Generosity without fanfare

There they are, at 7:15 on a Wednesday morning, 150 people squeezing in a breakfast fund-raiser before a full day of work to help out people they don't even know. They fill every table. They donate both money and time.

They do this to support the Gathering Place, an initiative created and run by three Sisters of the Good Shepherd: Sister Jane, Sister Pat, and Sister Elish. The Gathering Place is located on Common Street in Waltham. The sisters work there with volunteers to provide counseling, education, and healing therapies to "individuals and families seeking to better themselves."

There they are, another group, this time at the Walpole Country Club, hitting the links to help find a cure for progressive supranuclear palsy, a fatal, neurodegenerative brain disease.

Last year, Catherine Maloney, who was married for 57 years to retired Boston police officer "Red" Maloney, died of it. Her daughter Peggy lives in North Carolina. And yet here she is, along with her aunt, who lives in the Midwest, and a niece who drove from Connecticut, this big family spread out across the country but together with friends, to raise money to research a disease, that, like ALS, offers its victims no hope.

There they are, Wilma Goodhue and Joan Mullare, two South Shore women who have adult children with disabilities, who know firsthand the importance of loving and quality respite care. For the past nine years they have worked nonstop to raise funds to build a home where adults with disabilities would be able to safely spend a night, a few days, even a few weeks, and give their parents and caretakers a needed break.

In 2004, the generous members of the United Church of Christ in Norwell voted unanimously to donate church land for the site of this house. Friendship Home, which has no church affiliation, now has a location. But fund-raising for construction of the building continues.

Wilma and Joan. The good sisters. So many generous people giving and giving. Under the radar, out of sight of the TV cameras. No reporters or paparazzi following them around.

It often happens this way.

Tom Flatley died in May. A billionaire, he gave and helped out, and he said many times to me and others, "Don't tell anyone I'm doing this." It was the buzz at his funeral. All the people crowded in the church, lining the aisles, spilling outdoors, so many with the same story: He helped me, and he told me not to say a word.

Anne King, owner of Savoy Day Spa in Canton, takes part in the Locks of Love program, which collects hair from beauty salons, makes hairpieces, and gives them to children in need. Kids from St. John's School in Canton go to her shop, donate their hair, then get a new style for free. She also gives a day of beauty to children who come every summer from Chernobyl for medical care and respite. Hair, manicure, pedicure. Whatever they want. No charge.

Helena Cohen, who with her husband, Elie, owns Ardan Salon and Day Spa in Wellesley, was approached by a friend to help support COMPASS Community College Collaborative, which is dedicated to helping homeless families. Could she do a free makeover for one or two of the homeless mothers, she was asked? And her response? Why just one or two? Why not all?

When I listen to the news in the morning, I think that the world is a terrible place. But then I go outside and see that it isn't. I see people running, walking, golfing, biking for a cure - for cancer, for diabetes, for ALS.

I see people collecting money at the grocery store. I see them buying raffle tickets. I see them donating to fund-raisers.

There they are, early in the morning, in the middle of the day and well into the night, people helping people everywhere.

Beverly Beckham can be reached at bevbeckham@aol.com.