday people can be just the right medicine to help us raise our eye levels a little bit past this 6 month grind of Covid, political uncertainty etc.
So in this second installment, I want to tell you a little bit about my friend, Anna Pallotta.
I have known Anna for over 13 years and Anna is one of the nicest people you would ever want to meet.
A cherished wife, mom of 3 great young adults with a busy home life…
Anna is also a 28 year veteran of the Montreal Police Force.
I met Anna when I was working at an inner city school as a school consultant and Anna was and still is the Community Officer assigned to the school.
I remember meeting her and hitting it off right away. Anna’s laid back style, caring personality connected with me as she has with so many others so becoming friends over time was a natural.
Anna connects with students by coming in to classes to talk about all types of safety issues, bullying of all types and also when there are students who are in need of special attention because of struggles and troubles they could be going through.
There are the times when Anna has been called in because a student has gotten themselves in a situation that would warrant a more serious type of consequence. Anna would have a way of talking with those students to try and help them see that the road they were on would take them down a path they hadn’t planned on. Many listened while unfortunately, many didn’t.
Those who did accept the advice were better for it and even some would say later on that the advice was what they needed to hear.
Maybe because Anna is a mom that her relatability to young people is so much more effective than if she wasn’t but Anna is sure good at her job as an officer.
But Anna’s job is so much more than schools; Anna has a presence in the community that is admired and I’ve witnessed it in the past on the street when community people, leaders who know her speak glowingly of her and how they warmly greet her when they meet her on the street.
In this recent knee jerk surge of defunding the Police, Anna has taken her share of abrasive comments but most communities worth their salt know that they could not make it and live like they do presently without the presence of a dedicated police force.
We had an interesting talk last week with our dear, mutual friend Teresa Saucier who actually introduced us 13 years ago when Teresa was the principal of the school I had mentioned earlier.
Because for some strange reason, we sometimes forget that there is another life that these unsung heroes lead and no matter what may be going on in that life lane, they have to perform their day in, day out duties so that we benefit from their professionalism, skill set etc.
Anna’s story was incredible; raising 3 kids, one of the 3 having a medical crisis that threw their world upside down but somehow still managing to keep their family together while performing her daily duties as a highly skilled, trained officer to give of her best to the community she serves.
Funny, it was on the way home from our lunch that I started to do a mental time line and realized that their family crisis was in the time when I first got to know Anna and one would never know that this crisis was happening parallel to our wonderful, warm, friendly interactions with Anna on a daily, weekly basis.
While there is more that could be said, Anna’s story is just one of many Unsung Hero stories that do their job day in and day out, making a difference in the lives of others, seeking no glory, no badges but because of their dedication, people, communities are better for their selfless acts of service and commitment where they function
I’m proud of this unsung hero and you now know this wonderful lady named Anna!
Thanks Anna!
A Lady named Joan! Epilogue But Her Story Continues
So today, My friend Joan Forde was laid to rest and there was a celebration of life service commemorating her life.
As the regulations and rules have loosened slightly for funeral homes, there were 50 people who were able to be at the service plus many, many more on closed circuit video. Under normal circumstances, the chapel would have been filled to overflowing, such was the influence, touch and reach of Joan’s life.
Listening to the tributes, looking at the pictures of her life story, it reminded me of the power of her life but if you would have asked Joan, she was just what loved to do; loved people generously.
It again made me realize the quote/comment that people will always remember how one would made them feel.
Joan did that and more.
It’s still hard to believe that Joan is gone but sitting in the funeral parlor and listening to the service, I was thinking of her virtues that I experienced; Kind, loving, goodness, encourager, faithfulness, patient, caring, gentleness, self-control.
It made me think that that’s how I want to be.
We still grieve because there is this hole in our hearts. The buses, cars, people walking by wouldn’t even know that we were celebrating this incredible woman but the unsung hero is not known to all because there is no fanfare, the bands marching but if you were to ask the many she has touched over her lifetime, they would call her a hero.
These unsung heroes aren’t doing what they do for glory, grandeur or accolades but we need to be thankful because they help make our days, weeks, months better and we are truly better for having them in our lives!
Thank you Anna; Thank you again Joan!
We are grateful!!
Dave
#ForwardFriday #UnsungHeroes #CommunityIsBetterBecauseTheyAreInIt #DoingWhatTheyDo #Grateful #NoFanFare #NoMarchingBand #NeededAndValued #Blog #Speaker #Unassuming #ItIsWhatTheyDo #WeNeedThem
Comments