The World Needs More People Like Buddy and Gideon

Mainers are special people. I've often said that Mainers take care of Mainers and those they love. Let me relay the story of what happened in Bar Harbor this morning, Saturday, August 14th, as told to me by Kyle Shank.

Kyle and his wife Allison have 2 children, Willa, who will be 7 and will be at the Conners Emerson School in September and Gideon, who is 4 years old. Gideon has autism and loves cars, trucks, and the Island Explorer Bus! In fact Gideon and his dad Kyle will spend hours on the corner of Mount Desert Street and Ledgelawn Avenue waiving at passing vehicles. They've become such staples, that drivers have begun honking and waving back at them.

One of the bus drivers, Buddy Mills stopped earlier in the week, and asked if Gideon and Kyle were going to be around Saturday, August 14th. When they said yes, he said, be outside at 11 a.m.!

So Gideon and Kyle were. And Saturday morning, at 11 a.m. there was a parade of Gideon's favorite vehicles! A police car, a police truck, fire truck and a miniature tractor trailer!

According to Gideon's Dad, Kyle was so excited he ran back and forth, "happy as a clam", checking out his favorite vehicles close up and giving high 5's to those responsible!

On a day when Bar Harbor is crazy busy, these people made a 4 year old's day! Rather than fighting over vaccines, masks and politics, we would all be so much better off if we could concentrate on doing the good deed! Be like Gideon and wave hello! Be like Buddy and the Bar Harbor Fire Department, Police Department and others and go out of your way! Do the extraordinary. Be the light!

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