I want to share a little story about my recent experience with your wonderful community.

When my cousin, Jeff Bye, took me on a tour of Sandisfield and a run to the transfer station, I got a firsthand glimpse of the amazing spirit of sharing that everyone embodies there. While at the station, someone had left extra boxes of extra large surgical gloves. Jeff mentioned it was alright if I wanted to take a pair, even though my wife Ana thought I was a bit nuts for doing so.

After our trip, I placed the gloves on a shelf and completely forgot about them.

However, after the Pacific Palisades/Malibu fire was finally under control and we could return to our place in Malibu, we found a fine layer of dust, ash, and soot all over our apartment. That's when I remembered the gloves.

They have been a lifesaver! [In his original email, Marcus shared photos of just how dirty the clean-up was.] I use the gloves all the time and even reuse them by drying them out after each use.

Please extend my heartfelt thanks to your community and let the Transfer Station Manager [at the time, Keith Larson], know how much we appreciate their generosity. We have decided to leave the Malibu apartment for a variety of reasons, but the warmth and kindness we experienced will remain with us.

- Marcus Witte
Burbank, California