“I just want one pack,” were words that could be made out from a video I recently watched of two women arguing over toilet paper in a grocery store. After a physical struggle for the pack, one of the women finally snatched it away, only to put it into a shopping cart filled with an abundance of toilet paper. The woman who had none, angrily told the other that she just wanted one pack, to which the woman with the cart full of toilet paper said no.
People are really acting like this despite the constant reassurance from the government and news media that we will not run out of household items and groceries (read: we will not run out of household essentials and groceries). I can’t speak for the entire region, but I’ve seen a lot of grace from northern Michigan through the COVID-19 outbreak. People are choosing and trying to help. People are getting fed, masks are being made and community members are trying to rally around small businesses the best they can. All is not lost and every day there are multiple people here that are going out of their way to prove that. People like me and like you. People like Jennifer Honeysette.
“I remember Y2K, this is what they thought would happen. Something like this, but it was never as bad as this,” she said
Jennifer may be just as surprised at what’s going on as everyone else, but she certainly is more prepared than most. She’s a committed couponer who doesn’t regularly run out of essentials as is.
“I take money out of my income taxes to buy supplies for the whole year. So I buy tons of Clorox wipes, dish soap, everything for a whole year.”
She went to Walgreens last week to get medicine when she ran into an elderly gentleman who was out of luck in his hunt for toilet paper and hand soap.
“I was heartbroken. He was almost in tears. He had been to Meijers, he had been to so many stores. To think of him having to walk into all of those stores just for a roll of toilet paper…”
Jennifer asked him to follow her to her car where she gave him some toilet paper and hand soap. She went further and invited him to her home where she gave some Clorox wipes, kleenex and more soap.
“He told me his wife was sick and back home. She just had surgery.”
Jennifer’s act of kindness gained traction on local Facebook page and community nonprofit when the older gentleman’s granddaughter made a post on the page looking for and thanking the woman who helped her grandfather. The end of the post read:
“To the woman in Traverse City on Friday in the parking lot at Walgreens on Airport/Garfield who gave my 93-year-old Grandfather a pack of toilet paper and some antibacterial hand soap out of your car and then offered him Clorox wipes, Kleenex, and more hand soap at your home too, not wanting a dime, THANK YOU. He had already spent hours around town at Meijer, Tom’s, and inside Walgreens with no TP in sight. Your act of kindness is much appreciated. May the Lord bless you.”
Jennifer was found through the post and has been in connection with the family since.
“I’ve talked to people from Texas, his daughters, and his sisters. He has a huge family all over the place.”
His large extended family is grateful for Jennifer’s kindness. Jennifer is just grateful to have helped.
“It might not seem like it, but good things are still going on.”
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