Good Neighbors Valley Man Knows Offering A Helping Hand In His Neighborhood Is A Reward Unto Itself

Gordon Kasperski Spokane Valley

Gordon Kasperski, 61, says lending a helping hand is its own reward.

“You get gratification out of it,” he says. “It doesn’t have to be much - just a ‘hi’ or ‘hello.’ That’s what’s missing these days. People don’t talk to each other.”

Kasperski has a record of being a good neighbor. While living in Oregon in 1979, he saved a neighbor’s life by pulling her from a burning house.

While he fortunately hasn’t had to do that since, he says his smaller acts of kindness get noticed nonetheless.

“I’ve got a box full of cards from all the neighbors, from whenever they move in or out,” Kasperski says. “They don’t need to do that, but to tell you the truth, it just feels nice.”

Known for building doghouses, Kasperski’s care extends to the four-footed members of his community, too. While eyes might be the window to the soul, he says pooches tell all about the hearts of folks next door.

“I meet my neighbors through their dogs,” he says. “If you meet a happy dog, you know you have a happy neighbor.”

What makes Kasperski’s contributions extra special is the fact his time was always at a premium. In July, he retired from his job as a supervisor at Burlington-Northern, a job that kept him on call 24 hours a day.

Now that he doesn’t have to fear the phone ringing, he’ll just relax.

“From now ‘til spring, Gordon is gonna take it easy,” Kasperski says.

Until there’s need for another doghouse, that is.

MEMO: These sidebars appeared with the story: The winning letter Gordon Kasperski has lived in our neighborhood only 10 years, but what he has done for it would exceed a typical person’s lifetime efforts - all in spite of a railroader’s irregular work schedule. Based on my incomplete recollections, here is a partial list: Built doghouse (needing three people to carry) for our garbage collector. Mowed lawn for two newcomers, and fixed the sprinkler system for another before they moved in. Took a day off work to drive another’s child on a day-long field trip. Removed a neighbor’s fallen fence and its concrete footings. Started learn-new-word-aday activity with kids before school. Makes odd jobs for kids and also spends hours training each to mow and paint. Pruned fruit trees for two neighbors. Helped another haul and unload oversized crossties for installation in a 75-foot garden wall. Installed full-circle heads on his own sprinkler system to reach neighbor’s hard-to-water strip. Routinely ‘treats’ dogs on his walks. Keeps a ‘rogues’ snapshot gallery on his garage wall of neighbors, kids, activities and gives duplicates to the subjects. Regularly hauls neighbors’ yard debris to dump (one summer - 18 trips). Also: Gordon never turns down helping when asked, such as moving appliances, pulling carpet and using his truck. As I write this, Gordon is building two more doghouses and a house for cats for a humane society. - Submitted by Larry Deemer

The nominees These Valley residents were nominated for Good Neighbor of the Year: Bill Downie Linda Berczay Janice Mahoney Joe Marcinuk Carl Schultz Anna Rector Harold and Linda Buelow Walt Parks Erma Bates Anne and Allen Sherrodd Renee Shoop Jan and Pager Ware Diana Thelen Gordon Kasperski Lee McCoy