I opened the mail today.
There’s nothing remarkable about that.
I do that pretty much every afternoon I come into work.
There was an envelope from Ralph Haney, the varsity baseball coach at Clawson High School.
We’ve known each other for years.
The envelope contained a money order for $100 and a short note. The $100 goes to the Renal Race 2, a run that will take place in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, in mid-March with the proceeds going toward the eradication of renal cell cancer.
It’s a cause I know plenty about since I was diagnosed with renal cell, or kidney cancer, about three years ago.
Ralph wrote:
Jim, I read your article. I spoke with my team and thought we could help out. We were part of a chili cook-off with Rick Guzowski. Thanks for all your efforts in sports. You are welcome any time to Clawson Baseball.

Clawson High varsity baseball coach and Craig Bynum, one of his players.

Honest to a handful of Kleenex tissues, it brought tears to my eyes. So did an earlier offer from Jim Martin, the revered athletic trainer at Lamphere, to donate money to the race, too.  I told Jim to forget it; to just have a cold bottle of water waiting next time I’m at one of his school’s events.
People do the darnedest things. Just like Ryan, the high school kid who lives across the street, who came out to help while I was shoveling our driveway. When I tried to give him some money, he refused.
There are plenty of great people in this world. Like Ralph and his Clawson High baseball team. Like Jim at Lamphere. Like Ryan who lives across the street.
I’m feeling great today. In more ways than one.