As part of my daily routine at Newby-ginnings, I often make trips to the warehouse for one reason or another. On my way back up front, I like to grab something useful to stock on the shelves—a jacket, a blanket, a pot or pan—whatever I can find to put away on my way back to my office.

On this particular day, it was a brand-new gait belt sitting on a cart. The tag still hung from the buckle, marked XL. I grabbed it then slid it onto the hook in the medical room as I walked by—just one small item to help someone, someday.

It was late summer of 2025 and the sun was still high at 5:00pm when we were shutting down for the day. At the end of the day, we wait for each other in the lobby and always leave as a team. A large group of us leaves the building, laughing and chattering and then dispersing to our own vehicles. "Good night Linda." "Good night Danny." "Good night Cedric." "Good night Drew." "Good night Lynn."

"Oh shoot! Lynn! Don't leave yet. Wait for me...I forgot my water bottle. I need to run back in real quick."

I was sure I’d left my teal Hydro Flask on the front counter. But when I went in, it wasn’t there. What I did notice, though, was that the women’s bathroom light and fan were still on. What the...! Thank goodness I went back in. I turned them off and checked the counter again. Still no water bottle.

Maybe it was in the break room?

I walked into the break room, checked the table but it wasn't there. But...the faucet was running! What the ...! Thank goodness I walked back in! So, I made my way across the break room and turned off the faucet.

Just then, I heard the front door open. Lynn had come back inside to check on me, wondering what was taking me so long.

“I can’t find my water bottle,” I told her, heading toward the door and past the front counter —and there it was. Sitting exactly where I’d thought. I’d walked past it twice and somehow hadn’t seen it!

But thank goodness I didn’t. If I had, the fan, the light, and the water would’ve been on all weekend long.

We both laughed, I grabbed my water bottle, and we headed back outside.

As I was locking the front door, a small car pulled up. I walked to the driver’s side window and let him know we’d just closed, but asked if there was something in particular he needed.

He smiled and said, “It’s okay, you’re closed.”

But I pressed..."Is there something specific I can help you with?"

He told me he was having surgery the next day, a hip replacement if I remember correctly, and that all he needed was a gait belt. He chuckled, patted his belly and said, "An extra-large one if you have it."

I couldn’t believe my ears.

“I’ll be right back,” I told him.

I went back inside and returned with the very same brand new XL gait belt I had hung up just a couple of hours earlier—the only thing he needed to prepare for his surgery.

Thank goodness I didn’t see my water bottle the first time.

The Newby-verse is real and always working to help our Veterans.