A Concert of Care
Date: June 27, 2005

You knew just from looking at them that this couple was down on their luck. They were very young. It would be a surprise if the girl was much more than 16 or 17, and she couldn’t have weighed more than 75 pounds soaking wet. The boy wasn’t much bigger.

They were at the Floyd registration desk with their baby daughter, who looked to be about a year old, for an appointment for a medical test. The couple asked to use the phone to call someone to help them get home. They lived in Adairsville, and their car had broken down on their way to the hospital. They didn’t want to miss their appointment, so they had hitchhiked to Floyd. Now that it was time to go home, they couldn’t get in touch with anyone in their family.

Betsy Trammell in Floyd Guest Services helped the couple dial a number. It was long distance, but the number was no longer in service. They tried other numbers, but each time the phone had been disconnected. Betsy and Flora Buck, of Floyd Outpatient Registration, arrived at the same decision: This family needed help, and between the two of them, they were going to get it for them.

Betsy told Flora she’d get to work on helping the family. First, she called Floyd Security to see if someone could take the couple back to their car. They could, but only if there was a car seat for the baby. Betsy had a quick answer for that one. She offered to loan them her own car seat.

It also was apparent that the baby was hungry. A quick call to Floyd dietician Jeanettia Rush resulted in a small supply of juice, milk, apples and bananas for the family. Realizing there was no diaper bag, Betsy contacted Women’s and Children’s Services and received a donation of diapers for the couple.

One of the problems with the couple’s car was a flat tire, and Betsy turned to Plant Facilities for a portable air compressor that could be used to inflate the tire.

With food, diapers, an air compressor, and Betsy’s car seat in tow, members of Floyd’s security staff took the couple to their car. When they could not get the car started, Security literally went the extra mile and drove the couple home.

Betsy said she reached out, because she would hope someone would do the same for her. “I just felt so sorry for them. You could tell they had nothing, and I have been there. I was going to do everything I could, even if I had to take them home myself.”

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