We just had to share this story about the last winner of the Kindness Contest chosen at the Tumwater Branch. When Gordon D. walked into the Tumwater branch, his warm smile drew us in. He told us he had gotten a call from O Bee saying he had won the Kindness Contest. We chatted for a bit, and he told us how he attended once-a-week appointments at Providence Hospital for the past two years. He explained how much he appreciates the nurses and other medical professionals who make his visits pleasant and comfortable. "They are truly the heroes in this world," he said. 
 
Right before one of his appointments, Gordon was feeling hungry, so he grabbed a sandwich at 5th on 4th, a local, family-owned sandwich shop. He spotted several jumbo-sized, delicious-looking cookies on the counter. He decided that he'd love to regularly bring cookies to his medical team to thank them, but the cost would be prohibitive. He got an idea and asked the sandwich shop if they would subsidize his cookie gift. The kind people at the shop agreed.  
 
Now Gordon walks into his appointment each week holding a plate of spectacular cookies. "Each week, it's a different variety," said Gordon. "I barely get in the door before the nurses come over and happily accept the cookies. They have come to eagerly look forward to them. To be able to do this small kindness after all they have done means a lot to me," he added. When asked what he planned to do with the $100, he said, "I'm going to give it to the sandwich shop. Without them, I would not have been able to help the nurses, even with something as small as bringing cookies to them." 
 
A week later, Gordon made his usual stop at 5th on 4th to pick up the cookies, but he also happily handed them his $100 winnings. He told us what happened next, "When I picked up the cookies today at 5th on 4th, I gave them a thank you card with the hundred-dollar bill in it, and they were over the moon. I then took the cookies to Providence Hospital to give them to the nurses. When I arrived, the nurses handed me two envelopes. The first one was a thank you card, signed by all the nurses for brightening their Thursdays with cookies and a smile. The second envelope contained a card and a hundred-dollar gift card for the sandwich shop, 5th on 4th. Wow! Everything came full circle on the same day. It was just amazing. I'll now use the gift card to buy more cookies. All this kindness keeps multiplying!"

We are delighted to share Gordon's story to wrap up our Kindness Contest. Members like Gordon have brightened our days by showing kindness to us and others. We thank Gordon and all our members for your smiles and patience throughout these past two years. You're amazing.