Melanie O’Donnell has had a rough three years. During that time, she got divorced, remarried, and lost both her mother and grandmother. She was ready to celebrate for a change as she planned a birthday party for her daughter Chloe, who was about to turn 7. Around 15 people, mostly new friends in the neighborhood, were invited. When the day turned out to be the hottest one of the summer, the party was relocated to Millstone Pizza Company & Brewery. That’s when the cancellations started coming in — everything from heat-related concerns to, in one case, a death in the family. Before long, no guests were coming, and Melanie couldn’t let that happen. Desperate to give her daughter a happy birthday, Melanie turned to Facebook. She asked if anyone with young kids wanted to come hang out in Millstone with Chloe and her siblings. Within 15 minutes, multiple families indicated that they were on their way……and they came prepared. More than 150 people showed up at the pizzeria with gifts for Chloe. In a moment of desperation, Melanie found an overwhelming wave of friendship for Chloe and her entire family in Cody. “I’ve learned this town shows up for people,” said Melanie. “They are amazing, and we love this town.”
