THREE GOOD SAMARITANS
Grandmother, city employee and cop honored by mayor’s office for unselfish acts
Agrandmother who serves children at a local elementary school, a city employee who helped save the life of a dog hit by a car and a police officer who used his own money to replace stolen bicycles for two distraught children were recognized by the Mayor’s Office on Friday for their unselfish acts. EVELINA GONZALEZ was named Albuquerque’s Volunteer of the Month for making sure students at Inez Elementary School, where her grandson attended school, had enough to eat during weekends.
She began volunteering in her grandson’s classroom by performing simple tasks such as making copies and helping with any other classroom needs. When the school partnered with Children’s Choice Child Care Services, Gonzalez began volunteering with the organization’s before- and after-school programs.
Later, she helped spearhead the school’s “Weekend Food Backpack” program, organizing and packing about 50 backpacks weekly with two breakfasts, two lunches and additional snacks for each child in a family. Now retired after working 40 years at Central New Mexico Community College, Gonzalez has donated more than 1,400 hours in the last three years. ELIZABETH JONES, an accountant in the city’s Environmental Health Department, was named this week’s Good Samaritan.
While en route to work last month, Jones came upon a badly injured dog in the middle of Comanche west of Moon. The German shepherd was apparently hit by a vehicle. Even as other cars passed by, Jones stopped. A passing jogger helped her lift the large animal into her car, which she drove to a nearby veterinary hospital. Later in the day, Jones called the hospital to check on the dog’s status and learned that the veterinary staff was able to save its life. Because the dog had been microchipped, the staff was also able to locate the dog’s owners. ALBUQUERQUE POLICE OFFICER
PAUL HAUGH recognized a young brother and sister who were distraught as they stood in front of a Southeast Heights Wal-Mart. The children told the officer that they had locked up their bikes before going inside and when they returned about 20 minutes later they found that their bicycles had been stolen and only a piece of the lock remained. The 10-year police veteran had the children call a parent to pick them up, and while they were waiting, he took the children inside the store, had them pick out new bicycles and purchased them out of his own pocket, along with sturdy new locks. For that act of kindness and compassion, Haugh was named Friday’s Hero.
The awards were presented in City Hall by Albuquerque’s Chief Administrative Officer Rob Perry, filling in for Mayor Richard Berry who was tied up with other city business.
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