The thoughtfulness shown to a stranger

To the editor: My family moved to Warwick in September 1997. We have thoroughly enjoyed this community. My son started school in the first grade at Park Avenue Elementary School and has flourished. He is now a freshman in the high school and participates in many different organizations. While, we believe that everyone is inherently good, we have truly underestimated the generosity of this community. We have been blown away by the support that we have received regarding the young lady staying with my family from Waveland, Mississippi. We have taken in a young girl from Mississippi on Sept. 13, 2005. Alexandria Stevenson is the daughter of a good friend. Due to Hurricane Katrina, she has been displaced from her home and her school. As a result, we have registered Alexandria in the Warwick Valley Middle School. We would like to commend the Warwick school system for their community spirit, efficiency and generosity. With a minimum of fuss, Alexandria was enrolled in the Middle School with very little documentation. She was welcomed with warmth, compassion and generosity. The school loaned her a trombone so that she may continue with her music lessons, while she is staying with my family. They have given her some school supplies and an educational foundation. We can not thank them enough for making Alexandria’s start to the eighth grade such a positive one. The second part of this letter is to recognize and send a special thank you to the UMAC (United Martial Arts Center) of Warwick. My son has been attending this school for the past eight years and enjoys it. Therefore we thought it would be a good place to start getting Alexandria introduced to the Warwick community. The UMAC family has opened their hearts and center to her. They have given her a uniform and taken up a collection to offset some of our expenses. They have also given her a physical outlet and created a support network. As a result Alexandria looks forward to her classes every week. My husband and I feel it is very important to acknowledge these organizations. It has made us aware just how thoughtful the people of Warwick are. Alexandria is an integrated member of my family and both of these organizations have gone above and beyond, to make Alexandria’s transition into our community an easy one. Mary E. Sansone Warwick