Prineville, Ore. — A simple act of kindness by a Central Oregon man is drawing praise after he traveled to Bend to help a man known for quietly caring for one of the city’s parks.
Woodrow “Woody” McConnell recently drove from Prineville to Bend to deliver a new leaf blower to Steve, a man who has become a familiar face at McKay Park.
According to Bend resident Ann Marshall, known only as “Steve,” who lives in a van, regularly visits McKay Park with a battery-powered leaf blower, clearing leaves from park paths and sidewalks while also picking up litter.
Earlier this week, Marshall shared a social media post recognizing Steve’s volunteer efforts, writing:
“This gentleman who lives in a van comes to McKay Park every day with his battery-operated blower and blows all the leaves from the park and the sidewalks. God bless him.”
The post quickly resonated with community members, including McConnell.
After seeing Marshall’s post, McConnell decided he wanted to help. Rather than simply offering words of encouragement, he purchased a new leaf blower and drove from Prineville to Bend to personally deliver it to Steve.
Sharing a photo of the two together, Marshall praised McConnell’s generosity.
“Woody is on the left. Steve is on the right. Woody drove all the way from Prineville to bring Steve a new blower because he saw my rave post about how Steve comes and picks up trash and blows the leaves at McKay Park almost every day,” Marshall wrote. “What a sweetheart of a young man to do this for Steve, who is also very appreciative. This story warms my heart.”
One commenter stated, “Maybe the city should offer him a job!”
The gesture highlights two different acts of community service coming together — one from a man who quietly spends his days helping keep a public park clean, and another from a Central Oregon resident who chose to support that effort with a practical gift.
While neither sought recognition, their story has inspired hundreds of positive reactions online, serving as a reminder that small acts of generosity can have a lasting impact on a community.
The Prineville Review also reached out for comment from Bend Parks & Recreation and will update this story if we hear back.
Mr. Alderman is an investigative journalist specializing in government transparency, non-profit accountability, consumer protection, and is a subject matter expert on Oregon’s public records and meetings laws. As a former U.S. Army Military Police Officer, he brings a disciplined investigative approach to his reporting that has frequently exposed ethics violations, financial mismanagement, and transparency failures by public officials and agencies.
