Chaveirim of Lakewood is holding its annual pre-summer safety inspection on Sunday, July 11th, from 4-8 pm in the Orchos Chaim parking lot (corner of Oberlin and Cedar Bridge). The purpose of this inspection is to check tires, fluids, blinkers, etc., on cars before people take time off for summer vacation and long drives, to ensure that they stay safe.
People here take Chaveirim for granted. I grew up in LA and had never heard of Chaveirim until after I was married and living on the East Coast. I couldn’t fathom calling a frum guy to come help you change your tire or let you into your house. I have never managed to lock my keys in the car or house and automatically think of calling AAA to help if my car breaks down. I think that people tend to be more careless because they know they have someone to rely on!
Now, from the wife of a Chaveirim member: it’s beautiful that people are posting their stories up here. It’s really nice to see that people appreciate Chaveirim’s work and selflessness. My husband just happens to be one of the members who assisted in the Sheva Brachos story in the OP’s post.
This should be a lesson for all those people who expect Chaveirim to come right away, who yell at members when they are unable to help them or take “too long” to come, who don’t even look at the member or thank them, who are not waiting with their car or at their door when the member arrives, who are overall unpleasant and ungrateful (or downright rude), who give the members their outrageous stories to share when they are together…
Remember that Chaveirim is there purely as a chesed to you. All members are volunteers and the dispatcher cannot tell you when someone will be available to help you. They are helping you out of the goodness of their hearts. Nobody is paid. The ENTIRE organization, from their members to their dispatchers to their board members to their graphic designer, works for free. Your donations are sorely needed to support this organization and pay for their equipment.
Thanks for reading!
-The proud wife of a Chaveirim member