For example, our taxes help fund a Minnetonka-based nonprofit, Opportunity Partners, which for more than 50 years has been working with Twin Cities-area residents with disabilities so they can live more independently.

Opportunity Partners helps people such as Tim Duecker, who owns the
Flowerama flower shop in Blaine.

Through Opportunity Partners, Duecker hired a special young man, Damian Ward, who lives a rich and full life despite being born with a form of cerebral palsy that limited his intellectual growth.

Damian, 27, has a pleasant smile and a willingness to work that makes Duecker smile, too.

"He's what you wish every person could be," said Duecker. "He's always looking for ways to help, beyond his own tasks. He's a great ambassador for the store."

Damian works two days a week at the store and two days a week at a cafeteria, where he recently was named employee of the month. At Flowerama, he waters plants, cleans buckets (important work because bacteria can be flower killers), cleans the coolers and helps customers carry plants to their cars.

His agreeable manner can be seen in his answer to the question: What's your favorite flower?

"I like the red ones," he said.

He paused.

"I like the pink ones," he said.

He paused.

"I like the yellow ones. ... "

We moved on to another subject.

Work, his mother, Linda Riddle, said, helps fulfill her son in many ways. It gives him a sense of purpose and place, and it puts dollars in his pocket.

At his mother's insistence, a few of those dollars make it to the bank. But Damian has bought a substantial music collection -- country music and Christmas tunes are his favorites.

He's also got a special friend, his favorite partner for weekly dances at a unique club, Amy's Cardinal's Nest at the Coon Rapids American Legion.

A digression on Amy's Cardinal's Nest: It opened last January, a place for special young people.

Ed Graham, adjutant of the Coon Rapids American Legion Club, was the force behind the place.

"I was trying to watch a football game, and my stepdaughter [Amy Jean Gibbs], kept saying she wanted to go dancing," he said. "I told her that if she'd let me watch the game, 'I'll get you a club.' "

He proved to be a man of his word.

At the Jan. 19 opener, there were 63 people in attendance. Monday night, at a holiday dance, there were 275 people with various disabilities dancing, eating, laughing.

Damian never misses a dance and picked out a Christmas present for his favorite dance partner.

"He got her a necklace for Christmas," Duecker said, smiling at Damian. "I keep asking him, 'Why didn't you get her flowers?"'

Damian, blushing, started looking for tasks that needed to be done.

Duecker and Damian have an easygoing relationship. Damian loves to show his boss the trophies he wins at Special Olympics events. Duecker makes sure he keeps a supply of doughnuts on hand for the days that Damian's working.

"I'd like to think we've become friends," Duecker said.

The ease with which Damian moved into his store and his life surprised Duecker. He decided to give Opportunity Partners a try after an employee of the nonprofit stopped in to buy flowers shortly after Duecker first opened the store.

Duecker started chatting with the customer, who told him of Opportunity Partners' mission. Duecker was intrigued.

"When you have a small business," said Duecker, "there are always people coming by to ask you to contribute for one thing or another. You really can't afford to say 'yes' to everybody. But you still want to be able to contribute to the community. This seemed like a way to do something good."