'I’m not usually speechless'

MILTON — Milton is full of people doing good deeds for the good of the community who ask for nothing in return. Sometimes it can be as small as sending someone a card to as big as giving someone a motorized wheelchair at no cost to them, as was the case this weekend.

Ricky Beech owns Beech Lawn Care Service, working with his sons, Cole and Calvin, and his wife, Michele.

While performing a lawn care job, Beech said he received a motorized wheelchair by a person who no longer needed it. Beech cleaned, rebuilt, and reupholstered it and bought new batteries.  Then he decided to donate it someone who would really need, he said, at no cost.

“We wanted to make sure to give it to someone who really needed it but who couldn’t afford it,” Beech said.

Beech announced on his business' Facebook page he was seeking nominations. He said he was shocked by how many responses he received.

“I didn’t realize Facebook went as far as it did,” he said.

As late as Dec. 21, 2018, the post received 120 reactions, 54 comments and people shared it 67 times.

Beech said people in other cities and states were responding to his nominations. Ultimately, Beech chose Phyllis and Jim Blaziers, an elderly couple in the community a friend nominated. Phyllis was a long-time employee of the Santa Rosa County Sheriffs Office. 

“We wanted to make sure we gave the chair to someone who gives to the community,” Beech said.

Gale Broadfoot, who nominated them, said the Blaziers had done so much for the community, calling them “blessings.” She said the two were unaware of they were getting the wheelchair.

"We wanted it to be a suprise," she said.

Phyllis Blaziers said she felt so undeserving when presented with the chair. Both were grateful to Beech and his family for doing this, Phyllis said.

“I’m speechless,” she said. “I’m not usually speechless.”

Phyllis said the chair was a blessing for her and her husband who are both suffering from health problems that affect their mobility — her husband more so. Phyllis expects her husband will enjoy using the chair.

“He’ll have a ball,” Blaziers said.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: 'I’m not usually speechless'