My Sister, A True Helper

The person I would like to recognize is my sister, Rhonda Arnold. Rhonda is two years older than me in a family of 5 kids. We grew up on a farm and to stay occupied we would write plays that we would act out in front of family and neighbors. Rhonda was always described as the “Helpful, kind, caring, and honest person" which pretty much sums her up exactly. She is the most helpful person I have ever met. From keeping me warm on a cold day when we were little by zipping me up in her jacket, to making sure everyone is succeeding in her class, to selling her home in the country she's owned for 17 years and moving in with my aging parents because “they need help”, she has become a truly self-less person.

Rhonda never graduated from High School, but instead skipped her junior and senior years and went straight into college. She was accepted to Duke University at the same time our 2 older siblings were also in college. Knowing the financial burden to our father of 3 private university’s tuition, she tried to help by joining the Air Force to pay for her schooling. Rhonda excelled in everything she touched. Her honesty, helpful, and caring nature propelled her quickly to an AF Colonel and a pilot of the KC135 airplane. She sacrificed for her country and flew in Operation Desert Storm. During that time she married and had 3 beautiful children which she had to juggle between flying and motherhood most of the time by herself, and then later, totally by herself putting them all through a private school education.

After leaving the Air Force, Rhonda became a High School Math teacher. She made sure every student was never in the dark with a binder of all the lessons and homework assignments in the back that each student could look at, and most days, though school out by 3:05, she stayed until 5 or so helping students with any problems that they had. She also made it clear she would be at school 35 minutes early every day for tutoring and many students counted on her to be there. Usually Rhonda stayed up past midnight grading each student's paper by hand and explaining what needed to be done on mistakes. She was always thinking about others and what they needed to succeed.

The things I admire about Rhonda besides her endless helping and honesty, is her joy of life. Rhonda does not own a tv, but instead does many different activities. For instance, she has played the piano her whole life and not only the piano, but organ too. She plays for churches if they needed a pianist. At Christmas time she loves playing and the whole family gathers around her singing carols. Then there’s her dancing. She still at age 57 takes tap dancing, often dressing up in elaborate costumes for little girls tap dances as a bear or whatever they need, adding to the performances. Usually though, she is backstage helping all the dancers get their tiaras on, or shoes tightened. Everyone says they couldn’t have done it without her. Rhonda has played tennis since her teens and plays in a USTA league, 4.0. But her love is for the Lord. I don’t think she has missed church on Sunday except maybe once in years, or Sunday School, and teaching the toddlers in their 2 yr. old class once a month. Besides lending a hand with anyone that asks her to help.

I could go on and on about her accomplishments and achievements, but to know Rhonda is to know a truly helpful, truly honest individual, who deserves a great big OGO recognition!