In the very recent past, Deb and I, along with countless others, mourned the passing of a great friend, both a personal mentor and a community leader … Dr. Walter Peterson, president of the University of Dubuque for 20 years, and its chancellor for another ten.  But beyond that, we mourned a person who used every waking moment to improve life for someone else.  What Walter always knew … is that everyone has the potential to succeed and contribute to society.  If we offer people opportunities, and provide the encouragement and support they need to thrive, we create hope and change.  Walter Peterson truly inspired a community.  And, in spite of the honors and accolades paid him for his decades of service to community, he always maintained a spirit of deep humility.  

Just a short time after Walter’s memorial service, on November 1, my sister Carol, eldest of the “Buol Seven,” passed away unexpectedly due to complications from diabetes.  She was only 67. The impact of this on her six remaining siblings cannot be adequately described.  For those who know of our family’s story, you will recall that the seven siblings and our mother moved in with our grandparents when our father left our family.  I was 18 months old at the time and the second youngest.  Carol, the oldest, was the second mom to the youngest ones.  She frequently recalled the early years when I would stand at the front door of my grandparents’ home, along with my younger brother, in anticipation of the Salvation Army volunteers who would bring a basket of fresh fruit, nuts and candy to our family during the holidays.  What she taught us about hard work, selflessness and perseverance, and what our community taught us about compassion, cannot be learned from any book or college course.

And so for us, like so many others who have experienced loss, the world has quickly become a very different place.  In this season of Thanksgiving, however, we are choosing to be reminded of the richness brought into our lives from these wonderful souls and the responsibility we have to share that richness.

Let us all remember that in Dubuque, we have been blessed with talent, privilege, and opportunity … and because of that, we must work to improve the lives and increase the opportunities for those who need our attention.  Let us put into practice what we have learned from those who have gone before, and treat our most vulnerable citizens, regardless of age, with compassion and generosity.
Our non profit organizations need our generosity to improve the lives of those less fortunate. During this season of Thanksgiving, please take a moment to find a local entity with whom you can share just a portion of your riches, and let us collectively honor those who have spent their lifetimes teaching us that, “to whom much is given, much is expected.”  

To you and yours, Happy Thanksgiving.