Talk of the Town: An act of kindness goes a long way!

Just when prices are rising and gloom and doom are topics of daily conversation, especially in the airports where travel is a roller coaster, an act of kindness from a complete stranger makes me believe in mankind once again.

On the way to Louisville, Ky., on April 9 to celebrate my mother-in-law’s 90th birthday, my husband struck up a conversation with a delightful fellow passenger who was waiting for the same flight.

My husband learned that this gentleman had a business in Louisville and as they chatted, it turned out that he knew the area known as Anchorage, where my brother-in-law lived.

John Ford explained that we would be attending the races at Keeneland Race Course and that his mother, Eleanor Ford, was a die-hard race fan. This was one of her birthday wishes—to attend a race in the Bluegrass State.

In fact, my husband told this stranger that my mother-in-law would be hosting a Kentucky Derby party very soon back in Boston where she resides in a retirement home in Lexington.

The residents dress up in race attire, decorate a room with Derby memorabilia and enjoy strawberries and champagne and other race course fare. The seniors then watch the Kentucky Derby in style—even betting on a winner—all from the comfort of their retirement community.

The conversation continued and we all parted ways as we boarded the flight, never to set eyes on this man again. Later that evening two surprise packages arrived at my brother-in-law’s residence addressed to “the birthday girl, c/o John Ford.”

The carefully wrapped packages turned out to be race posters, one of which is a 2008 Kentucky Derby poster featuring artist Trish Biddle’s vintage-inspired oil painting evoking the romance of America’s greatest horse race.

A great poster it is, too— powerful thoroughbreds, elegant women and bright blue skies which set the tone for the 2008 Run For The Roses. The historic twin spires at Churchill Downs shine in the background.

These hand-delivered posters along with birthday well-wishes came from the airport stranger—Earl M. Shiring, Jr., president and CEO of Vivid Impact Corp.

I went online to discover that Vivid Impact is a full service graphic communications manufacturing company based in Louisville, offering complete project management, commercial printing, custom communication packaging, fulfillment e-commerce capability, on-demand digital printing and more.

This man went to extraordinary lengths to get these posters to my mother-in-law and needless to say, the entire Ford family was amazed at this act of kindness.

Thank you, Earl, for making a 90-year-old happy.

Visit Vivid Impact Corp. at vividimpact.com and see what Earl’s successful company is all about.

Country Western music enthusiast, Volney F. Morin Jr. was given a present recently by family members to record a CD in a real live studio in Burbank, Calif. Volney, who says he’s been strumming a guitar for fun for the past 43 years, was thrilled to record a dozen songs with five other musicians, including the studio owner.

Volney said it took four hours to record his CD, noting that many of the listeners said their favorite number was “The Cat Came Back.”

The singer doesn’t market his CD commercially, but did use it as a Valle Verde Rotary Club fundraiser to raise money for Great Expectations Academy in Sahuarita and for the girl’s orphanage, Aliso Madre Conchita, in Nogales, Sonora.

When Volney isn’t singing, he can be found at W.F. Stevens Financial Advisors LLC, where he works as business manager for Bill Stevens. Now, I’ve heard Volney’s CD and I will say it’s darn tootin’ good. I haven’t heard Bill Stevens sing yet, and I don’t know if that’s good or bad. I have seen him dance an Irish step dance and also saw him take to the floor at the Cow Palace with home builder Dave Grounds once, but that’s all I’m going to reveal!

This is pretty cool. According to my pal Shaw Kinsley, the Tubac Historical Society is hosting its annual picnic at the recently renovated Tohono Village, 10 Camino Otero, Tubac, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, April 27.

Tohono O’odham means “people of the desert.” Their nation occupies three Arizona counties( Pima, Pinal and Maricopa) and is the second largest Indian reservation in the United States after the Navajo.

In spite of being forced away from their traditional customs and practices for centuries, the Tohono O’odham have retained them into the 21st century.

The THS picnic will provide attendees with insight to this ancient culture with a talk on their tribal history by a distinguished speaker from the University of Arizona and a banquet of exotic desert food specialties.

Folks will also see basket-weaving skills, hear examples of traditional songs and music, and learn about their language and games.

The afternoon includes a chance to view the gallery and Tohono Trading Post where you can see the finest and most selective Native American baskets, jewelry, pottery, and paintings all created by authentic Native American artists.

Tohono Village opened in October 2007 and incorporates a courtyard with two shops separated by an inviting patio. Following a talk on tribal history and culture, Mary Paganelli, a Native American chef, will tell the group about the picnic menu, which includes sauteed cholla cactus buds, a pear and walnut salad with prickly pear dressing, mesquite almond cakes with saguaro syrup, and agave sweetened lemonade.

It will also feature traditional handmade tortillas, which will accompany the main dish of white tepary bean stew with beef short ribs.

The Tohono O’dham are specialists in growing teparies. These small size beans come from drought-tolerant plants and have outstanding nutritional qualities as well as excellent flavor. They are known to have been cultivated in Mexico and Arizona for 5,000 years and are just right for the THS meal.

Paganelli, as part of Tohono O’odham Community Action, an organization dedicated to revitalizing cultural practices within the Tohono O’odham nation, has been featured on such television shows as 60 Minutes, the PBS series Seasoned With Spirit: A Native Chef’s Journey, and other presentations.

Tickets are $40. Make checks payable and mail to: Tubac Historical Society, P.O. Box 3261, Tubac, 85646. Reservations are accepted until noon, Monday, April 21.

rford@gvnews.com | 547-9740