As I sat working at my desk earlier this month, suddenly there was a large crashing noise, yelling and a cloud of dirt rising outside my window. I got to my front door to find a car had jumped the curb, hit a Gardiner Food Co-Op café table where people had been sitting, knocked over a streetlight and came to rest outside my front door.

My heart was beating in my chest. There was a woman on the ground; her husband carried the baby in the carrier over to her. As I looked around, I saw almost everyone on the street was on the phone calling 911. One person was busily conveying information to the 911 operator — the woman on the ground may have a broken leg, the driver of vehicle seems to have had some kind of medical event but is unhurt, the car leaking antifreeze.

The ambulances arrived and quickly both individuals where taken care of. I watched as our fire chief talked calmly and patiently with the driver who seemed to have no recollection of the events that had taken place. The police officer on the scene talked with witnesses.

Within minutes of the ambulance departing, a tow truck came and removed the car. The public works department came to remove the light post and debris and dealt with the antifreeze. Don McFarland arrived and took care of the electricity that served the light.

Forty minutes after the accident someone arriving on the street would have no idea that anything had taken place.

If ever there was a representation of why I chose to live in a community with services, the care, compassion and dedication to taking care of the city and its residents shown on Thursday is a great example.

Clare Marron

Gardiner