Ellie Dolezal, longtime South Tama bus driver was presented the EXCELLENCE (Superintendent’s Excellence Award) during the regular meeting of the South Tama School Board on Monday, Dec. 19. Ellie has been one of the favorite bus drivers for many years and was recognized by South Tama Superintendent Mary Jones.

The award was sparked by a letter received from John H . Greve, Ames to Supt. Jones:

Dear Ms. Jones,

I am taking this opportunity to inform you of outstanding actions by one of your employees. I hope there is some award / reward system in place to recognize Ellen Dolezal for going way out of her way to assist a stranded motorist in need. Below are the main details of the incident, which can be corroborated by State Trooper J. Rude of the Tama post.

Mid afternoon of Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, my wife and I were driving east on US 30 through the Bohemian Hills. We were leading a pack of vehicles, when out of the woods streaked a deer, which hit the hood of our car and was catapulted off into the woods. Our car was disabled, but luckily we were unhurt. Ms. Dolezal was in a car that was in the lineup behind us, and she pulled off the highway to offer help.

She offered solace, and she offered to stay with us until the mess was cleared up. After that she took us and many of our personal effects to a point where it was convenient for our son in North Liberty to rendezvous with us. All of this she did for us in spite of the fact that she had her own schedule with her family.

In my accounts of this, I call her an angel masquerading as a motorist.

There is no way that time can erase or dull our fond memories of what Ms. Ellen Dolezal did for us that fateful afternoon. It is our hope that she receives the wide recognition that we believe she deserves for this selfless act.”

I hope everyone who reads this will offer their thanks to Ellie for being the person she is. It is nice to know people from our area are compassionate and ready to help, rather than driving by shooting at some one.