Tippecanoe County-Today at approximately 11:47 a.m. at the Speedway gas station located on SR 43 just south of CR 600 north, two elderly ladies were left stranded with all the belongings left on the parking lot.
Trooper David Vido was called to check on the situation and found that Carole Kick of Ottawa, IL and Trish Karczewski of Monticello, KY were in the process of moving Kick to KY when the friends who offered to move them wanted more money. Karczewski explained that people she had met at a mission from her home town had agreed to move Kick’s belongings south for a small fee to cover expenses to and from. When they arrived at the Speedway gas station, the four demanded more money to continue the move. When the ladies tried to explain that they had no more money to give them at this time, they dumped all of Kick’s belongings on the parking lot and left.
While Kick and Karczewski were sitting in chairs deciding what to do, employees from the Speedway and Taco Bell came out to see what was going on. The state police were called for guidance on what would be the next step and to help protect the belongings on the parking lot.
Jared Olivetti, Pastor of the Immanuel Reformed Presbyterian Church that is located just west on CR 600 north and SR 43 was contacted by a member of the congregation who was helping, showed up and was able to get vehicles to pick up the belongings and transport it to the church till other arrangements are made.
Troopers who had arrived to help, employees of both Taco Bell and Speedway and strangers in the parking lot helped load all of it into a van and three SUV’s and transport it to the church for safe keeping until other arrangements are made. Olivetti is also making arrangements with the Econo Lodge in West Lafayette to put the two up for the night.
While I was assisting in unloading of the belongings, a witness to the whole ordeal gave Olivetti several 20 dollar bills to assist in whatever was needed to get the couple back to KY.
“This is a wonderful thing that complete strangers are willing to help out someone in need,” Olivetti told me. “We appreciate the Indiana State Police, Speedway and Taco Bell employees and complete strangers who stepped forward and helped this two ladies in distress!”
Picture is of Kick's belongings that were left at the Speedway parking lot.
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