The Waterman of Edgemere

David Alexander Dunaway moved to 6347 Northwood in 1998, but now he spends early mornings with hose in hand watering the small live oak trees planted in the parkway on Edgemere between Northwest Highway and Northwood. Neighbor Susan Cox calls him her superhero: “The Waterman.”

Once a week, in the early morning, he stretches the hose from his home to the median and fills gallon jugs of water to nurture the crepe myrtles and live oak trees.

One tree, after a brutal trim, was thought to be lost, but Dunaway continued to water it. He set up stakes to protect it, watered it and now sees new signs of growth. He’s open to neighbors who can suggest a charitable trimmer.

Dunaway’s 19-year-old daughter, a graduate of the Ursuline Academy, tells him she’s going to erect a bench in the median when he dies. “I just put the hoses out there,” he says. “It’s not really that much work.” But small works multiplied by consistency counts.

Rotarians to the rescue

The Preston Center Rotary Club sponsors programs at Casa Del Lago, which provides English instruction to moms who have a different first language, while their children are in school. The club also partners with El Bueno Pastures, a predominantly Hispanic church. Members are working on a web series in hopes of raising awareness about autism. For more information about the Preston Center Rotary Club, go to prestoncenterrotary.com.

Fired up about our fire fighters

Neighbor John Campbell of Hillcrest Forest shared on NextDoor that his partially disabled mother-inlaw fell, and he was not strong enough to help her. “We tried everything and then agreed to call 911,” he said. “I had no choice, even though I knew this might be very expensive.”

He says a fire truck pulled up within five minutes and three men came in the house. “One lifted the dear woman like it was nothing,” Campbell says. When she asked how much she owed them, one of the firefighters laughed and then the saviors drove off. “I was shocked,” he said. “I’ve never seen this. This was public service at its best.”

In response, neighbors shared that they bring steak, sweets and food to various fire stations.

“Firemen always came quick to help my dad get up after a fall,” Rebecca Brown says. “They are amazing! When I think about it, I usually take sweets to the Preston Royal station, and they are super appreciative.”