Dear editor,

I am sending out a thank you to Edible Island.

I am a parent of a special needs young man who is profoundly disabled, to the point that before our doctor retired he asked to see our son and us one more time. He said that he will never forget the day we brought this baby in to see him, he said when we left he prayed for us because of the massive battle that we were about to begin.

He could not get over the unbelievable progress this now adult had made. But our son would not be here today if it were not for the love and support of the community. He was raised with the support of a thousand wonderful people not just us.

This young man has recently moved into an amazing group home in the area. He has been so wonderfully supported and welcomed that it brings me to tears. He is safe, he is loved and he is happy.

One of his goals was to get a job. The wonderful management and staff at Edible Island welcomed and supported him with open arms. When I asked my son how he liked his job his response was, 鈥淢om鈥� I work, I happy, I鈥檓 a man.鈥� This local store gave him the gift of purpose, of belonging, of pride and self-esteem.

Every human being needs these things and I can鈥檛 thank them enough. But what I can do and so can all of us is to support the places that make the community a wonderful place to live and work.

Thank you to all the staff of Edible Island. Merry Christmas and God bless you.

Pauline Devereaux,

Nanaimo