We never know how our help will affect someone’s life.

Here, in her own words, one woman shares the impact of Modern Woodmen members’ volunteer actions and proves Modern Woodmen fraternalism means touching people’s lives.

His last Christmas

Barb Bostwick, Jefferson, Wis., found out her husband, Mike, was diagnosed with cancer in May 2006. With all of Mike’s medical bills, money was tight the following Christmas. The couple knew it would be Mike’s final Christmas, and they feared they wouldn’t be able to buy presents for their children and grandchildren.

“Mike was diagnosed on May 2, 2006, with lung cancer. The cancer continued to show up [in] other places, and then it went to his brain. That was it. We knew Christmas 2006 would be his last Christmas.

“It was going to be a depressing Christmas for Mike …he kept saying, ‘It kills me that we can’t get presents for the grandkids. The kids will understand, but the grandkids …’

“I told him that he shouldn’t worry about it – that having us there together during the holidays was what mattered. But it was easy for me to say that – I wasn’t dying. It wasn’t my last Christmas with my grandchildren.

“Our Modern Woodmen agent, Rick Olson, was aware of what was going on. Rick , along with some camp members and Modern Woodmen employees, got us $250 for groceries [through Modern Woodmen’s Care and Share Program] and $430 for Christmas shopping for our kids and grandkids [through donations].

“There were tears of gratitude when Rick told us what he had done. So often people are nasty or want something from you, you almost don’t know how to handle it when the tables are turned. Rick and his wife showed me such kindness and consideration.

“Later, Rick and his wife picked me up and took me into town to shop. I shopped till I dropped! It went on for hours, and Rick was so patient. The back of his SUV was filled with presents.

“I’ve never, ever heard of any … organization that had a life insurance agent do something like this. It wasn’t just the money. Rick and his wife and their daughter would come and visit Mike and me, and we became good friends.

“If I hadn’t had their help, Mike’s last Christmas would have been extremely depressing. The holidays were bittersweet. Mike knew it was the end. He was able to buy me a beautiful clock at the jewelry store, and every hour when it chimed it played part of a Beatles song. Right before he died, I told him, ‘Just let go. Your dog is waiting for you. Your parents are waiting for you.’

“He exhaled and passed on as the clock chimed.

“That Christmas Mike bought me time. But I couldn’t buy him any. But because of Rick, Mike felt secure in his final stage of life.”