With 2019 in full effect, Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC continue to push the envelope and find new ways to make an impact in the community.? As soon as the Pay It Forward partners got wind of a Prince George?s County woman by the name of Rhonda Stewart, they wanted to help.? Stewart was diagnosed with cancer and has just finished her final round of chemotherapy at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington DC.? She was there for over a month and during that time she was able to process her thoughts and put many things into prospective.? We hear about people having cancer all the time but it is impossible to understand the severity until It affects you or someone close.? Luckily for Stewart, she was surrounded by family, friends, and loved ones who gave her the support and encouragement she needed to overcome this tough time in her life.? ?My message would be to be thankful for everything and be thankful for the love and support,? Stewart said.? Hearing her words reminds us all to be grateful for any and everything because what happened to her can happen to anyone.

Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC decided to Pay It Forward to Stewart on the last day of her chemo treatment.? Allison Seymour of Fox 5 DC and Joel Bassam of Easterns met Stewart at Sibley Memorial Hospital where they surprised her with a girl?s trip to the National Harbor with a spa day, dinner, and a Ferris wheel ride.? Hopefully this fun time out will be the extra boost she needs after fighting so hard for her life.? We wish Stewart and her family all the best and encourage anyone facing obstacles or going through a hard time to never give up.? Tough times don?t last forever!

If you know someone in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area that goes above and beyond the call and is worthy of being recognized, Click here to nominate them.

?

Watch the video to see the way everything unfolded.

Link to original article

For Easterns Automotive Group and Fox 5 DC, the act of giving back is year round.? The Pay It Forward partners teamed up for the second time in 2019 to do some good in the community.? They came across Kelly Rogan who is a reading specialist at Arcola Elementary School in Aldie, Virginia.? Rogan created the Law and Literacy Program at Arcola Elementary where Loudoun County deputy sheriffs come out to read and do other literacy activities with the students.? She was inspired to create this program after seeing the deputy sheriffs that were shot in Dallas back in 2017.? It touched her because she sees how police in general put their lives on the line for the safety of civilians.? Her Law and Literacy program idea sparked conversation and led to change because the Loudoun County Sheriff?s Office was very receptive and willing to be a part of the program when she reached out.? The Law and Literacy program is for students in Kindergarten to second grade at Arcola Elementary School.? It?s great for children to have a relationship with law enforcement to bridge the gap within the community.

It was such a smart idea for Rogan to come up with this concept.? The children are able to be comfortable around the deputies and understand that they are only there to help them.? Doing small activities like this with young children go a long way especially in the real world.? This group of children won?t grow up fearing the police in their community because they already have a relationship with them.? Easterns and Fox 5 DC decided to gift Rogan with a $1,000 Amazon gift card to purchase more books for the students as well as bean bag chairs.? The kids will definitely feel cozy during reading time now!

?

If you know someone in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area that goes above and beyond the call and is worthy of being recognized, Click here to nominate them.

?