Kindness can truly go a long way, and for the communities that pay it forward, it can go even further.
This touching story reminds us that while there are certainly very real obstacles out there, such as the pandemic and other serious societal struggles, we are stronger together. One act of kindness can create a domino effect of good deeds, just like in the case of this story, and it can even change the world for the better.
In the small town of Dauphin, Pennsylvania, people have always noticed all of the hard work their one and only UPS driver, Chad Turns, was doing to go above and beyond at his job.
From leaving treats for neighborhood dogs to making specially timed deliveries and more, Turns makes sure his community is well taken care of.
“Everyone knows how special Chad is,” resident Jenny Shickley told TODAY . “If he thinks something might be a gift – and this happened to us – he literally didn’t deliver it when the kids were in the yard, he just drove by, and then he drove all the way back to our house after dark, because he was nervous it was a gift and didn’t want to ruin it for the kids.”
Once the pandemic hit and deliveries quickly piled up, Turns made sure everyone got their packages on time.
He has remained dedicated to serving the people of Dauphin, even if that means working much longer hours than usual.
“He’s been working 60-80 hour weeks for a year,” Shickley said. “He’s been working Christmas-style hours for 365 days.”
The town planned a special way properly thank Turns for everything he does for them.
Shickley organized a socially-distanced celebration for the delivery driver, along with a $1,000 gift card purchased through community donations.
She also provided a giant card for everyone in Dauphin to sign and include in their gift for Turns, who’s been working as a driver for the town for more than a decade.
It was a very emotional day.
The celebration for Turns was a planned surprised, as he thought that he was arriving in the parking lot for a work pickup.
However, when members of his community greeted him with such love and admiration, he was understandably moved to tears. In a Facebook video of the event, he can be seen wiping his face with a handkerchief as he thanks everyone for their sweet gesture.
This dedicated delivery driver now knows for sure that all of his hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“I’m still overwhelmed and it is touching that this community feels so strongly about me,” Turns told CNN , adding that he believes all UPS drivers who have been working through the pandemic deserve to be thanked in a similar way.
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This isn’t the only time the people of Dauphin have shown Turns their appreciation.
He told TODAY that locals have been incredibly generous to him all throughout the pandemic, with some offering him cookies or water while he completes his route. But this particular showing of appreciation was so grand and so surprising that it left him feeling quite emotional. Even his wife teared up at their gesture.
“I always call her when I leave work and she asks me how my day was,” he explained. “It was a tearjerker. It was very touching and humbling.”
Turns also said he definitely plans on continuing to serve the Dauphin community with the same level of care and devotion as he has shown during the pandemic, and long before that, too.
Turns reminds everyone of the importance of kindness.
During the pandemic, many people have been struggling in numerous ways. Turns decided to help alleviate the burdens of others whenever given the chance, despite having his own concerns. He reflects kindness that extends beyond expectation.
We think it’s time for everyone to learn from his example and kill it with kindness. Let us know what you think of this story in the comments and if you feel inspired by Turns dedication to his community.
h/t: TODAY
