Huber

Funeral Home & Cremation Services

952-474-9595

Tom O’Connell, CPA

Income Tax Preparation.  952-474-6509

St. Victoria Catholic Church

Victoria  *  952-443-2661

Sue’s Cue

What’s new in the Online Victoria Gazette?

It’s behind the Eight Ball at

www.VictoriaGazette.com.

952-448-4220

Norsemen Travel

For ALL your travel needs.  952-448-3434

942-448-3434

Century Wine & Spirits

On Century Blvd.  *  952-401-WINE
Text Box: Text Box: Text Box: Text Box: Text Box: Text Box: Text Box: Text Box: Text Box: Text Box: Text Box: Text Box: Text Box: Text Box:

Headlines

and bylines

Front Page

Feature Story

From the

Editor

Addie’s

Drawing

Letters

to the Editor

Victoria

Moments

Hook

Line & Sinker

Calendar

of Events

Click here to

Advertise

Email

the Gazette

Return to

Home Page

Order

paper Gazette

Notes and

Quotes

The Scoop

at City Hall

Norsemen Travel

Depend on us for ALL your travel needs!

Guardian Angels Catholic Church

Chaska  *  952-448-4100

Home Page

The Victoria

GAZETTE

August 2010

To the Editor:

         I write in the hope that your paper will do what I cannot -- acknowledge and thank all my friends and neighbors and local Victoria companies who, without my family asking, generously gave of their time and talents and products.

         Here is our story about how our little community responded ...

         In October, 2009, my husband Mike and I, along with our two young sons -- one a brand new  baby -- moved into a new home in a new development in Victoria.  We didn’t have time to do the “meet and greet” before winter arrived and we, like all Minnesotans, began the great “hunkering down.”

         One week before Christmas, my husband was taken to the hospital where it was determined he had a tumor in his spinal cord.  During the week of Christmas, the tumor was removed, at which time he was diagnosed with Glioblastoma, the most aggressive malignancy possible in the central nervous system.  He was 31.

         Since then, my husband’s treatment has been very challenging.  We’ve experienced many setbacks. But through it all has been this little community of kind and wonderful people who have stepped in time and again.

         On Christmas morning, as I was getting the boys ready to drive to the hospital to see their daddy, I looked out the window to see a family I did not know well, out shoveling our driveway and sidewalk, all without asking.

         We had a benefit for  Mike in April.  We believe over 500 people came.  Among them were neighbors I had not met and others I did not know well.  But they were all there to support us.  And their presence enhanced the love we felt that evening and for many days after.

         And the gifts continued, the recent requiring me to write to the Gazette ...

         Two weeks ago, friends in my neighborhood told me they contacted some local companies who agreed to donate landscaping material.  And that the people in the neighborhood would do all the work, all the work.

         It began on Friday -- a mini parade of my landscaping worker/neighbors with shovels in hand, pushing wheelbarrows.  And it continued into Saturday with more neighbors, more children, more tools, more dirt, more plants, everyone digging and planting.  Food and drinks were provided by our children’s daycare owner.

         The yard is as beautiful as the people who came to do the work.  All I could do was cry.  We moved to the neighborhood in hopes of finding a happy place for our children.  We also found love, support, and community.

         I wanted the Gazette to know, and through it the greater community to know, what type of people and companies reside in Victoria and within the Rhapsody neighborhood.  A very special thank you to my friends and neighbors in Rhapsody, to the Children of Tomorrow daycare, to Timberwall, to Lyman properties, and to Lennar and Hartman Tree Farm.  We are truly thankful for all you have done and for your continuing care for us.

         With deepest love and gratitude,

                  Mike, Jennifer and

                  Jack and Benjamin Gleason

                  Victoria, Minnesota

 

To the Editor:

         I know you will be including something in the Gazette about the Gleason family and the landscaping project that our neighborhood did last weekend.  I’m sure you are under deadline, but I think it is important that I let you know as soon as possible that Michael Gleason passed away at 11:58 p.m. on Friday, July 23rd.  Our hearts are heavy, and our love and prayers go out to the Gleason family.  They have a 3-year old son Jack and a 1-year old son Benjamin.

         Denise Buckley

         Victoria, Minnesota
Text Box:

Letters Continued