This afternoon interns Mich, Shay, and Katie took a trip with Somy in her fancy soccer-mom minivan rental! The mission for the day was to put NMT informational pamphlets in new locations around the surrounding areas where the South Asian & Middle Eastern population often visit. The first place they went to was an Indian grocery store. Somy got to chatting with the clerk at the store and telling him about a woman who’s husband was shot and died in her arms recently. The store clerk felt compelled to help and before they all knew it he had put together a box of food for this woman and her family.
After receiving the box, the girls kept going to local beauty salons and stores that cater to this population. Some stores were hesitant about the pamphlets. A woman at one store took the pamphlets and put them all the way in the back of the grocery store for reasons she did not mention. Other locations readily put them by their cash registers.
Now that all the local spots had been hit, the crew decided to head to bring the groceries the one man had graciously given. Everyone began craving some Dunkin Donuts, so the crew started looking for one. They spotted one on the other side of the road and decided to stop on the way back. Then they saw another Indian grocery store so Somy quickly pulled a right turn into the plaza. One man showed he was not so happy about this swift move by putting his arms up in an upset manner. Katie decided to wave happily. The NMT crew was laughing and having fun as always doing their business. They went into the grocery store and into an Indian restaurant who’s workers were both more than happy to let them leave their pamphlets. The restaurant manager insisted they eat there, but they had work to do!
On the road again, the crew headed to the woman’s home that they had gotten groceries for. She was so overjoyed by the groceries she invited the entire crew into her home. Although in the interest of time they could not go in, Somy gave her a huge hug and the crew was off again.
Next stop: Dunkin Donuts! Somy and Katie ordered a coffee coolata, Shay a tropicana coolata and Michelle with her sweet tooth, a french crueler. The worker for some reason kept getting the orders messed up so Somy being the silly girl that she is, started responding in Spanish with “si” o “no” and “gracias.” The girls all got their treats and headed home.
On the way home, the crew began hypothesizing about getting a white minivan for NMT once they grow. Shay agreed she would make a great driver and would rock that minivan! Somy began telling the girls about an idea Laura Finley, a board member at NMT, had for our next fundraiser. Laura wanted to honor the very first person NMT ever helped by throwing a graduation bash for her to celebrate her graduation from Pharmacy School. Somy gave the woman a call and she was so stunned by this act of kindness she couldn’t stop crying. She agreed to the party and to a surprise that Somy was going to give her.
Back in the office, the crew started making phone calls for the party and plotting out its eventful happening.