About a month ago I received a nomination form from Amber Price nominating her dad, Dave Price, Senior, as a Neighbourhood Hero.

In two and a half years of writing this column, Amber was the first person to nominate one of her parents.

I'm sure there are many thousands of people who read this column who love and appreciate their parents. It's just, I believe, that most of us tend to take the people closest to us for granted.

So I am writing this column in part because Father's Day was last Sunday ... but only in part. I am also writing it to encourage you to acknowledge those close to you who have made a difference in your life.

You don't have to go to the trouble of sending in a Neighbourhood Heroes nomination form. Just send them a note or call and say, "thanks".

When I called Amber to talk to her about her nomination, it turned out that she is in Mrs. Tempstra's Grade 7 class at Uplands Park School, one of the classes that did our Hidden Heroes WebQuest.

So Amber had written her own report about her dad. Here it is:

"I've chosen to write about my dad, Dave Price, as my Hidden Hero. He is a mechanic with more than 25 years experience and owns a car lot in Campbell River. He also helps people in need from repairing broken down cars to helping people get back on the road with their life.

"My dad has worked hard to get where he wanted to go in life and fulfill his dreams. That's why I think he is a Hidden Hero.

"Dad started working in a gas station in his hometown, Long Sault, Ontario, when he was 13 and soon showed that he was born to be a mechanic.

"He started pumping gas, changing tires, doing oil changes and other small car fixes and gradually started working on bigger heavy-duty jobs. In 1975 he graduated and continued to work at the Long Sault Texaco station. When it was sold in 1978, he went to work for a trucking company.

"With his fulltime job proving his ability, dad got his apprenticeship, went to mechanic's school and got his license in 1980.

"He then moved to Edmonton, Alberta so he could work on heavy-duty trucks. Six years later he moved back to Ontario and worked for the city of Cornwall. Then he moved out to British Columbia where he worked for several truck companies and car shops for six years and then decided to open a used car lot two years ago with my brother, David, Junior.

"I think my dad is a Hidden Hero not just because he is a mechanic and helps people with their cars but because he takes chances to do things he enjoys.

"Here are some career disadvantages he told me about:

• The job is very dangerous and you can get hurt very badly
• Tools are expensive
• You get very dirty

"Here are some advantages of his career:

• You get to do the job from the start to the finish
• If you break down on the highway, you can fix the car yourself
• There is a lot of job satisfaction
• You get to work with people

"Dad doesn't think of himself as a Hidden Hero but don't all real Hidden Hero think that?"

In the conclusion of her report Amber wrote, "I learned that Hidden Heroes inspire a lot more acts of kindness in others."

I couldn't have said it better myself.