Open Letter to Taylor Ostergaard and Lindsey Jo Zellitti
2/5/05
Dear Taylor and Lindsey,
I read your story in the paper this morning with a mixture of pride and deep sadness - pride for your thoughtfulness and initiative, and sadness at the "lesson" I fear the world has taught you: that it's safest not to reach out, not to get involved, not to commit such random acts of kindness.
Please don't listen to that message!
I am a pastor in rural North Dakota, and every other month I've led my confirmation class in a service project, so that they might learn the joy and blessing of working hard to help someone else. However you two young women learned it, it's clear that this is a lesson you've taken to heart. I can only hope that someday my own students will choose to spend a night making others' lives better and showing love to them, as you both did. Whatever is said in a courtroom, what you did was kind and good, and I hold you both in the highest esteem. Thank God that there are still people who think first of others! I know and pray that you'll continue to value kindness and service as you grow older. I doubt this will be the last outstanding achievement of yours to make the headlines! =)
I've enclosed a small check that I want you to put toward your legal expenses - or, if those are already covered, use it to fund your next adventure in kindness. Good deeds should be rewarded, not punished, and I'm glad if I can help shoulder the burden that's been placed on you and your families.
Hang in there, keep on lending a hand to your neighbors, and know that you are a blessing... not just to those you serve, but also to those of us you inspire.
THANK YOU for being the wonderful young women you are. God's richest blessings to you both.
Peace,
Bob Schaefer
Dear Taylor and Lindsey,
I read your story in the paper this morning with a mixture of pride and deep sadness - pride for your thoughtfulness and initiative, and sadness at the "lesson" I fear the world has taught you: that it's safest not to reach out, not to get involved, not to commit such random acts of kindness.
Please don't listen to that message!
I am a pastor in rural North Dakota, and every other month I've led my confirmation class in a service project, so that they might learn the joy and blessing of working hard to help someone else. However you two young women learned it, it's clear that this is a lesson you've taken to heart. I can only hope that someday my own students will choose to spend a night making others' lives better and showing love to them, as you both did. Whatever is said in a courtroom, what you did was kind and good, and I hold you both in the highest esteem. Thank God that there are still people who think first of others! I know and pray that you'll continue to value kindness and service as you grow older. I doubt this will be the last outstanding achievement of yours to make the headlines! =)
I've enclosed a small check that I want you to put toward your legal expenses - or, if those are already covered, use it to fund your next adventure in kindness. Good deeds should be rewarded, not punished, and I'm glad if I can help shoulder the burden that's been placed on you and your families.
Hang in there, keep on lending a hand to your neighbors, and know that you are a blessing... not just to those you serve, but also to those of us you inspire.
THANK YOU for being the wonderful young women you are. God's richest blessings to you both.
Peace,
Bob Schaefer
posted by Bob at
11:50 AM
4 Comments:
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
By
Bondgirl, at 4:35 PM
I thought that woman was just heinous! If I had been the judge I would have thrown the frivelous suite out and sanctioned the attorney. Good heavens, kids bring you cookies and you sue them???!!!
By
Bondgirl, at 4:35 PM
At first I too thought the woman was just being rotten, but after a little research it all makes more sense. That same woman was attack by a neighbor in the past while walking her kid to school, and she lives in an "extremely rural area, and called out "who is it?" several times before the girls stopped banging and ran off. She also claims the girls were banging on her back door. If so, she had to be terrified!! It was 10:30 at night!! I think the lawsuit was a bit extreme but she claims the girls never apologized and the parents never offered to pay her medical bills which is all she was asking for anyway. I think the gesture was nice but agree the girls should have exercised a little more common sense and tact.
By
Anonymous, at 4:27 PM
For the "rest of the story" see the writeup on the True Stella Awards. Poetic Justice rules!!!
http://mdw1982.com/pipermail/mandrakeot/Week-of-Mon-20050314/006608.html
By
Ian, at 4:15 AM
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