Remember Janell Karst? She left home at the age of fifteen and flirted on the edge of illegal activities for years but today she's an enthusiastic university student thanks to the ongoing communication and support given to her by her aunt, Linda Karst-Labbee.

By nominating her aunt as a Neighbourhood Hero, Janell found a powerful way to say thank you.

You may also remember that we turned the tables on Janell when we acknowledged both her and her aunt as Neighbourhood Heroes. It took dogged strength and commitment for someone in their teens and early twenties to make the kind of gut-wrenching life change she did.

But the story doesn't stop there. When I came home today, I found a note from Janell in my mailbox.

Hi Bill: I just wanted to let you know what happened after I sent Aunty Linda a copy of the column.

A few days ago, when I came home after school, my roommate told me that my aunty Linda had called and she sounded really upset. I had never heard my aunt cry on the phone or be overly upset about anything so I thought something terrible had happened and I called her back immediately.

When she answered, she couldn't get herself together to talk to me. It seemed to take ten or fifteen minutes before she could finally tell me what was the matter - She had received the Neighbourhood Heroes column I had sent her.

I couldn't stop laughing. I knew she would probably cry but I wasn't expecting this kind of reaction.

After that huge show of emotion, I now realize that small, meaningful gestures can make a huge difference in the world. Not only that, I felt so happy that I was finally able to do something that showed Aunty Linda how 'awesome' I think she is.

From now on, I'm certainly going to try to do more small things for people because I know, first hand, what an impact they can have.

On the other side of Janell's note, I found a copy of the following e-mail from her aunt Linda describing how she felt when she received a copy of the column.

I came home from work to find several pieces of mail on my kitchen table for Valentine's Day. I had been experiencing a few challenges at work at that time, and it certainly was a boost to see all the thoughtful cards and parcels.

When I opened Janell's card, her graduation pictures were enclosed. I realized how grown up she had become and how very beautiful this woman is. I then noticed a newspaper clipping that had fallen out of the card and proceeded to read the write-up under the headline, "Heroes Help Others Get Their Lives Back" and found myself sobbing in emotional joy.

This gesture had reached a part of my heart that I cherish and my very soul had been moved. It made me realize that I have also been a caregiver to others in similar situations in my life and brought forward a sense of overwhelming pride that I had made a difference. To this day, tears still well up when I read the article.

My partner and husband, Ren, was so impressed, he sent copies to all of my brothers and his family and friends as well. He recently was presented with an achievement award in his workplace and he commented that what he read was 'the highest award anyone could receive in their life'. He reminded me that 'if you can make a difference in just ONE person's life during your lifetime, you have already exceeded your purpose.'