Now and then, we like to bring out thank you letters like this one, written by Bob Steiger of Blind River, Ontario.

It warms our hearts.

Dear friends,

You may recall my ordering a Kevlar canoe in the summer of 2005. It was to be a birthday surprise for my wife, Evelyn, and was to be delivered to me in care of Home Hardware, Blind River, Ontario. You filled the order and shipped it out. It arrived in time for her birthday, and she was with me when we went to claim her surprise. To the surprise and disappointment of all of us the canoe was badly damaged on arrival. There was no way to determine who was responsible or, where in shipment, the damage occurred. When we informed you of what had happened you made an astounding offer – if we could get the damaged canoe to your factory you would replace it at no cost! Thus Evelyn and I drive the several hours to Acton, with the damaged canoe on the top of the car, made the trade, and returned home hauling its lovely, red replacement.

Now I am writing to tell you the rest of the story, and once again to express my deep gratitude for your thoughtfulness and generosity. Evelyn had wished for a canoe light enough for her, an eighty-five year old, to manage. This was the perfect one for her. She quickly mastered it, and went on our lake nearly every day for the next two months. She loved her red canoe, and became known for it to the Lake Lauzon community. The first week in October we carefully and fondly put it in winter storage before traveling to our California home. Evelyn had had the summer of her dreams!

In late November she and I traveled to Hawaii to visit with her granddaughter and family. On the journey she contracted what we thought to be a bad cough and fever. We determined to return home to her physician. On arrival there she was directed to the Emergency Room of the local hospital, where several hours later she lost life to a virulent form of pneumonia. In one of our last conversations while at the hospital she spoke again of how much she enjoyed her red canoe.

Now two summer later, two granddaughters and three grown grandchildren, all accomplished canoeists, will be together with me at the lake. The red canoe and our memories will afford us both pleasurable times and pleasurable memories. Thanks to Holy Cow and to you guys for the joyous times you have made possible.

Sincerely, Bob Steiger