You know you live in a small hometown community when everyone unifies in an effort to help one person. That occurred on Friday night when a guest at the Lexington Hotel & Suites (formerly The Holiday Inn) went missing. Everyone feared for her safety wandering the dark streets.

I want to thank MCSO Captain Joe Rodriquez and his deputies who spared no resources in the immediate search for this woman. From the extra patrol officers, to the helicopter, to the search dogs, there was an all-out effort to find her.

I want to also thank the Lexington Hotel & Suites’ owner Sheila Overall for putting the entire hotel and staff at the disposal of MCSO. I especially want to thank Gary Lvov, general manager of the hotel, who not only helped organize the staff to assist the police, but who joined me in searching the area in my car.

I want to thank all the businesses that were open late that night. The deputies informed them of the missing woman’s description and they alerted their staff should she wander into their business or should anyone see her walking the streets.

As soon as the woman was found, our Rural/ Metro paramedics showed up to make sure she was in good health. Thank you for the great job you do for our town.

It all ended happily with the woman once again united with her husband and son. They were so very grateful for the rallying efforts of the community to find their loved one.

Thank you, Fountain Hills, for being the best place to live, with the warmest, most caring residents and the highest level of police, fire and EMS professionals looking out for us.