A whodunit of good works

The beautiful U.N. Peace Plaza near The Community of Christ Auditorium in Independence was created to memorialize the 50th anniversary of the United Nations.

Its final cost in cash and in-kind gifts came to more than $1 million by the time it was dedicated on U.N. Day, Oct. 24, 1996.

Since then I have done most of the maintenance chores. However, age is becoming a limiting factor and I have been, and still am, eagerly soliciting volunteer helpers.

Tom McDonald from the Procter Neighborhood Council has assumed the biggest task – keeping the fountain running. That includes climbing down into the underground vault to monitor the water and pH levels which, in the summer, can be a daily chore. The Community of Christ has obligated itself to maintain the beautiful flower beds and lawn mowing in perpetuity.

But that still leaves a lot of other chores, such as replacing worn-out flags, regulating the flood light timers, replacing burned out bulbs, ordering and installing memorial bricks, keeping the box at the entrance full of free brochures, installing plastic sacks and emptying the garbage container as needed, pulling up weeds between the bricks, keeping the Plaza well swept, etc. Unfortunately, correcting vandalism damage is another never-ending task.

Finding consistent volunteer help has been a losing cause, whether it from the Boy Scouts or court-ordered public service time. 

But maybe times are a-changing. I can’t help but think of our 2,000 fellow citizens who volunteered recently to help spruce up the school buildings coming into the Independence School District! If that doesn’t make your heart go thumpity-thump with civic pride, nothing will.

The other day I was appalled at how many weeds had popped up between the bricks all over the Plaza. I tried to pull them up, but the task was well beyond my strength and ability. So I went to the store and purchased a big container of the strongest weed-killer I could find. When I went back a day or two later to apply it, I was astounded to see that some unknown good Samaritan had painstakingly removed all the weeds by hand and had swept the Plaza clean, evidently using their own broom.

I immediately thought that it must have been Tom McDonald and called him to express my sincere thanks. While he was pleased with the purpose of the call he informed me that it wasn’t he who was the good Samaritan, and he had no idea who it might have been. Inasmuch as I had recently approached the pastor of the nearby Open Arms Church with a plea for help, I looked in that direction. However, they assured me that, as far as they knew, it wasn’t one of their members who had done the good deed. 

As of this writing, all I know is that there is a genuine good Samaritan roaming the streets of Independence. I just don’t know his or her name. If he or she happens to read this story, I want them to know that they are greatly appreciated for who they are and what they did. In the true biblical sense our city, and every city, is enriched by having such citizens.