She invited 60 strangers to a Christmas meal

First, an apology to my subscribers. Between the holiday chaos and a stomach bug, I've been off my Tuesday/Friday blogging schedule for a bit. Now I'm back on track. Fingers crossed I stay that way.

This story comes to us from Scotland. Back in November, Taylor Barnes overheard a woman say she dreaded the holiday season. She would be alone, and the media build-up of togetherness and family around Christmas did nothing but increase her sense of loneliness. Barnes was haunted by the truth behind the woman's words and wanted to do something. The idea of a community Christmas meal popped into her head, and she decided to make that happen. But as a nursing student and the single mother of a one-year-old, she was short on both time and money. 

She posted her idea on Facebook, and was amazed to see the response. Owners of a local steak house offered to cook and serve a luncheon right at their restaurant. Local businesses donated food and a hair salon offered services. Many businesses and individuals donated money to help make the Christmas meal a reality.

Barnes ran with it. She arranged transportation for her 60 guests, many of them disabled and/or lacking transportation, all of them strangers to Barnes. She used the remaining funds to buy gifts for everyone, including a toy or two for each child in attendance. According to the guests, the meal was delicious and the singer was quite entertaining, but having companionship on Christmas was best of all. 

Barnes was delighted with the outcome of her idea, but shrugged off any accolades. "It was a community effort," she said. "There's a lot of really good people out there."

Fourth-grader makes and sells bracelets to pay for classmates' lunches

Lexi Bergeron of Grand Haven, Michigan was bothered by what she saw at school. Instead of a hot lunch, some of her classmates got a cheese sandwich every day because they had fallen behind on payment.

She asked her mom if she could use some of her own money to pay for hot lunch for her classmates. Her mom Sara had a better idea. She told Lexi to use her craft skills and make fidget bracelets, with a goal of paying off Ferry Elementary School's $188 debt. Lexi ran with the idea, making dozens and selling them - small ones sold for 50 cents, large ones for $1.00. Sara started a GoFundMe page to help promote Lexi's project.

In a couple weeks, the $188 debt was paid off. Orders and funds kept coming. Lexi and Sara readjusted their goal - they decided to work until the entire district's hot lunch debt was paid off, $2200 total. That goal was attained in 11 days.

Because one child listened to her heart, every student in Lexi's school district can have hot lunch.

All he wants for Christmas is to give - this 8-year-old collects toys for kids in Puerto Rico

A New Jersey third-grader received an early Christmas gift from a family friend - two VIP tickets to a NY Giants game. Jayden Perez was overwhelmed by the generous gift. He decided to pay it forward with some generosity of his own.

Knowing the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria, Jayden told his mom that any toys he got for Christmas should instead go to children in Puerto Rico. His mother was understandably touched by Jayden's idea and suggested they go one better. She helped him organize a toy drive. Some friends planned to travel to Puerto Rico for the holidays and agreed to take the toys with them for distribution.

Jayden's mom posted the drive on Facebook and set up a GoFundMe page. Donations poured in. Local media picked up the story about the boy with a generous heart. Word spread. The NBA sent 20 boxes of new toys and merchandise to the family's home. Donations arrived from all over the region, even from neighboring states. To date, over 1,000 toys have been collected, far exceeding expectations.

A shipping company has agreed to transport the toys to the island, and Jayden and his family will fly there themselves in early January to help with distribution. Amazing what happens when a kind-hearted child leads us.

Crossing guard sets up free coat tree for 'her kids'

For almost two decades, Minnie Galloway has been a crossing guard for a middle school in Wilmington, North Carolina. She not only manages traffic, she also buys pencils and other school supplies for 'her kids.' Yep, like a lot of people who work with children, she takes the needs of her charges seriously. On a crossing guard's salary. Let that sink in a moment.

So when cold weather hit the Carolinas, Minnie noticed some of 'her kids' didn't wear proper outerwear. She went to the local Salvation Army store and bought out their supply of winter coats in the sizes she thought were needed. She then hung the thirty coats on a coat tree right at her corner. Some were taken and worn the very first day, but Minnie said some children are too proud to take a coat.

Any coats not used by 'her kids' will be donated to a local church coat giveaway.

Man pays for the person behind him at drive-through, prevents suicide

Ontario's Pickering News has the same policy as many newspapers - they do not publish letters anonymously. Despite that policy, they ran this editorial in early November about an anonymous letter they received: 

The letter writer wrote about being in a bad place in July of this year, so bad in fact that they (I don’t know whether the author was a woman or man) intended to take their life. July 18 was going to be their last day.“I had planned to end it all at home in my own little ritual and explain my thoughts in a note for anyone who cares,” they wrote.
Prior to this final act, however, a trip to Tim Hortons was in order for a coffee and a muffin. While in the drive-thru at Kingston and Glendale in Pickering the lady at the window told them, “The nice man already paid for it and he said to have a great day.” She was referring to the man in the SUV in front of them.
“I wondered why someone would buy coffee for a stranger for no reason. Why me? Why today? If I was a religious sort I would take this as a sign. This random act of kindness was directed at me on this day for a purpose.”
Back at home, they began to sob uncontrollably.
“I decided at that moment to change my plans for the day and do something nice for someone. I ended up helping a neighbour take groceries out of her car and into the house.”
They explained every day since she has looked for ways to make someone’s life a little better, and, as a result, it has “enriched my life in more ways than I could’ve imagined.”A coffee and muffin saved a life that day, and although I don’t know who the person was who sent me that letter, I feel better for telling the story.
Random acts of kindness do so much more than you think.
“To the nice man in the SUV … thank you from the bottom of my heart, and know your kind gesture has truly saved a life,” they said. “On July 18, 2017, I not only had a great day, I had the greatest day!”

When that column appeared in the paper, Glen Oliver's wife pointed it out to him. She knew of his long-standing habit of paying for the person behind him at the drive-through, usually at that very same Tim Horton's. He later told reporters, “I was blown away, blown away — couldn’t believe it...You know for such a small thing, just a series of events that were set off from that point on … 
"It's exponential now, you know? Like such a small, insignificant thing to most people just turned out to be … the planets aligned for somebody."

Woman sends her 10,000th care package to US military who would otherwise receive none

In 2007, Wisconsin's LeAnn Boudwine had two sons in the military. Like many moms, she sent them care packages filled with necessities, treats, and reminders of home. They appreciated the packages and looked forward to their arrival at regular intervals. And they noticed something - some soldiers didn't get any packages from home. None. They mentioned this to LeAnn.
 


She went to work. She gathered a few friends and they sent out some extra packages from LeAnn's home for those soldiers. Then they did it again, and again, reaching new soldiers each time. As they expanded their reach, they realized the true size of the need. LeAnn's effort had to grow outside her own small group of helpers. 

So she founded Support the Troops, WI, a 501(c)3 non-profit. Staffed by volunteers, many of whom are ex-military themselves, care packages contain donated candy, nonperishable food, activity books, DVDs, personal care items, and clothing. The 10,000th care package was mailed to a US military soldier serving overseas this month.  

What I have in common with Meghan Markle

This week, millions of people were delighted to learn of Prince Harry's engagement to Meghan Markle.

Folks who know me will tell you - I don't keep up with pop culture. I didn't know much about this young woman, but I wanted to learn. I came across this video of a speech she gave at the 2015 UN Women's Conference.

The story she shares here reminds me of something I did at about eight- or nine-years-old. I spent part of my allowance on a cherry Tootsie Roll lollipop (my favorite.) When I got to the lollipop's center >gasp<  there was NO Tootsie Roll center! It was all lollipop.

I told my mom about my disappointment. She encouraged me to write a letter to the company, which I did. Together, we found the company's address, included the chewed-up stick and the colored wrapper as evidence with the letter, and mailed it off. Lo and behold, a couple weeks later, a package arrived addressed to me. Inside was a large box of Tootsie Roll lollipops with a letter of apology.

Now, I didn't keep the company's letter. The size of the box was probably smaller than I remember.  But one thing remains with me decades later - the lesson. I learned that complaining to people around me will do no good. I learned the power of speaking out against a wrong, be it small or large. I learned that the only way things will ever change is if I am part of the solution.

Based on her speech, that is a belief Meghan Markle also holds close.