‘Tis the season for giving, and Frances Dudash can certainly attest to that.
Dudash behind the wheel of her 2006 Ford Taurus with passenger, her daughter Rebecca.
The bus attendant for special needs students who attend Wayne-Westland Community Schools, which serves the suburbs about 20 miles west of Detroit, this week received a completely refurbished 2006 Ford Taurus courtesy of a local automotive repair company. K&S Auto Service and owner Ray Kull held a contest to nominate a needy person in the community, and the company could not resist the story of Dudash, as told by her coworkers.
“When we heard that they were doing the car giveaway, some of the employees wrote some letters on behalf of our department to see if we could get it for her,” said Sherise Roark, Wayne-Westland’s transportation director.
Wayne-Westfield school bus driver Michelle Willibey penned the winning nomination letter sent to K&S Auto.
Dudash is a single mother of a teenage daughter and also works in food service for the district. She had a car up until three years ago, when the engine went out, explained Roark. Ever since, come rain, shine or snow and frequent bouts with asthma, Dudash and daughter Rebecca walked 2.5 miles to and from school each day.
“Where she walks her daughter walks,” Roark said. “They go together. You never see them apart.”
Often her coworkers would give or at least offer rides. “‘No, no, you have families. We’ll get by,'” was often Dudash’s response. Then, recently when the court tried to reduce the amount of child support she receives, and unbeknownst to her coworkers, Dudash took up to six buses to travel from work to the courthouse to fight the action.
“She wouldn’t ask for a ride because she didn’t want to inconvenience anyone,” Roark said.
Despite all of this, Roark added that just a few months ago Dudash gave $10 to a needy family she met.
From left: Sherise Roark, transportation director for Wayne-Westfield Community Schools; Dudash’s daughter Rebecca; Frances Dudash; Ray Kull, owner of K&S Auto Repair; and Michelle Willibey, the Wayne-Westfield bus driver who nominated Dudash to win the car.
“$10 she doesn’t even have for herself!” Roark told STN. “She is just that kind of person. Nobody has a bad word to say about Franny.”
And her struggles haven’t affected her parenting of 14-year-old Rebecca.
“Franny is the best mother,” Roark said.” She’s always on Parent Connect to make sure her daughter is good. Rebecca is on the honor roll and (Dudash) always tells her, ‘Keep your grades up. Good things will come to you when you get a good education.’
Roark relayed that at K&S Auto, when Dudash was given the keys to the car, Rebecca started crying: “Mom we don’t have to walk anymore. Good grades do pay off!”
Yes, Rebecca. There is a Santa Claus.
Still, Dudash is facing a $1,400 car insurance bill because she’s been without for the past three years. So her Wayne-Westfield family is raising money for that, too, and at this writing had reached the $600 mark.
“We’re working on it,” said Roark. “What we don’t want to do is put a financial burden on her. We’d like to get enough money to pay her insurance for a year so she can stay on her feet. Once six months are up her insurance will drop it’s just because she hasn’t had insurance in a while.”
Email Sherise Roark for more information on Wayne-Westfield’s donation drive.
