Some people are just good at heart. The actions that they engage in out of the kindness of their hearts say a lot about their character. A former police officer in Frederick, Maryland showed that there are still good people left in the world. When he found out that there were so many people in need in his own neighborhood, he decided that it was time for a change. This change, which was a big step in his own future, would impact hundreds of people and give them the help they needed.
A TikTok video explaining what kind of acts this officer engaged in was posted by @seanmartinelli. In the video, a newscaster says that a former police officer in Frederick took his career to a new level in his retirement. As they put it, a “bus door opened” into new opportunities. It started when the officer, Wade, responded to a domestic disturbance at a campsite. He saw that the people living at the campsite were doing their laundry down by a creek. He asked them if they would use a laundromat if there was a mobile one that came to their area. That’s where his idea for Fresh Step Laundry came into play: a bus that would bring a laundromat to the people.
Wade said that the people in his community inspired him to do it. He was told by one man, “The only reason I don’t go to job interviews is because I know that my clothes are dirty and I just don’t think they’re gonna hire me.” He wants to give people a “sense of normalcy” by offering this to them. The laundry machines were donated and, from there, Wade does the work. He washes the clothing for the local unhoused population so that they can feel like they have something normal in their lives – something as simple as laundry.
Some of the people Wade has met have been in the worst situations of their lives. These include living in tents and going weeks without freshly laundered clothing. With clean clothing, actual people who have used his services are finding employment and working on finding places to live. Seemingly little things like this are the things that help a community build and get back on its feet again. Wade says it’s all about giving people “confidence” and “dignity.” This is a great example of somebody doing the most giving thing in their retirement.
One person commented, “You can become jaded but he’s strong and making a difference.” Another person pointed out, “What upsets me is if I was as rich as Elon or Bezos I would be putting so much money into programs to do stuff like this. It’s so easy and it would cost a billionaire nothing. I wish I was a billionaire so I could do stuff like this in my community.” If only more people would think like Wade, we would definitely live in a more understanding world.
