John Willoughby: Greene Publishing, Inc.
Volunteerism is not a matter of choice, but a matter of heart. This saying is true for Greenville resident Linda Tibbitts who, everyday, looks forward to time spent with the residents and staff at Crosswinds Health and Rehabilitation Center, in Greenville.
For the last decade, Linda Tibbitts has helped give love, hope and friendship to those who spend their days and nights under the care of Crosswinds Health and Rehabilitation Center, and while she says her friends look forward to seeing her, and vice versa, her story of kindness goes much deeper.
Born and raised in West Salem, Ohio, Tibbitts was born with a somewhat debilitating condition from her waist down, limiting her in what she was able to do. She recalls growing up and not understanding why she was plagued with the disease. "I have cerebral palsy," said Tibbitts. "But that doesn't stop me." And while she doesn't allow her condition to define her, she questioned God when she was younger. "Why me?" she would ask.
Because the weather that the state of Ohio produced caused pain within her lower half, Tibbitts moved to Greenville with her late husband, Dudley Tibbitts, in 2001. In 2009, Dudley was checked into Crosswinds Health and Rehabilitation. According to Linda, he became paralyzed and was under the care of the facility for approximately one-and-a-half years.
"I fell in love with the people here because when he was sleeping, I would go and talk to the residents," said Tibbitts. "I wasn't going to watch him sleep."
Tibbitts recalled a lady who has since passed but was blind while living in the facility. "She always wanted me to help her [during bingo on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays]," says Tibbitts. "One day I came over here and I went to her room and she says, 'Linda, I always know when you're coming.' I said, 'How do you know?' She said, 'I listen for your walk.' Before I even walked in her room, she said 'Come on in, Linda.'"
Every single day, Tibbitts gets on her four-wheeled scooter and rides to the health and rehabilitation center to help make a difference. "They tell me not to [come every day]," laughed Tibbitts. "I can't take a break. I fell in love with them just as much as they fell in love with me because I feel that some of them, they're in here and the people that put them in here don't even bother with them. That goes right through me."
Right now, Tibbitts is the only volunteer at the residency. During her time spent at Crosswinds Health and Rehabilitation Center, she often helps residents get items out of the snack machine or call bingo during specified bingo days. "I generally call the numbers," said Tibbitts. "They say 'Linda, we like it when you call the numbers,' because I repeat them three times."
After her husband's passing in 2011, Tibbitts recalls that she felt lost and confused as to what was next. As Tibbitts states, her husband thought she wasn't capable of doing anything for herself and before his passing, he told one of the nurses that he wasn't concerned with dying, but was concerned with how Linda would be afterwards. "The nurses said, 'Dudley, we've been watching Linda and you don't have to worry about Linda, she's going to be okay,'" said Tibbitts, crediting not only the caring staff at Crosswinds Health and Rehabilitation Center but the people of the Town of Greenville. "I can go ride that scooter to Dollar General or whatever and there's always people watching me, making sure that nothing happens."
There are some residents who look for hugs from Linda Tibbitts and most staff looks forward to seeing her daily. "I enjoy it myself," said Tibbitts. "I feel comfortable over here. I'm not afraid of the residents because I know deep down inside, they're not going to hurt me."
Though Tibbitts has cerebral palsy, she has not slowed down for it and doesn't plan on giving up on the local Greenville nursing home. "God will use you no matter what your condition is," said Tibbitts, who wholeheartedly believes that God is doing just that: using her to touch the hearts of the residents of Crosswinds Health and Rehabilitation Center.