By Sabrina Squire - bio | email
Posted by Terry Alexander - email
PETERSBURG, VA (WWBT) – It's time now to "pay it forward" where I give someone $300 and within one hour they must choose a person who is not a relative, or a group in need to pass it onto. This week we see how one Act of Kindness can benefit an entire community.
In Petersburg's historic Poplar Lawn district, we meet Cindi Johnson, a medical services rep for Buford Pharmacy.
Sabrina Squire: "Sounds like you really enjoy your work."
Cindi Johnson: "Oh I love it. I don't work."
We're at the corner of Sycamore and Fillmore about a block from one of Cindi's clients. Fillmore Place is an assisted living facility, adult care center and Cindi really cares.
"They are more than just a customer for drugs. We also care about their well being, so we play games and do ice cream socials with them," Cindi said.
Cindi says it wasn't all fun and games when she made her first call at Fillmore Place a few weeks ago.
"It's a nice place. The people are obviously well cared for but maybe they don't have a lot of money," she said. "I understand a lot of these residents were homeless before they came here, so they came here with the shirt on their back."
Through her networking group, Cindi learned there's always a need for toiletries.
"They were telling stories about when they walked in one day they were cutting bars of soap in half and then I saw your segment and thought $300 wow, that's a lot of bars of soap," Cindi said. "Maybe they can buy underwear or socks or go to Goodwill and buy some shirts."
Sabrina Squire: "3 hundred for your friends at Fillmore."
Cindi Johnson: "Thank you so much. Can we go give it to them?"
Sabrina Squire: "Yes let's go."
Cindi says her networking friends want to adopt Filmore at Christmas, and surprise each resident with a gift. But she's eager to share some pre holiday cheer.
At Filmore's side door we're met by the President and COO of Right Way the company that manages Filmore. Rose is Assistant Administrator at Filmore where many of the 60 some residents have physical and mental challenges. They manage with social security and state grants.
"We have quite a few don't have family. We're basically their family here," said Rose.
Well add caring cousin Cindi.
"I have 1,2,3 hundred dollars for you," Cindi said.
Rose says the money would help fund more activities, a new bingo set, exercise tapes. A resident tell us they could use a new karaoke machine and prizes for their talent shows.
"A little surprised. I wasn't expecting it," Rose said.
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