Friday, March 30, 2018

This great kid makes a difference to Chicago's homeless

When Jahkil Jackson was 8 years old, he helped his aunt distribute food to homeless people in Chicago. He was touched by the experience and wanted to keep helping these folks. He made what he called  “Blessing Bags,” and filled them with wipes, socks, soap, deodorant, hand sanitizer, granola bars, a toothbrush, and toothpaste. He brought a few of these to a local homeless shelter, and the recipients were incredibly grateful.


That was two years ago. Since then, Jahkil's idea has blossomed into Project I Am. Partnering with local agencies and schools, Project I Am has filled and distributed over 5000 Blessing Bags to Chicago's homeless. They have also filled bags for hurricane victims in Florida and for orphans in Swaziland. Now 10-years-old, Jahkil's hope is to fill and distribute 6000 bags in 2018. 

Amazing, how one kid's good heart can touch so many people in need. 


Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Gas station clerk returns dropped $1 million lottery winner's ticket

Talk about honesty. A Salina Kansas gas station clerk noticed a lottery ticket on the floor of his store. He scanned it and realized it was a winner - not just any winner but the Mega Millions jackpot winner. Plus, the ticket worth $1 million was unsigned. Anyone could sign it and claim it.

This as yet unnamed clerk chose to call the store's owner and see how to handle it. The owner's son came in and together the two figured out who had dropped the ticket. Call it serendipity or coincidence or whatever you like, but the customer in question drove by the station a short time later. The station owner's son came outside and waved him down. The ticket was returned to its rightful owner who also has not yet been identified. 

So this week, Salina Kansas has three very happy people. One is a million dollars richer. Two can close their eyes knowing they did what was right. 

Friday, March 23, 2018

Bus driver stops to feed a stray dog every day for 2 years

A couple years ago, a Canadian bus driver spotted an emaciated stray digging through the trash. A volunteer with Feed the FurBabies Canada, the anonymous woman was touched. She returned to the site with a bag of dog food and offered it to the stray dog. He devoured it. The next day, she spotted the same dog waiting along her route, wagging his tail. She stopped her bus and tossed him another helping of dog food. The pattern was set.

Every day since then, the dog has waited for her bus. In all kinds of weather, tail wagging, he stays beside the road while she pulls up and stops the bus. When she opens the door and tosses the bag of food, he grabs it in his teeth and hurries off.

The local animal shelter does not have enough room to house all the area's strays. There aren't enough foster homes for them either. Even so, this woman saw something she could do to help this dog. And she's done it every day for the last 2 years.


Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Scottish surgeon walks 8 miles through snow to perform cancer surgery


Dr. Lindsay Chisholm is well accustomed to winters in Scotland. An avid winter hiker, she has walking poles, snow goggles, and appropriate clothing so she can get out and enjoy the brisk air near her home west of Glasgow. So she "didn't even think about it" when her region was under a red alert for a coming storm. With snow falling and hospital staff reporting off for their shift because of bad travel conditions, Dr. Chisholm donned her gear and set off.


Meanwhile at Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, Iain McAndrew watched the accumulating snow, fully expecting cancellation of his surgery for colon cancer. When Dr. Chisholm arrived at his door still in her gear, he was shocked. He instantly proclaimed her 'a real-life superwoman' for trekking 3 hours through the snow to perform his surgery on schedule. 




Dr. Chisholm shrugs it off as "no big deal." Mr. McAndrew begs to differ. He sings the praises of this doctor's commitment to her patients and proclaims himself "a very happy chappy." 

Friday, March 16, 2018

Couple adopts four siblings, judge in tears

In Johnson County District Court, Judge Kathleen L. Sloan asked for something unusual. "I order this packed courtroom to give the Watsons a standing ovation," she said. The judge had just finalized the Watsons' adoption of four siblings ages 11-17. 

Childless, the Kansas City area Watsons applied to become foster parents in 2015. The very next day, they got a call from the local social service agency. Four siblings were in need of a home, and they wanted to stay together. A bit overwhelmed at the idea of going from zero to four, the Watsons took a couple days to think it over. But they decided, 'bring 'em on.' 

Since then, the Watsons have bonded with the kids. To hold everyone, they built a larger house and bought a Honda Pilot. Even the children's biological grandmother gives her stamp of approval on the adoption. It was, in Judge Sloan's words, "the best hearing that any judge gets to have."