By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
Wood County Sheriff Deputy Kayleb Stuff’s Saturday shift had a positive twist. Instead of handing out citations, he handed out Kroger gift cards.
Stuff was one of a handful of deputies who joined Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn for a second year of “Christmas in July,” made possible through a partnership with Kroger and JE Dunn, the construction company involved in building Meta’s new data center in Middleton Township.
Each deputy had two $50 gift cards and two $100 gift cards to distribute to bring smiles to people’s faces when they least expected it.
“A lot of times we come into contact with people who aren’t having the best of days,” Stuff said. “Whether they’re a victim of a crime, a loved one has passed, or whatever the circumstances might be, we’re able to step in and say, ‘Hey, I’m sorry you’re going through this.”
When he stopped at Kathy Dibling’s home, he was concerned how the family was doing after one of her children recently was struck by a vehicle and seriously injured.
“They’re going to have a lot of medical bills, and since we obviously can’t pay the medical bills, at least through ‘Christmas in July’ we can leave some money to help with groceries and other necessities,” he said.
When Dibling answered the door, she wasn’t quite sure why a deputy was on her doorstep. But she quickly melted with relief and appreciation when he handed her the gift card and explained that she and her family were chosen for the surprise.
Earlier in the week, when Stuff learned he would be helping with “Christmas in July,” Dibling and her family came to mind since he had been on the scene of the accident. He thought they could use some good news after a tough week.
Dibling’s thanks came in a hug of appreciation.
He got into his squad car with a smile on his face, pleased that he was able to deliver the gift card to her.
“I didn’t know it would have that much effect,” he said. “I mean, everyone’s struggling, but it is nice to see it shows that we’re appreciated and that she is appreciative of what we are doing and that we can help her.”
Stuff, a Wood County native who has been a sheriff deputy for three years and in law enforcement for almost eight years, said, “The reason I got into this career is because I enjoy helping people.”
After the Dibling house, he had no list of other people to visit; instead, he headed west of Route 25 toward Tontogany and Grand Rapids looking for opportunities to deliver the remaining gift cards.
He detoured into a mobile home park off Brim Road and stopped to find Codee Underwood and his daughter Ellie outside.
Stuff recalled being at the mobile home a couple months before helping Mary Rava with a situation. He remembered she had a baby and reported she was struggling at the time.
He asked if Rava was around, but Underwood said she was working, and he was there helping to take care of her two young daughters, Gabriella and Adriana.
Stuff explained about the “Christmas in July” partnership and handed Underwood the gift card for groceries and diapers.
A big smile spread across Underwood’s face when he received the card. “We were just getting ready to head to the store. The timing is perfect,” he said.
Sheriff Wasylyshyn, JE Dunn and Kroger share the value and know the importance of building relationships within the local community. The joint initiative is designed to give back to the residents of the communities where the businesses are located and where they serve every day.
“We want people to trust us and know that we are not robots or mean people,” Stuff said. “We are humans. We have families just like everyone else, and we are here to help.”
As he drove west on Kellogg Road, a Chevy truck heading east was speeding approximately 12 miles over the speed limit. He made a quick U-turn and stopped the driver on a side road.
The driver was headed to Northwest Tire before it closed at noon. With over an hour to get there, Stuff suggested the driver had plenty of time to get there without speeding.
Instead of a speeding ticket, Stuff gave him a gift card and the advice, “I’d much rather you show up there in one piece than not at all. Ten miles over the speed limit does make a significant difference in crashes.”
It’s a reminder that drivers need to understand the consequences of operating equipment that can be deadly at times.
After the fourth, and final, gift card was given to a most appreciative family with two young girls in Grand Rapids, Stuff was happy to have participated in the giveaway for the second year.
“I don’t know what anyone’s finances are or what they struggle with, but everyone struggles at some point,” he said. “We can’t help everybody, but this is a way we can help bridge a gap and help people who might be going through a hard time. Building relationships between the community and our office just makes our community stronger.”
