From: Jim Fussell/Founder/Artist/Domino Deeds.

December 22, 2022

Many years ago I met a warm, friendly, outgoing person named Karen Thimmes, from the Columbus area, here in Ohio.

Karen is older than myself and in her mature years, living on a fixed income, she manages to do some remarkable deeds for others.

Karen donates sugar at a drop-in homeless shelter near OSU. Breakfast/lunch is served, coffee all day, people can drop in, rest, chat, read, nap, play chess, etc.

There is an aquarium and murals on the walls. A shelf of books to borrow, day old bakery products from Kroger. Karen’s sugar donations are very much welcome and appreciated.

Additionally, Karen buys bags of soup beans, and cans of tomato sauce, donates those to a location that helps people who do not qualify for food stamps.

If that were not enough, Karen also buys bottle water and granola bars, passing these items out to many people who now beg at freeway off ramps and street corners.

These are not “occasional” acts of kindness, these are daily rituals by this generous lady. At 78, it seems others should be doing something nice for this wonderful soul.

On behalf of my team of administrators and myself, Domino Deeds has boxed up 90 landscape paintings and those will be shipped to Karen in a couple of weeks.

Karen is free to regift the paintings, or sell them to do something nice for herself (which is unlikely) or trade them for beans, soup, sauces, sugar, water, granola bars, etc. or whatever she decides. The paintings are a gift from us, to her. No strings attached.

It touches our hearts to know about Karen. She has been very supportive of TEDx events and always a joy to talk with. We just want to show her that we care, and we admire/respect her efforts. The lives she touches are massive. To think, one person can do so much.

I am sure Karen would not toot her own horn, she is a very humble person. But readers need to know that there are Karen’s out there, things don’t just magically fall out of the air, somewhere in the shadows a true Gem exists, that Gem helps to provide for others, that Gem is named Karen Thimmes.

Karen loves art, a huge supporter of the arts around Ohio. Very encouraging and a constant ray of sunshine. I hope that others will follow Karen’s lead and perhaps do something similar in your neighborhood.

Thank you Karen, for being you.

Respectfully,
Jim Fussell
Domino Deeds