Community rallies to clean trash from elderly couple's yard

Robert and Ann Dobson have lived in the same house in Greece, New York for 50 years. Last week, they received their first ever citation from the town - for excessive trash in their yard. The notice threatened the octogenarians with legal action if the mess was not cleaned up in five days. 

Problem is, it's not their trash. They live near a large shopping plaza, and trash blows across the street and into their yard continuously. Add to that trash thrown from car windows on the busy road and it's easy to see how fast the garbage could accumulate. 

Over the years, the Dobsons have tried to keep up with the litter, enlisting help of family members when needed. But the citation was the last straw. The Dobsons' shared their story with local Rochester-area media. 

The response was overwhelming. 

Many citizens demanded action by the owners of the shopping plaza, specifically to install locks on their dumpsters. Others, including a cross-country team from McQuaid Jesuit High School, picked up trash for the elderly couple. They were joined by a number of volunteers who installed a fence to keep future trash from blowing into the Dobson's yard. 

When the children became the teachers

Earlier this month, Marie McGaugh was subbing in a kindergarten class at Souris Regional School on Prince Edward Island, Canada. The children gathered around her feet for morning circle time, settling in for songs and stories. One girl pointed to her friend beside her and said, not unkindly, "Your shirt is on backwards." Other children overheard this and soon the whole class had turned to look at the girl with the backward shirt. Several giggled. The girl with the backward shirt hung her head, red with embarrassment. 

Ms. McGaugh took this as an opportunity to talk with the kids about hurt feelings and choosing kindness. But as she began, she saw another child silently slip her own arms from her sleeves and turn her own shirt backwards. Then another, and another, until within minutes, almost the entire class wore their shirts backwards. They kept them that way for the rest of the day.

"It was just one of those golden moments where I didn't teach them, they taught me," McGaugh said. "I was blessed to witness it."

Man asks for volunteers to shovel out Chicago seniors, over 100 people respond

On a 9-day stretch in early February, Chicago picked up 18 inches of snow. Jahmal Cole knew that would leave some elderly folks in his South Chicago neighborhood housebound.

Cole is the organizer of the non-profit community group My Block, My Hood, My City which "provides youth with new experiences, exposing them to possibilities beyond their own communities." To his Twitter followers, Cole sent a request for 10 volunteers to help him shovel out some snow-bound seniors. He offered hoodies, hats, and even lunch for anyone willing to help.

Over 100 people showed up, many with shovels in hand. And they weren't just from Cole's neighborhood. Folks came from all around the city, ready and able to help. Some folks who couldn't attend sent food or monetary donations to buy lunch for those working. Together, these "snow angels" shoveled out more than 50 homes.

Kids line up to read to the lonely-looking dog

This story combines several things close to my heart - children, reading, and rescued dogs, retired greyhounds in particular.

John Muellner adopted Sting, a retired racing greyhound, about 7 years ago. Since that time, Sting has gained credentials as a certified therapy dog, visiting children at a local hospital. Once a week, Sting heads over to the White Bear Lake Library in Minnesota for their "Paws to Read" program for kids. As children's librarian Ann Wahlstrom describes it, the program is designed to be non-threatening, a chance for kids to practice their oral reading skills to a mellow, captive audience. Three children sign up to read to Sting for 20 minutes when he visits.

One night last week, no one came to read to Sting. Muellner posted this picture of the lonely-looking dog on his Facebook page.

The photo went viral.

The phone at the library started to ring off the hook. People from around the country have called and offered to read or sing to Sting over the phone. And local kids have signed up to read to him. Sting's reading time is now booked through April.

Man walks 11 miles to work each day, coworkers buy him a car

Trenton Lewis appreciates his job packing trucks at a Little Rock, Arkansas UPS depot. He's only had the job for seven months, and has never missed a day or been late to work. Commendable, especially since his shift starts at 4 am. Even more commendable, Lewis has been walking to work, a trek of 5.5 miles each way through some sketchy neighborhoods in all kinds of weather. He never mentioned this hardship to his coworkers, just reported on time and did his job before starting his long walk home again.

Kenneth Bryant, one of Lewis' coworkers, got wind of his situation. Without Lewis' knowledge, Bryant spread the word among other UPS employees and retirees. Over $2000 was raised in a few weeks time. So last week, employees were called together for a 'union meeting' in the UPS parking lot. There, Bryant presented Lewis with the keys to a Saturn, Lewis' first car.

Lewis is overwhelmed by his coworkers' generosity. He's grateful for the quicker commute to work so he can spend more time at home with his young daughter. 

100,000 Koreans cheer for other countries' Olympic teams

As athletes from countries all around the world arrived in PyeongChang this week, they were taken by surprise. Hundreds of yellow-vested fans cheered arrivals at PyeongChang's airport, waving flags both of South Korea and the athletes' home nations.

The cohort is part of a larger group, 100,000 strong, calling themselves Korean Supporters. According to Korean Supporters Head of Communications Ki Yang Cho, “Everyone else in Korea is going to support Korea. We’re trying to focus on other countries.”

The group's hospitality doesn't stop at the airport. At their own expense, members of Korean Supporters will attend events throughout the Olympic games. Their bright yellow vests will make it easy to spot them in the crowd, between 100-120 assigned to each event. They will wave flags of Russia, Japan, Canada, and other countries, and recite encouraging chants and phrases in athlete's native languages.

What a way to spread international goodwill.

Anonymous Vikings fan donates Super Bowl tickets to 13-year-old cancer survivor

An anonymous Minnesota Vikings fan won Super Bowl tickets in a charity auction. At the time, he said he'd attend the game only if the Vikings were playing. He was true to his word.

So in the days leading up to the big game, the man contacted Spare Key, an organization which connects critically ill children and their families with the services they need. He asked them to find a football fan who would truly enjoy the game. They found 13-year-old Cole Fitzgerald in the Philly metro area.

Cole was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in a decade ago. The illness and its treatments left him with hearing loss and lifelong joint problems, so he is unable to play sports, especially his beloved football. He manages his junior high's football team and cheers from the sidelines at every game. And of course, he watches the Eagles. His bedroom is flocked with Eagles fan gear and posters.

Thanks to this anonymous donor, Cole got to see his Eagles win the Super Bowl championship in person.

Teen crowdfunds solar lamps and hand-cranked washers for (still!) powerless areas of Puerto Rico

For a moment, imagine your home without electricity. Not for an hour or a day, but for weeks. Then months. Four months to be exact. That's the case in rural areas of Puerto Rico since Hurricane Maria hit last fall. Nearly half a million people, American citizens by the way, are still without power. Four months without lights, without washers and dryers, cell phone chargers, power for cooking and refrigeration, never mind TV and internet. 

Salvador Gomez Colon considers himself lucky - his San Juan home has had power since the early days after the hurricane. When the 15-year-old learned just how devastated the island's rural areas are, he started a crowdfunding campaign on Generosity. The campaign has raised almost $120,000 to date, which Colon uses to buy solar powered lamps and hand-cranked washers. He has distributed over 1400 lamps to folks who are (literally and figuratively) powerless, some with phone charging capability, with 1600 more ready to go. With the help of corporate donations, he has secured over 300 hand-cranked washers for distribution too. Time Magazine named him one of the most influential teens of 2017. 

This story calls to mind a couple things - our society's terrifying reliance on the infrastructure of electricity, water, etc., and our unconscionable neglect of our fellow Americans.