Providing temporary space for housing asylum seekers gets developer belled

What: Ben’s Bells promote kindness and community involvement. Each week a person who makes Tucson better is “belled.”

Last week’s recipient: Ross Rulney.

Nominated by: Steve Kozachik.

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Why: For allowing the Benedictine Monastery to be used to temporarily house asylum seekers. Since January, Rulney has allowed the community to use the Benedictine Monastery to house and support more than 10,000 Central American refugees as community groups assist them in finding their way to relatives in other states. The alternative to this would have been thousands of people dropped on the street by immigration authorities, wrote Kozachik, a Tucson city councilman, in his nomination letter. The facility has been loaned to the community for this use free of charge, he wrote. Kozachik said “one memorable experience was when we hosted a ‘thank you’ hot dog/burger fry at the monastery as a way of honoring all the volunteers who have stepped up and joined in the work. Ross and his wife Lisa showed up and spent the day cooking and handing out food to the volunteers, and to the refugee families who were there.”

More info and to nominate someone: Go to bensbells.org/BellingForm to submit a name. Go to bensbells.org or call 622-1379 for more info.