Sometimes the greatest acts can come from a dark place. Sometimes a small gesture can change a personB次元官网网址檚 entire day.

While Colwood, along with the rest of the West Shore, was being pounded by a storm Nov. 17, it was small gestures made by residents that stood out in the minds and hearts of city staffers, not the widespread power outages, school closures, traffic delays, downed trees and drainage issues they spent the day dealing with.

B次元官网网址淪torms bring out the best in some people,B次元官网网址� said Sandra Russell, ColwoodB次元官网网址檚 communication manager. B次元官网网址淧eople pull together in really nice ways.B次元官网网址�

One bylaw officer in particular was blown away by a Colwood residentB次元官网网址檚 random act of kindness in the midst of horizontal rain and relentless winds.

Phil Williams was directing traffic at Sooke Road and Belmont Avenue. He received a nice surprise while he was setting up cones, from a man who dashed over.

B次元官网网址�(The man) thrust a Tim Hortons bag into (WilliamsB次元官网网址�) hands,B次元官网网址� relayed Russell, adding the Good Samaritan was gone as quickly as he appeared. The bag was filled with sandwiches and other goodies for the crews working in the storm. Williams told Russell, B次元官网网址渋t was an act of kindness that made it all worth it.B次元官网网址�

Another bylaw officer, Kevin Atkinson, was driving through the storm along Sooke Road near Royal Roads University when he noticed a little boy walking on the side of the road alone. While that may not have been a curious sight on any other day, something about seeing the boy out in the storm, being blown around, didnB次元官网网址檛 sit right with the bylaw officer.

He wheeled his vehicle around and as he did so, received a radio call that West Shore RCMP were searching for a eight-year-old boy who was unaccounted for from John Stubbs Memorial school.

B次元官网网址淗e was able to take the child to a warm, safe place,B次元官网网址� said Russell, adding the boy was the missing child in question.

katie@goldstreamgazette.com