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ACTS OF KINDNESS

Passing on $300 to spunky grandmother

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By Terry Alexander - email
By Sabrina Squire - bio | email

  • Acts of KindnessActs of Kindness

  • Tuesday, May 15 2012 5:31 PM EDT2012-05-15 21:31:52 GMT
    Sometimes it takes a village to pay it forward. I hit the streets in Henrico at the White Oak Shopping Village to find someone ready on the spot to pass on a $300 Act of Kindness. I was certain my
    I hit the streets in Henrico at the White Oak Shopping Village and met with Michelle Johnson, a bus driver with Henrico Public Schools.

  • Tuesday, May 8 2012 6:25 PM EDT2012-05-08 22:25:37 GMT
    Nominations for our $300 Acts of Kindness segment usually come via phone or e-mail. But for the next few weeks, I'm hitting the streets all around town, to catch people willing to pay it forward on the spot.
    Nominations for our $300 Acts of Kindness segment usually come via phone or e-mail. But for the next few weeks, I'm hitting the streets all around town, to catch people willing to pay it forward on the spot to someone in need or reward someone's good deeds.

  • Tuesday, May 1 2012 5:34 PM EDT2012-05-01 21:34:51 GMT
    After the sudden death of a Prince George police officer three weeks ago, loved ones wanted to honor her memory with an Act of Kindness for the people she called "her" heroes.
    After the sudden death of a Prince George police officer three weeks ago, loved ones wanted to honor her memory with an Act of Kindness for the people she called "her" heroes.

  • Tuesday, April 24 2012 6:28 PM EDT2012-04-24 22:28:17 GMT
    RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - Sometimes family ties can test us in ways we never imagine. We're paying it forward to a bachelor who suddenly found himself being a surrogate parent to an active pre-teen, while
    We're paying it forward to a bachelor who suddenly found himself being a surrogate parent to an active pre-teen, while also caring for his own critically ill mother. His friend calls him a strong, inspiring role model who deserves an Act of Kindness.

  • Tuesday, April 17 2012 5:40 PM EDT2012-04-17 21:40:56 GMT
    We're paying it forward in Chesterfield to a woman her neighbor calls "the most compassionate caretaker." Not only is she managing her own family's serious medical issues, she's opened her home to displaced families and pets, and looks after kids around the apartment complex.

  • Tuesday, April 10 2012 5:57 PM EDT2012-04-10 21:57:21 GMT
    A knit hat warmed a local woman's "heart" so much, she tracked down the person who knitted it and nominated her for today's Acts of Kindness.

  • Tuesday, April 3 2012 8:05 PM EDT2012-04-04 00:05:02 GMT
    We're paying it forward to a woman who takes care of seven hundred children and dozens of adults several days a week. She's such a great asset to her school and everyone in it, she's been voted support staff person of the year several years in a row and today she's our Act of Kindness recipient. 

  • ACTS OF KINDNESS

    Tuesday, March 27 2012 6:25 PM EDT2012-03-27 22:25:37 GMT
    Lots of us remember an exceptional teacher who made us believe we could succeed at anything. Today a grandmother and cancer survivor is paying it forward to the educator she says has given her confidence that she absolutely will earn the diploma she's been longing for. Their teacher-student bond is this week's "Acts of Kindness."

  • ACTS OF KINDNESS

    Wednesday, March 21 2012 8:10 AM EDT2012-03-21 12:10:09 GMT
    In this week's Acts of Kindness, we pay it forward to someone who opened their heart and their home to one of our viewers.

  • ACTS OF KINDNESS

    Tuesday, March 13 2012 5:13 PM EDT2012-03-13 21:13:10 GMT
    Today we're paying it forward to a dynamic young CEO who is passionate about children, education and empowerment. She committed to nurturing future generations of local leaders and today a loyal supporter is making a three hundred dollar Act of Kindness investment.

By Sabrina Squire - bio | email
Posted by Terry Alexander - email

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) – She's a part time greeter at Walmart - a keen eyed receipt checker, and self styled enforcer: Sallie Hoffman commands her watch on wheels. 

"Don't even try to get out of that store without paying for something from Sallie Hoffman because she'll chase you down," said Holly Farrell.

Holly says she and Sallie clicked the second they met on the job. 

"She's become like a second mom to me," Holly said. 

A mom and mentor, who lets nothing, not even a host of health problems, keep her down. 

"She just keeps on fighting, I've been sitting right beside her in a hospital bed, she's going ‘I need to go to work'," Holly said. "Sallie Hoffman is the strongest person, not woman, strongest person I've ever met." 

And she says the kindest. 

"She will do anything for anybody." 

Today Holly's turning the tables. Sallie thinks she's just coming for lunch but wait till she hears what's on the menu. 

Sallie Hoffman: "Well, I'm fine, what going on?"
Holly Farrell: "I wrote a letter for the Acts of Kindness and I nominated you because you are such an inspiration to me and I love you so much. You are a second mom."
Sallie Hoffman: "Oh, darling."
Holly Farrell: "And I just wanted you to have this and they gave me $300 to give to you."
Sallie Hoffman: "What! Good heavens."
Holly Farrell: "There's 100, 200, 300 dollars."
Sallie Hoffman: "I can't believe this, I just can't believe it." 

Just as we're about to introduce ourselves. 

Sallie Hoffman: "Darling, I have watched you, Sabrina, since you 1st went on there."
Sabrina Squire: "Oh my goodness." 

Then Sallie tells me this isn't the first time her adopted daughter has reached out to her. 

Sallie Hoffman: "She literally saved my life. I was ill in my apartment and she was going to the grocery store about 10 miles away."
Holly Farrell: "I hadn't planned on going down there and I just had a feeling."
Sallie Hoffman: "And she just wheeled out of the parking lot, come up to my apartment and I was unconscious."
Holly Farrell: "She was just laying there, she was cold." 

Holly called the ambulance. 

"They said I would not have made it thru the night," Sallie said. 

Now Sallie's making the most of every day, thrilled to be back on her watch. 

"I just love em. I just have a ball," Sallie said. 

And she's investing her cash with a Walmart co-worker, her grandson. 

"I'm helping him get thru college, I want him to go all the way through without any loans," she said. 

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