Giving and helping are personal tasks. People have individual needs, they appreciate receiving help in different ways and the altruistic acts fulfilling those needs are driven by personal values as varied as the people who perform them.
Help End Abuse for Life (HEAL) has enjoyed the partnership of many volunteers and partners in Lincoln County. One long-time partner, contributor and donor who has supported The Nest in many ways through her professional services and personal dedication is Michele Moroney.
Moroney is the owner of Bear Sky Graphics. After moving to Ruidoso from her hometown of Chicago in 2000, she has spent the past decade enjoying the mountain air and community of Ruidoso and bringing a stylish touch as the creator of the professional images of many local small businesses. HEAL’s personal favorite, of course, is the logo she created for The Nest, held in our hearts as the first of many donations she has made.
Since beginning her long-term support of The Nest, Moroney has supplied years of professional, clean and respectable work on all media from advertisements to business cards to flyers and banners. Recently, she took her support to a new level of generosity and donated four $100 gift certificates for one-hour massages to the survivors living at the shelter. The offer of professional massage was received with excitement.
Her generosity stems from a place of humble respect for others and of practicality within her own life. “I ended up getting the gift certificates on trade with a client, and I knew I probably wouldn’t use them for myself, so I felt like they would appreciate it more than I could,” said Moroney, “I like the quote about how at the end of your life you regret those things you didn’t do.”
This philosophy came into play in her initial move to Ruidoso. Her brother chose to buy a motel here and told her she was missing out. She followed on a whim – his whim – and has stayed for the many wonderful people she has met. Moroney said, “If I hadn’t been brave enough to come here, I’d still be wondering what could have been.”
Moroney is brave, but she is not a superhero, nor does she take on epic endeavors that would make Hercules shake in his boots. She is simply an everyday woman who has learned to see opportunities, rather than threats. She lives her own life and when she can, she helps other people live theirs’ more comfortably. “Taking challenges and risks have paid off for me,” she said.
We can all learn a lesson from Michele Moroney, her story, her work and her contributions to The Nest. She reminds us that in the course of everyday life, there is ample opportunity to be brave – to be heroic – if we know where and when to look.
