Saturday night my teenage son and a dozen of his friends enjoyed dinner at Campana’s before the North Kitsap homecoming dance. When they attempted to pay for their meal they were stunned and delighted to learn someone had picked up the tab for their entire table. They asked who had been so incredibly generous and were told the person/persons wished to remain anonymous, but had requested that each of the kids perform a similar act when they were older. I would like to direct the rest of this letter to their unknown benefactor:

My husband and I offer our profound thanks for your gift. We appreciate your warm generosity more than you can imagine. You sent a powerful message to a large group of impressionable young people that not only do adults besides their parents believe they have value, but that they have a responsibility to the future and a benevolent stranger trusts them to live up to it. My son considers it a rock-solid promise to pay it forward when he is able, and I?m sure his friends feel the same.

Our beloved community is so much richer for having you in our midst. I am betting you derive much joy from frequently performing random acts of kindness without expecting anything in return. I can only hope the altruistic pleasure you experienced treating our children to a most memorable event is compounded knowing your goodwill will grow exponentially through them. Your magnanimous gesture and the accompanying inspiration to be open-hearted and giving will remain with them always.

Please accept my family’s fervent appreciation and gratitude, not only for spontaneously feeding 13 lucky teenagers, but for your far-reaching and truly gracious expression of faith in their generation.

Ellen Ross-Cardoso

Poulsbo