The time tested tradition of extending a hand in friendship may have turned on some Islanders. They may in fact feel bamboozled rather than gratified for good deeds offered to a group of strangers over the past couple of years.
The story starts innocently enough. A family of four from Alberta claiming to be living under the open skies because they are homeless attracted the attention of a CTV reporter last week. Cameras rolled and the public as expected responded with sympathy and support.
The ending should have been a happy one. But the family, who turn out to be Kevin and Candace Green asked that their last names not made public in the TV news report.
No reason was given for the strange request and the tinkling of alarm bells were barely audible.
The family says they moved to the Island a couple of years ago in hopes of opening a bed and breakfast. Mr Green said he had a successful IT job in western Canada but the family wanted to experience living here on the more quiet east coast. But then the family claimed they got down on their luck, lost all their possessions and were going from pillar to post just trying to survive.
Alarm bells are starting to sound a bit louder now.
The father, who based their survival on faith and hope that things were starting to go better, neglected to say they aren't exactly strangers to some permanent residents here in the eastern end of the province.
The Greens and their daughters Heidi and Tiffany had apparently camped out for a summer on the Confederation Trail in Eastern Kings and rented a house in Bridgetown. Things went sour with the rental because the owner of the property said they refused to pay rent and damaged the structure.
Evidently the Greens moved on but not before handfuls of neighbours reached out to the misplaced visitors.
The Greens most recent appearance was in a park in Borden-Carleton near the Confederation Bridge. They said they were sleeping outdoors in frigid temperatures, coping with a meagre supply of food and simply just hoping for the best.
All they needed, they said, was a vehicle to get out of the province so they could head to Nova Scotia where they would try to get a fresh start.
Meanwhile the Salvation Army responded to the family's plight by making a warm hotel room available to them for a couple of nights.
No one wants to see anyone go hungry or homeless but honesty and trust are traits that define Islanders whose generosity and compassion know no bounds in instances of crisis.
No one will argue that the Green family needs help. But the fact that they left a swath of disillusioned Islanders from one end of this province to the other since 2010 leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of those who legitimately tried to help them.
The Green family's motive to take advantage of caring people is wrong. So very wrong.
Society is changing here on our peaceful little island. What once was reliable must now be questioned. It's unfortunate but the shell that once protected all that made this province unique has been damaged by greed and disregard for fundamental truth.
Heather Moore is editor of The Eastern Graphic. She can be reached at editor@peicanada.com