WritingLetRecEHouse

B. L. Marchant

WRITING
Letter of Recommendation

Elizabeth House

Honolulu Advertiser

To whom it may concern:

I have known Barbara since 1993. I know her personally quite well, and while I have not worked with her in a professional setting, I know her to be very reliable, honest and straight-forward.

I met Barbara online in a trivia game chat room when I was still living in North Carolina. At the time, she was living in Hawaii. When I applied for the job I currently have in Hawaii, she became a wonderful resource for my many questions about the state. I was hired over the telephone, and since I had never been to Hawaii, I had MANY questions, all of which she was happy to answer, even though she had never actually met me.

She also met me at the airport -- with a lei in hand -- when I arrived here, something I will never forget. She helped me find housing, took me shopping for necessities and in general gave me support when I needed it most. I was a stranger in a strange land (and at first, Hawaii CAN seem like a strange land!), and she was a friend indeed!

I know she follows through on personal tasks; I helped her when she married (her now-ex) husband. She had asked me to be the "director" of the wedding -- but I really didn't have to DO anything, because she had already done it all -- reserved the rooms, did her own invitations and ceremony booklet, arranged for music, dancing and a full buffet for 60+ guests. She had a notebook in which everything was covered -- from bridesmaids to waiters -- who was supposed to be where and when. It was an amazing piece of organizational work.

As for her ability to accept new challenges, she moved with her husband from Hawaii to Alaska, and that seemed a HUGE challenge to me, at least. Then, when Steve left the Navy, they moved to the east coast, doing so in a drive across Canada and the U.S. I received emails from her detailing the trip and their adventures, and throughout the entire story, she kept her sense of humor as they dealt with car breakdowns, cat illnesses and other "small" details.

Her problem-solving skills are excellent. Two years ago, I visited her in Vermont, and I mentioned that I had a wedding to attend in North Carolina after I left Vermont, and I still hadn't found anything to wear. I had found a red silk blouse that fit (I'm a large girl), and I thought it wouldn't be difficult to find a long black skirt to wear with it. But I had found no such item that would fit both my budget AND my body in New York or Washington, D.C. But that was no problem for Barbara. We went shopping for material, and she MADE me a long skirt and wrap-around shawl to go with the blouse -- in one day!

She has a wonderful personality and does get along well with others; even though they are divorced now, she and Steve remain friends.

As I said, I have never worked with her in a professional setting, but I believe she would be an asset to any workplace. She is intelligent, articulate, creative, loyal, diligent and has a sense of humor -- all strengths for any person in any job.

If you would still like to speak with me, the best time would be between 3 and 4 p.m. East Coast time. I would be at work, but that usually is a slow time for me (10-11 a.m. Hawaii Time) and I would have at least 10 minutes I could speak to you. My telephone number is available through Barbara Gilmore (Marchant).

I hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth House

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BL Corcoran