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Man Turns in Lost $13,000, Gives Away Reward
A cleaning service worker at a Florida airport found an iPad – with $13,000 stuffed in its case – and turned it in. He then gave away the small reward he got from the owner to two people in need. To honor that honesty, the Broward County Aviation Department in Florida presented Patrick Morgan with a gift and plaque on Wednesday. His employer, Sunshine Cleaning Systems, also gave him $625, equivalent to a week of paid vacation, according to NBCMiami.com. This time, he said he'll keep the money.
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It Only Took A Moment!
As I departed my school grounds one recent late afternoon, I noticed that the sky was beginning to darken as rain clouds began to close in and motorists around me began to become agitated and as they worked through the traffic to get home. As I turned on to a major avenue near the University of Hawaii, some drivers in their cars were literally pushing and shoving to change lanes. One impatient individual shot out and was forcibly trying to enter from the next side street. I was two cars back when suddenly it happened. A bicyclist whizzed by my passenger side, tried to stop, but slammed broadside into the vehicle who was very much in the wrong. The bicyclist was able to slowly pick himself and his bike up and stumble towards the sidewalk as EVERYONE drove off. I knew that I had to check on this young man. I put on my blinker and turn right and as I pulled up to him, I could see that he was bewildered and shaking his head. He had some road rash abrasions on his hand. Upon my inquiry he said that he was OK. I gave him a towel for his cuts and then ran and got some ice nearby that we then applied to his split chin. As we waited for his mom to come pick him up and take him to a local emergency room for some sutures. He personally thanked me by my name for stopping. It turns out that this young college student was one of my former middle school students.
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Workers Hand Over Mystery $300,000 Gold Stash to Grateful Homeowners
Workers struck lucky by discovering a large amount of gold hidden under the floor of a house in Sacramento - but they were honest enough to hand it over to their clients, who had no idea it was there. While installing an HVAC system in September, Steve Ottley and his partner came across 12 large baby food jars filled to the brim with gold dust.
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Mailing Memories
I stopped on my way home to a mailbox to drop off some letters and noticed an elderly man having a hard time getting out of his vehicle and to the mailbox because of all the ice. After getting out of my car I dropped off the mail and asked him if he wanted some help to get to the mailbox. He kindly accepted and I helped him keep his balance and let him hang on to me for support while I dropped off his letter and then walked him back to his vehicle.
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CHARLESTON, MO - How far would you go to help a co-worker in need?
A Charleston woman who was diagnosed with kidney failure received the gift of life from an unlikely source, her boss.
Last Spring, life as Deborah Smoot knew it changed in an instant.
She went in for an annual checkup. "My blood pressure was high, I've been having blood pressure issues for years," said Deborah Smoot.
She followed up, and after a number of tests was diagnosed with kidney failure.
"He (her doctor) said I want to put you in the hospital, put in an access, and start dialysis today," said Smoot.
For a woman who felt and looked healthy, the news was no doubt a huge shock.
"I said I don't drink, don't smoke, I drink water all of the time," said Smoot. "I don't understand it."
She'll never forget what the doctor said next.
"He said, you can go, but I'm telling you you're going to go home and you're going to die," said Smoot. "Your heart is going to stop beating and you're going to die."
She started dialysis, and waited to get listed for a transplant.
Meanwhile, Deb went back to work as a probate clerk at the Mississippi County Courthouse.
One day, she learned she was on the list for a transplant. Deb had phone number in hand for anyone to call and find out how to get tested.
"We're in a large office, and when I got the number I was so excited about getting listed I said, oh oh...I'm listed for a transplant," said Smoot.
Deb's boss, Leigh Ann Colson, the County Circuit Clerk overheard the news.
"I said, if we're the same blood type I don't mind being tested," said Leigh Ann Colson.
"I said, that's a lot to ask," said Smoot. "She (Colson) said I might as well be tested, why not."
Leigh Ann did just that, and after several tests she got a phone call.
"They said we were compatible, they wanted to do further testing," said Colson.
"I was like, are you kidding me what are the chances of this," said Smoot.
Deborah Smoot's boss was a perfect match.
"My whole family was in shock, she was the first to be tested and she was a match," said Smoot. "The good Lord up above had a big role in that."
There were some initial concerns.
"My mom was a basket case," said Colson. "She didn't want me to do this, she said think about your family."
Leigh Ann has two boys, Brady and Riley.
"I was afraid, but it was her body and her choice," said Brady Colson.
Last month, that choice led both women to the operating room.
They have a photograph of the actual kidney that was taken out of Leigh Ann, and is now working like a charm inside Deb.
"It's just a miracle I'm telling you," said Smoot.
They're now home, still recovering from surgery in January.
There's some pain but Leigh Ann says it's worth it.
"Just knowing I could help her and she's going to be around," said Colson.
They are no longer just boss and employee. The two women have a bond that can never be broken.
"It's nice knowing I could help someone who needed help," said Colson.
"I don't know what she has felt, but I can't thank her enough," said Smoot. "I don't have enough words to tell her how important this has been to me."
Both women hope their story will raise awareness about the importance of organ donation.
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Crying Toddler
I went grocery shopping a few weeks ago. When I was checking out there was a woman with a little boy behind me in line. He saw the cheese I was buying & started crying loudly because his mother told him it was mine & not for him. When I finished checking out I opened the package of cheese & gave him one of the wedges (individually wrapped). The biggest smile came over his face & his mother thanked me profusely. I didn't do this for the thanks; I just hate to see a little one so upset over something that simple.
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Kindness Coat
If everyone would just do one random act of kindness a day just imagine what a better world we would live in. I work with someone who is struggling. He works outside and has a jacket that is very old and battered. I found a jacket in my son's closet that my son didn't want. Although it isn't new; it was close to it. Barely ever worn. I brought it in and gave it to my coworker. He was so excited and thankful. I didn't know who was going to cry first; him or I. He said how warm it was and how thankful he was. I also use coupons to grocery shop. So I am able to stock up when there are good deals. I work with many people that aren't as fortunate as we are. So every few months I gather enough groceries to give someone. It is usually about a week's worth of meals and snacks. Most don't want to accept them and don't want anyone to know they are struggling. So I never tell anyone who I help. I love to give back and will continue to whenever I can!
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Helping a Friend
I have a friend who does not have dental insurance. She has a dentist that will take her as a patient and bill her for services rendered. She said that she needs to pay down her balance to a certain point before she feels comfortable to go again for much needed work. What I have done is found out who her dentist is and have added a $25 - $50 monthly payment to my budget to help pay down her debt and she, at this point in time, has no idea it is happening. I mail in a payment with a note to post it to her account. Would love to see her face when she realizes it will be paid off sooner than she thinks. Smiling thinking about it!
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Tambos Treasures
I started crocheting hats for the Phoenix Children's Hospital several years ago. I sent them with my daughter when she was volunteering on the cancer ward. She said that they were very excited to get them. In the last year I have broadened my creativity and started crocheting headbands, decorating baseball caps, decorating socks with silly faces, and decorating little canvas tote bags and filling them with toys. I have given them to Phoenix Children's Hospital (probably several hundred), The Ryan House and The Ronald McDonald House in Phoenix, Az. and I sent a box to St. Judes Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. I truly enjoy making these for some very brave and courageous children. I get so much out of giving these to sick children. My gift is my time. Tammi Sbordoni.
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I just love these stories. They make me smile.
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Leave a Book
Most people take the bus, and leaving a book with a Post-It note saying "Enjoy :)" on your seat as you leave is one way to make someone's day. You could do this on an airplane or even a train, too!
(Note from Lisa/kuhio98 ~ Whenever I have to use the laundromat to wash big items – for some reason, I absolutely hate the laundromat – I always leave old paperbacks there because I remember what it’s like to be bored to tears with nothing to read.)
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DJ rocks despite hearing loss
Robbie Wilde thumbs through his iPhone as the sounds of voices and clinking glasses bounce all around him. His eyes never leave the phone's screen.
During New York Fashion Week, Wilde, 27, passes the time with friends and management at an exclusive party in Hell's Kitchen before taking over the turntables.
Wilde lives in a world of rhythm and bass. He just can't hear it.
Ear infections at age 7 left Wilde completely deaf in his right ear and took away 80% of his hearing in his left one.
It would be another four years before doctors would confirm what his mother, Maria Sapeta, dreaded: Her son was deaf.
"It was heartbreaking as a mother," she recalled. "It was probably one of the hardest days of my life. But Robbie was the one who gave me a hug and said, 'Don't cry.'"
Originally from Portugal, Sapeta and her husband, Emidio, then a cruise ship chef, had moved to the United States when Wilde was 5.
From childhood, he always had a "persistent personality," Sapeta said, laughing. Unlike many other kids his age, he always finished what he started -- from puzzles to cabins made from Lincoln Logs.
After losing his hearing, his grades slipped because he had difficulty understanding his teachers. Bullied in school, Wilde usually kept his deafness a secret.
When his parents suggested he attend a specialty school, he insisted on staying in public school. He worked with a speech therapist and began reading lips.
"I grew up in a way that I don't want any sympathy. I don't want to be treated differently," he said. "I just tried to maneuver around, reading lips and trying to hear my own way."
When her son announced he wanted to be a professional DJ instead of joining the family restaurant business, Sapeta was cautiously supportive.
"We could see his talent and his passion, but I kept worrying about that left ear," she said. "Anything to stop his dreams, he didn't want it."
Hearing is the most important sense for a DJ, who manipulates music, scratches records and uses mixers. But Wilde was determined to succeed without his.
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Always drawn to music, he discovered turntables in high school through a friend's brother who was a DJ.
Wilde got his first shot at performing as a DJ at his father's restaurant outside Newark, New Jersey, nearly a decade ago, and he hasn't looked back since.
"I still consider it as a hobby. I really do love it," Wilde said. "I don't see it as a job, and that's the best part."
Wilde started out playing CDs before pushing himself to scratch records, something he knew he needed help with.
"It's a hard business alone for the hearing community," he said, "And I was like, 'I'm hearing impaired and how's that going to work?'"
So he paired up with two-time DMC world champion DJ and Harvard math grad Sam Zornow, aka DJ Shiftee, who was teaching at Dubspot, a DJ school and production studio in New York.
Mastering turntables is a skill that takes hours of practice to learn and can be a lifelong pursuit, Zornow said.
"It takes two years just to get bad," he said. "And I mean 'bad' meaning bad."
Still, Zornow was up to the challenge of working with Wilde. At first he didn't know what to expect, but he said Wilde's success has surprised him.
"On paper it should be impossible. You're dealing with manipulating sound. Then combine that with a discipline that's hard in general, it's a really impressive task he's taken on," Zornow said. "From the beginning he believed in himself and continues to believe in himself."
Computer giant Hewlett-Packard noticed Wilde's skills and put him in a commercial this fall for its new touch-enabled PC, thrusting him onto the world stage.
"It's a true story of inspiration," said HP marketing executive Danielle Jones. "His is a profound story of someone being able to do the things that matter to them and the things that they love through technology."
Unable to hear lyrics or complete compositions, Wilde relies on technology to see the music by using his laptop and DJ software that helps him differentiate between vocals, bass and kicks.
He also feels the vibration whether physically from a club's speakers or through a SubPac, which resembles a seat cushion and allows him to feel the music by directly transferring low frequencies to the body.
Clubgoers and promoters dubbed him "That Deaf DJ" after he first came onto the scene in New Jersey -- a moniker even he uses. But Wilde said he wants to be more than just "a deaf kid trying to DJ."
"I want you to see me as a great DJ who happens to be deaf," he said.
Besides, he said, some things are better left unheard.
"There's a lot of sounds out in the world you don't want to hear. I like it muffled," he said. "I like who I am; I'm proud of who I am."
Wilde has gone from working small clubs to rocking this year's Consumer Electronics Show and Sundance Film Festival.
When he's not behind the turntables, Wilde is in the studio producing music.
Often questioned about the severity of his deafness, Wilde used to carry around a doctor's note and would show the back of his driver's license indicating his hearing impairment.
When people question his abilities, he said he has only one answer: "I didn't hear you."
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13-year-old girl creates program to give beds those in need
SHELBYVILLE, Ky. -- After watching the movie "The Blind Side," where an African-American football player is adopted by an all-white family and given his first bed, 13-year old Jessica Collins asked her grandmother a question: "Do you think there are people without beds?"
Her grandmother, Lynn Whittaker's response: "I'm sure."
Jessica Collins soon learned there was an overwhelming need in Shelby County. She helped create the program "A Place to Sleep," and in three years it has helped provide beds to more than 160 people -- many of them needy children and their families in Shelby County.
The program has also earned Jessica recognition from the state and a letter from President Obama thanking her for her volunteer efforts.
"I saw him not get a bed and it made me want to give people beds," said Jessica.
Jessica then turned to her church and a furniture store in Shelbyville. Tracy's Home Furnishings agreed to provide beds at cost to those in need. Jessica gathered collections and volunteers from her church pitched in.
"We just asked her what is it we could do to help out?" said Debbie D'Angelo, the manager at Tracy's Home Furnishings. "It makes me really emotional to think about these children not having a place to sleep -- I'm glad we are able to help out."
Jessica says many of her teachers and classmates tell her "they are inspired and that they want to start something ... it makes me feel good."
As shy and humble Jessica is, Sharon Garcia is just as thankful.
"It's been very good," said Garcia, a working single mom whose children benefited from the program. "We've had a lot of good nights of sleep for the kids. Just as a single parent it's helped me out a lot.
"It was just amazing. I got to meet the little girl and I wish my little girl would grow up to be like her when she grows up."
Jessica says many of the recipients have endured hardships, like losing their home in a fire, bed bug infestation and abusive relationships.
Jessica has learned the need seems constant. While nothing is official, Jessica's mother said there are rumblings of expanding her program to other school districts throughout the state.
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Helping Hand
I saw this on my way out to lunch today and though it was a small thing I was really touched by it. I saw an elderly Asian man carrying two fold-up chairs and a heavy bag struggling to get on and off an escalator. I then saw 5 strangers, two Indian guys, an older white couple, and a younger hipster girl all rush to help him and offer a hand. The old man was so appreciative and couldn’t speak any English (I think) but started bowing to say thanks to them. The smiles on the strangers faces and their willingness to help made me think that there really are nice and decent people out there. I am recently going through depression and seeing this sort of random act of kindness to people no matter what race or age, really warmed my heart.
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School raises money for 6-year-old in need of new heart
NORTH HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- As the old saying goes, the pen is mightier than the sword, but the students at a North Haven elementary school hope the penny is even mightier as they go to battle for a classmate in need.
"Is it something about your heart," asked News 8's Jeff Valin.
"Yes," replied Matthew Jacques.
"What do you need," asked Valin.
"A new one," Matthew said.
Six-year-old kindergartener Matthew Jacques already has three surgeries to his resume, including one at just 10 days old.
"He's the million-dollar baby," said Alphonse Jacques, Matthew's father.
For Matthew, heart failure has been a way of life and a threat to life all along, but his school mates at Montowese Elementary in North Haven are going to war for him, a "penny war." Each grade level is trying to out-do the others, raising funds for his mounting medical costs.
"It's very challenging emotionally, financially," said Melissa Jacques, Matthew's mother.
"We want all pennies in our jar, or dollar bills," said Lara Silvestro, Matthew's teacher. "Any silver coins deduct points, so at the end of the day we can be in the negative instead of the positive, but all said and done, the money is the money at the end of the week."
You'd never know his troubles to look at him.
"I'm happy," said Matthew.
"We don't want to limit him to what he can't do, it's what he can do," Melissa said. "And I think, with that attitude, he has a great attitude towards it."
There's no prize other than bragging rights and hopefully a life saved, which brings us to another reward that can't be counted.
"It's taught them a sense of community and coming together to help out each other," said Silvestro.
"To see the amount of support that we get from his teacher, from his classmates, from the school," Melissa said, it's extremely overwhelming, it's very heartfelt.
Spare change everyone hopes can spare a life.
"Do you think this will help you get one," asked Valin.
"Yes," Matthew said.
Anyone interested in learning more about how you can donate, can contact Matthew's teacher Lara Silvestro directly by e-mailing her on the school's website . http://montowese.ct.nhs.schoolinsite...ndingID=139420
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Disabled 'Kangaroo' Dog to Walk Again – with the Help of $7,000 in Donations
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What's in a name? A whole lot when it comes to 1-year-old Chihuahua Victory, who always puts her best paw forward – even when she physically can't.
The disabled dog was born with deformed front legs, which cause her to totter around, almost like a kangaroo. Now, she's getting a chance to take the next step toward a normal life.
Victory is due to receive a protective vest, a set of wheels and a sled-like apparatus to improve her mobility, thanks to people around the world who heard her story and wanted to help, reports Today.
It's been just a few weeks since Victory was found on the streets of Dearborn, Mich., where she was taken in by the local Dearborn Animal Shelter and given her ever-appropriate name. No one came to the rescue to claim her.
Though there was no surgery available to help Victory, shelter staff found a solution through a combination of three orthopedic devices. The only problem? The price tag: $2,000.
But that was quickly solved after a newsletter telling Victory's story garnered global buzz. Within a week, the shelter staff met their goal – and then some – to the tune of $7,000.
Victory won't commit to a forever home until she's acclimated to her new devices, says Elaine Greene, executive director of Friends for the Dearborn Animal Shelter, a nonprofit that runs the organization. "We're all very attached to her, and she to us," Greene tells Today. "So we're looking for a very special situation."
Until then, Victory is enjoying life in the winners' circle.
"We thought that she needed a name that really described how she looked at life and the fact that she survived when many animals with deformities don't," Greene says. "She has such a wonderful personality and spirit that we felt she's been victorious over what could be barriers that stand in the way."
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This was posted on Facebook by someone I went to highschool with.
So, last Sunday in church Pastor Peder talked about how Christ is the homeless, hungry, imprisoned, etc. Well, my husband took a second job at a gas station and has had a homeless guy coming in to get coffee and sometimes food if he was able to find enough money. When my husband works he buys him his coffee and food like hotdogs. He does it because he realizes we don't have everything but the least he can do is buy him a couple of dollars worth of food and drink. We have more than we need. Well, the homeless guy was not coming in for the last couple of weeks and my husband was worried that something happened to him. He showed up last night at the gas station cleaned up and told my husband, he got a job and just got his first pay check and he wanted to buy my husband supper. My husband thanked him and told him he was very happy for him but he had already had supper. As my husband told me this today we both had tears running down our faces. I have never been so proud of my husband. Thank you God for taking away his overtime so he could meet this man by trying to support his family. I am seeing a path that God is laying for us.
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Randy's Kindness
Randy and his wife Beth are very kind people who GAVE us a car! We are not family. My husband worked with Randy. They just saw that our car was very, very old (1980), and they gave us a safer, much, much newer, beautiful red car. I will never forget their kindness. They also gave us a large container of gumballs for our little girl. The car and gumballs were given as a surprise! One of the best days of my life! Thank you!
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Boy grows hair out for cancer patient
HAMDEN, Conn. -- He's just 10-years-old but a Hamden boy is making a big difference in the life of a cancer patient.
It was a two year odyssey that recently had a big payoff.
One could argue there is no such thing as a "bad hair day" in the Carrano family.
"She's a hairdresser and he's a barber, so, it's basically just an important part of our family," said Damian Carrano.
When your Mom cuts hair for a living, your dad cuts hair for a living, chances are, their kids are going to have good hair as well so 10-year-old Damian Carrano had an idea about his hair, inspired by the Ronald McDonald House.
"Two years ago, my mother used to take me to the Ronald McDonald House to just play with the kids, know what it's really about," said Damian.
"There was this one particular little girl that he took too, he was playing with her, she was 2, 3-years-old, so cute, and she was missing hair," said Grisel Carrano, Damian's mother.
"I wanted to do this since my mother has cut her hair, and I feel like I really did a good thing for people," said Damian.
Mom Grisel shed and donated her locks for wigs to be used for cancer patients so Damian, then just 8-years-old, vowed to do the same thing, must to the astonishment of his brother.
"Well it would go in his eyes sometimes, and it will cover his face," said Cameron Carrano, Damian's brother.
Much to the astonishment of everyone else, amazed that two years passed without a single clip.
"People in school used to say, "Why do you have long hair? You look like a girl," said Damian.
"It started to go through that funky stage, and I thought that would crack him, and that didn't crack him," said Ron Carrano, Damian's father.
It wasn't the weight of the world on young Damian's shoulders, just hair, 12 inches of it.
"The worst thing about my hair is I had to wash it for like five minutes," said Damian.
His silky mane is now on the way to help a sick child and that, would be a true definition of a "good hair day."
"I just kept on going because I knew it was for a good cause," said Damian.
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Gonzo the blind sled dog
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BRETTON WOODS, NH - If you see him in action, you can tell Gonzo is meant to be a sled dog.
"He just throws his head in the wind. He's just wagging his tail -- he's just along for the ride," says dog musher AJ Norton. "He's such a ham."
But sudden illness threatened to take him off the team. Three years ago, Gonzo went blind in the span of just a couple weeks. Treatments didn't work, and no surgery could restore his sight. His future as a sled dog was in limbo.
"We kind-of went to our vet and we said, 'You know, what do you think?' And he said, 'Run this dog. You know, just take him out and see what he does,'" Muddy Paw Sled Dog Kennel owner Karen Tolin says. "He looked excited to go, so we harnessed him up, slowly reintroduced him, and over the span of about a year reintegrated him into running with the team. Because he wanted to. He was very sad when he got left behind."
A solution developed when Gonzo's brother, Poncho, became his seeing eye dog. It was a process that took time.
"When Gonzo began to lean into Poncho at first, that's when he became frustrated. But eventually he began to allow that when he realized there was something different about his brother," says Tolin.
And with that realization, Gonzo's future as a sled dog didn't seem so far-fetched anymore.
"Poncho might lean into him, nudge him, bark at him. They've developed a system of commands far beyond what we could teach," Tolin says.
"If they're back there Poncho will kind-of give Gonzo a little nip like, 'Hey bro, there's a hill coming up,'" Norton says.
Though Gonzo and Poncho work quite well as a team, they are trying to make Gonzo more comfortable with other dogs, that way he isn't too dependent on his brother.
"If something were to happen to Gonzo's brother we would want him to feel like he could stand on his own two feet and be confident," says Tolin.
Gonzo's neck line also helps keep him running straight, but his brother has his back when Gonzo's blindness lands him in trouble.
"Gonzo stepped, literally fell off the trail into the deep snow and went 'Poof!'" Tolin says. "The story goes, Poncho literally leaned over and on the X of the X-backed harness, grasped with his front teeth, brought him up, and then they kept going."
And their wagging tale of inspiration has given his handlers a new perspective on disability.
"We perceived him as having a limitation, so we were a bit more hesitant, but for the dogs, the sky's the limit," Tolin says. "He says 'Okay, I'll adapt and keep going.'"
"I figure that if I was blind, I'd rather be out running doing something for fun than sitting at home, you know," says Norton.
They told us that as long as this dynamic duo wants to pull sleds, they're not going to stop them.
Muddy Paw Sled Dog Kennel also has an active sled dog rescue and adoption program for other dogs. You can learn more about that here: http://www.dogslednh.com/
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Take a book, leave a book, it's free
FOLSOM, Calif. —Kelly Friesen was struck the moment she saw it at the intersection of Stoney Hill Drive and Gable Street in Folsom.
"Wow. What a great idea," said Friesen, a Folsom resident.
A 6-year old girl took a few looks and expressed satisfaction.
"Yeah, I like it," said Alison, who lives down the street.
Duane Samples watched it all from across the street this week and smiled.
"It's a great feeling," Samples said.
Last week, Samples built a free, mini-library perched atop a wooden post at the corner of his front yard.
"It's named a Little, Free Library," Samples said.
The two-shelf box, with a wood-framed glass door, was built to hold books for anyone to take or leave, at no cost or obligation.
"A lot of times, neighbors don't know neighbors anymore," Samples said. "Hopefully, this will help bring our community a little closer."
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Made with Love
These moms rallied their community to sew more than 3,000 dresses for girls in Zambia.
Darla Senecal had heard that children in Zambia need help but it wasn't until she saw a talk show featuring Mothers Without Borders (MWB) founder Kathy Headlee Miner that she really understood why: There are millions of kids living in poverty there (more than 800,000 who lost one or both parents to AIDS). Inspired to take action, she told her friend Nancy Luke that the two of them had to find a way to pitch in. The prospect of making a difference in the poverty-stricken country definitely seemed daunting: Few of the children have access to the most basic necessities, like food, shelter, and clothing.
Still, as mothers themselves, Senecal and Luke were determined to help. They formed a local chapter of MWB in their hometown of Bristol, Vermont, with eight of their friends and neighbors. Shortly after their second meeting the women spotted an announcement on the national MWB Web site: Thousands of Zambian girls desperately need dresses. Instructions for making a basic dress, done by stitching a skirt onto the bottom of a T-shirt, were included in the posting. "The concept was so simple, yet genius," says Senecal. The Bristol group made it their mission to contribute as many dresses as possible to the cause -- and to get their community involved. They posted flyers inviting everyone in the area to a Saturday sewathon at their town hall and left collection boxes for T-shirts, skirts, and sewing supplies at local stores. "This project seemed so doable, especially since I knew many other moms would be inspired to help," says Luke.
In fact, the Bristol MWB members and nearly 200 local volunteers stitched more than 1,000 dresses. One of their group members even flew to Zambia to help deliver the clothes. Thrilled by their success, the group held a second sewathon the following year and another two events each year after that, bringing their grand total to more than 3,000 dresses. The women are planning a fifth event next year, with no plans to stop anytime soon. For Luke the experience proved that you don't need to have a lot of money to make a difference in someone's life. "Everyone was able to make a contribution whether it was fabric, thread, or simply their time," she says. "Bit by bit we got the job done."
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Greenwood Mayor Marvin McGee putting in overtime to plow the streets himself
One city leader in Missouri is working overtime to make sure everyone can get out of the snow.
Marvin McGee is the mayor of Greenwood.
He's been plowing city streets for the past few days.
"I'm a citizens’ mayor,” McGee said. “I would like to think that if I was a citizen, I would want my mayor to pitch in. That's what mayors do."
McGee says residents have been asking the city to clear the snow, but since they only have a two-man crew, he stepped in to help.
This has many people in Greenwood shocked.
"It blew me away,” resident Doyle Garner said. “I mean I was totally shocked. I mean, I grew up in a small town and I never expected to see the mayor himself getting in a Bobcat and coming out and doing all that."
McGee has been using the city's Bobcat to plow the snow since 2010.
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The Miracle Rescue By Jan, Duluth, Minnesota
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I adopted a two-year-old poodle/terrier mix from our local shelter, and named her Angel. She came from another shelter as a stray who had been abused.
Angel was very skinny, extremely shy, and afraid of everyone. I fell in love with her immediately. Since I have multiple sclerosis, I believed that this dog would be perfect for me. We would take care of each other.
I live alone in a high-rise building on Lake Superior with other seniors and disabled tenants. Within weeks, with lots of love, patience, and socializing with neighbors and pets, Angel became a totally different dog.
My little soul mate is now the happiest and most popular dog in the building. She loves everybody, giving kisses to everyone she sees. She never misbehaves, snaps, or barks at anyone. Angel brings her favorite toy or treat to me when I’m feeling bad, or she jumps on my bed and whines until I lie down. She then lies beside me.
One night, Angel became restless and woke me up. I rarely go out late at night, as Angel uses a puppy pad after dark. This time, though, because of her odd behavior, I decided to get dressed and take her out. She was whining and seemed anxious.
I took her around to the parking lot side of our building, back by our garage.
She always stays by me, either on or off the leash, but this time she pulled as hard as she could and whined. I unhooked her leash, thinking she must have to go badly. Instead of running to the grass, Angel hurried into the parking lot and darted between two vehicles. I found her sitting next to Wayne, one of our tenants, who was on the ground. He lay in a fetal position with his walker nearby.
I stooped down to ask what had happened. Not fully conscious, Wayne mumbled that he had fallen. He wore shorts and a light jacket, although it was 38 degrees. He couldn’t move. He said he’d recently had surgery on both knees and was in a lot of pain.
I feared he might have also broken something. After calling 911, I asked him how long he had been lying on the cold pavement. He said, “About an hour, I think.”
I squeezed my knees under Wayne’s head to lift it off the ground. He was freezing, so I tried to cover him with my body and coat. We stayed like this, with Angel near him, until the police and ambulance arrived. The paramedics quickly transferred Wayne to a gurney and bundled him in warm blankets. Soon he was on his way to the hospital.
I have no idea how Angel knew about the injured tenant. We live on the eleventh floor, and our apartment faces the lake. Our windows were closed, and I had a small fan running.
The next day, I called the hospital and talked to Wayne. He told me he had suffered a severe heart attack and had no idea why he was outside by his van at that hour. He kept thanking me. I told him it was God and Angel he should thank.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
kuhio98
The Miracle Rescue By Jan, Duluth, Minnesota
http://image.guideposts.com/sites/gu...nash-angel.jpg
I adopted a two-year-old poodle/terrier mix from our local shelter, and named her Angel. She came from another shelter as a stray who had been abused.
Angel was very skinny, extremely shy, and afraid of everyone. I fell in love with her immediately. Since I have multiple sclerosis, I believed that this dog would be perfect for me. We would take care of each other.
I live alone in a high-rise building on Lake Superior with other seniors and disabled tenants. Within weeks, with lots of love, patience, and socializing with neighbors and pets, Angel became a totally different dog.
My little soul mate is now the happiest and most popular dog in the building. She loves everybody, giving kisses to everyone she sees. She never misbehaves, snaps, or barks at anyone. Angel brings her favorite toy or treat to me when I’m feeling bad, or she jumps on my bed and whines until I lie down. She then lies beside me.
One night, Angel became restless and woke me up. I rarely go out late at night, as Angel uses a puppy pad after dark. This time, though, because of her odd behavior, I decided to get dressed and take her out. She was whining and seemed anxious.
I took her around to the parking lot side of our building, back by our garage.
She always stays by me, either on or off the leash, but this time she pulled as hard as she could and whined. I unhooked her leash, thinking she must have to go badly. Instead of running to the grass, Angel hurried into the parking lot and darted between two vehicles. I found her sitting next to Wayne, one of our tenants, who was on the ground. He lay in a fetal position with his walker nearby.
I stooped down to ask what had happened. Not fully conscious, Wayne mumbled that he had fallen. He wore shorts and a light jacket, although it was 38 degrees. He couldn’t move. He said he’d recently had surgery on both knees and was in a lot of pain.
I feared he might have also broken something. After calling 911, I asked him how long he had been lying on the cold pavement. He said, “About an hour, I think.”
I squeezed my knees under Wayne’s head to lift it off the ground. He was freezing, so I tried to cover him with my body and coat. We stayed like this, with Angel near him, until the police and ambulance arrived. The paramedics quickly transferred Wayne to a gurney and bundled him in warm blankets. Soon he was on his way to the hospital.
I have no idea how Angel knew about the injured tenant. We live on the eleventh floor, and our apartment faces the lake. Our windows were closed, and I had a small fan running.
The next day, I called the hospital and talked to Wayne. He told me he had suffered a severe heart attack and had no idea why he was outside by his van at that hour. He kept thanking me. I told him it was God and Angel he should thank.
Wow, this definitely brought on the tears. Amazing!!!
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The Kind Stranger
One day I was riding home and my bicycle broke. There weren't many people around and I was pretty scared being all alone, but I stopped and tried to fix it nonetheless. A complete stranger, also riding a bike, stopped by and fixed it for me. It's such a small thing, didn't take more than a minute, but he was so reassuring and nice - even offered me a handkerchief to clean my hands. It was over a year ago and we'll probably never meet again, but I still pray for his safety and wellbeing every night. A random act does change many things!
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Little Bird
My children laugh at me as I always pick up worms or other small creatures that are stranded on the footpath when we are out walking. I maintain that if we are kindest to the smallest of living things we will also view all life as precious. Well as I returned home from walking my dog outside my front door I saw a small sparrow lying on its back by the side of the road, with its legs twitching in the air. Seeing it was in danger of being crushed, I carefully picked it up and took it inside with me and seeing it had no obvious injury I put it in the garden where I leave the bird seed for our feathered friends, happily within an hour it had recovered and flown away. I know this is a small thing but it made me feel happy all day.
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Pulling children out of Nepal's prisons
Pushpa Basnet doesn't need an alarm clock. Every morning, the sounds of 40 children wake her up in the two-story home she shares with them.
As she helps the children dress for school, Basnet might appear to be a housemother of sorts. But the real story is more complicated.
All of these children once lived in Nepal's prisons. This 28-year-old woman has saved every one of them from a life behind bars.
Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world -- according to UNICEF, 55% of the population lives below the international poverty line -- so it lacks the social safety net that exists in most Western nations. Space is extremely limited in the few children's homes affiliated with the government.
So when no local guardian is available, an arrested parent often must choose between bringing their children to jail with them or letting them live on the streets. Nepal's Department of Prison Management estimates 80 children live in the nation's prisons.
"It's not fair for (these) children to live in the prison because they haven't done anything wrong," said Basnet, who started a nongovernmental organization to help. "My mission is to make sure no child grows up behind prison walls."
Basnet is one of several in Nepal who have started groups to get children out of prison. Since 2005, she has assisted more than 100 children of incarcerated parents. She runs a day care program for children under 6 and a residential home where mostly older children receive education, food, medical care and a chance to live a more normal life.
"I had a very fortunate life, with a good education," Basnet said. "I should give it to somebody else."
Basnet was just 21 when she discovered her calling, she said. While her family ran a successful business, she was studying social work in college. As part of her studies, she visited a women's prison and was appalled by the dire conditions. She also was shocked to discover children living behind bars.
One baby girl grabbed Basnet's shawl and gave her a big smile.
"I felt she was calling me," Basnet said. "I went back home and told my parents about it. They told me it was a normal thing and that in a couple of days I'd forget it. But I couldn't forget."
Basnet decided to start a day care to get incarcerated children out from behind the prison walls. While her parents were against the idea at first -- she had no job or way to sustain it financially -- eventually they helped support her. But prison officials, government workers and even some of the imprisoned mothers she approached doubted that someone her age could handle such a project.
"When I started, nobody believed in me," Basnet said. "People thought I was crazy. They laughed at me."
But Basnet was undaunted. She got friends to donate money, and she rented a building in Kathmandu to house her new organization, the Early Childhood Development Center. She furnished it largely by convincing her parents that they needed a new refrigerator or kitchen table; when her parents' replacement would arrive, she'd whisk the old one to her center.
Just two months after she first visited the prison, Basnet began to care for five children. She picked them up at the prison every weekday morning, brought them to her center and then returned them in the afternoon. Basnet's program was the first of its kind in Kathmandu; when she started, some of the children in her care had never been outside a prison.
Two years later, Basnet established the Butterfly Home, a children's home where she herself has lived for the past five years. While she now has a few staff members who help her, Basnet is still very hands on.
"We do cooking, washing, shopping," she said. "It's amazing, I never get tired. (The children) give me the energy. ... The smiles of my children keep me motivated."
Coordinating all of this is no easy task. But at the Butterfly Home, the older kids help care for the younger ones and everyone pitches in with household chores. The atmosphere feels like an extremely large family, a feeling that's fostered by Basnet, who smothers the children with love. The children reciprocate by calling her "Mamu," which means "Mommy."
"I don't ever get a day off, but if I [didn't] have the children around me, it would be hard," she said. "When I'm with them, I'm happy."
All the children are at the Butterfly Home with the consent of the imprisoned parent. When Basnet hears about an imprisoned child, she'll visit the prison -- even in remote areas of the country -- and tell the parent what she can provide. If the parent agrees, Basnet brings the child back.
She is still eager, however, for the children to maintain relationships with their parents. During school holidays, she sends the younger children to the prisons to visit, and she brings them food, clothing and fresh water during their stay. Ultimately, Basnet wants the families to reunite outside prison, and 60 of her children have been able to do just that.
Parents like Kum Maya Tamang are grateful for Basnet's efforts. Tamang has spent the last seven years in a women's prison in Kathmandu. When she was convicted on drug charges, she had no other options for child care, so she brought her two daughters to jail with her. When she heard about Basnet's program, she decided to let them go live with her.
"If Pushpa wasn't around, (they) could have never gotten an education ... (they) would have probably had to live on the streets," she said. "I feel she treats (them) the way I would."
Tamang's oldest daughter, Laxmi, said she can't imagine life without Basnet.
"My life would have been dark without her," said Laxmi, 14. "I would've probably always had a sad life. But now I won't, because of Pushpa."
In 2009, Basnet started a program to teach the parents how to make handicrafts, which she sells to raise money for the children's care. Both mothers and fathers participate. It not only gives them skills that might help them support themselves when they're released, but it also helps them feel connected to their children.
"Often, they think that they're useless because they're in prison," Basnet said. "I want to make them feel that they are contributing back to us."
Making ends meet is always a struggle, though. The children help by making greeting cards that Basnet sells as part of her handicraft business. In the past, she has sold her own jewelry and possessions to keep the center going.
Her biggest concern is trying to find ways to do more to give the children a better future. She recently set up a bank account to save for their higher educations, and one day she hopes to buy or build a house so they'll always have a place to call home. Their happiness is always foremost in her thoughts.
"This is what I want to do with my life," she said. "It makes me feel (good) when I see that they are happy, but it makes me want to work harder. ... I want to fulfill all their dreams."
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Because Online Friends Make a Real Difference
"My 4-year-old son, Cole, has lymphoma. I've gotten a lot of support from the women at CafeMom.com, but one mom, Linda, is amazing. For Cole's birthday she got people from all over the country to send him cards. The response was overwhelming. With a sick child every smile is precious, so I'll always be grateful for these moments of joy."
-- Michelle Chunn, Sacramento, California
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Help Find Missing Pets
There is nothing worse than losing a pet. The next time you see a sign on a telephone pole or even an ad on Facebook, take down the details and pass them along to others. The owners might not know you did it, but you'll feel good at least knowing you helped reunite a lost pet with its owner.
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Traveling is always a challenge because my 7-year-old son has Asperger's syndrome. At the end of one stressful trip we had a three-hour delay at the airport. When we finally boarded we discovered that we were in the last row, next to the engine and with no window. I could see a meltdown coming on. I was on the brink of tears myself, so I desperately approached two women several rows up and offered them $20 to trade seats. They graciously refused the cash and said, "Of course we'll switch -- no problem at all." I don't think they'll ever understand how much I appreciated their kindness.
-- Tracy, Fredonia, New York
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NILES, Mich. -- It was 1953 and then-Pvt. Bob Rodgers had just arrived at Fort Campbell, Ky., for basic training when he sat down to write a letter to his wife after the post's power went out.
Sixty years later, that letter finally turned up, when the U.S. Postal Service gave it back to Rodgers, who's now living in southwestern Michigan.
In the June 13, 1953, letter, the 20-year-old told his wife, Jean, about the routines of life in boot camp. "All you do is march, KP, shine boots, shine boots and shine more boots and brass and more brass," he wrote.
On March 7, New Carslisle, Ind., Postmaster Connie Tomaszewski hand-delivered the letter to Rodgers, now 79. She did so the same day it arrived at her office, she told the South Bend Tribune.
Rodgers was bemused by the return of the letter.
"I asked if they had found the remains of the horse and rider and got the letter out of the saddle bag," he said, smiling. "She just shook her head."
Tomaszewski said it's hard to even guess what might have happened to the letter over six decades.
"There are a million possibilities. ... It could have sat at Fort Campbell," she said. "The important part of it is it did get delivered."
Mary Dando, spokeswoman for the Greater Indiana District of the U.S. Postal Service, said the letter may have actually been delivered, then ended up at a flea market or antique store where a collector latched onto it.
In such cases, people sometimes put them back in the mail for reasons unknown, Dando said.
Rodgers said even if his wife didn't get the letter, it wasn't a big deal.
"She didn't miss it, and I didn't miss it, because I wrote her about every day," he said.
Jean Rodgers died of cancer eight years ago.
The letter bears a Fort Campbell postmark and the date June 15, 1953. It also features two 3-cent stamps.
Asked what her reaction would have been to the letter's final arrival had she still been alive to receive it, he said, "She'd have got a kick out of that."
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Cop Shuts Down Busy Highway to Save Dog’s Life
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These are the kinds of stories that restore your faith in humanity.
A La Porte, TX officer shut down traffic on a busy freeway in a successful effort to save a lost dog’s life. Cujo the rat terrier had escaped his owner on Monday, February 11 and wound up stranded on a busy highway with a bad hip that causes him to limp.
When police officer Kyle Jones saw the tiny pooch while driving in the opposite direction on the freeway, he knew the dog was in a dire situation and could end up as road kill unless he did something. So he turned his car around, turned his lights on and halted all traffic to retrieve the dog and get him out of harm’s way.
“He kind of looked at me and said, ‘Man, I’m glad you’re here.’ He let me pick him right up. Stuck him in the back seat of the patrol car,” officer Jones said of the incident.
Luckily Cujo had an identification tag on his collar, which helped an animal control officer reunite him with his worried owners Monday evening.
“He was all wet,” owner Jeremy Zapalac said. “He was soaked [from the rain]. We got him in, wrapped [and] dried him up and he just slept in his bed all day.”
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It’s hard to preach positivity when you think about the state of our economy or the rising cost of gas (don’t even get me started)! We like to spend our time commending people who make a positive impact on the world. I am inspired by fifteen year-old Hannah Taylor from Canada. At age 8, she started the Ladybug Foundation to help the homeless and “connect even more hearts in caring for each other.” Today, Hannah’s Ladybug Foundation supports over 50 shelters, missions, soup kitchens and food banks across Canada. The most remarkable aspect of Hannah is her humble nature. As she told me, she hopes “to be remembered as an ordinary human being who believes in the power of caring.”
Lady’s Home Journal 2011
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Surgery on Sunday
When an increasing number of his patients couldn't pay for their life-changing surgeries, Dr. Andrew Moore decided he wasn't going to just stand by or send them away without doing anything.
So he found a way to make the procedures completely free of charge.
The Lexington, Kentucky-based plastic surgeon initially started waiving his fees for some patients, but soon found that wasn't reaching far enough. He grew disheartened every time a patient told him he couldn't afford to have a melanoma removed because he had no insurance. "It was so frustrating," says Moore, 63. "How was I going to take care of them?"
"We figured out the things we needed to do to make this work," says Moore. "It makes a difference in individual lives."
In 2005 the doctor launched Surgery on Sunday, a nonprofit group of more than 400 volunteer surgeons, nurses and medical professionals who perform free gall bladder removals, orthopedic repairs and other outpatient procedures in a donated surgical facility in Lexington.
To date, Moore's group has performed about 4,500 surgeries – and has a waiting list of more than 500. The program has also spawned offshoots in Louisville and three other Lexington hospitals, with the hope to expand nationwide.
Raising funds through grants and donations to cover malpractice insurance and medical supplies, Moore's band of medical good Samaritans has changed the lives of people like Michael Weyls, who lived in pain and terror after being diagnosed with a cancerous lesion he couldn't afford to have removed.
A doctor he knew referred him to Surgery on Sunday; Moore performed three surgeries and rebuilt Weyls's nose. "It could've killed me, and Dr. Moore worked a miracle," says Weyls. "I thank God for this man."
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Because Robin Hood Is Real
An anonymous blackjack player, Robin Hood 702, recently played real-life Robin Hood to 37-year-old Jeff Martinez, of Las Vegas, and his family. Martinez is battling stage IV cancer and, despite working 40 hours a week while undergoing treatment, recently lost his home. The generous gambler heard a local news report on the family's struggles and anted up for a year's worth of rent, car payments, and groceries.
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Brought Little Kitty Home
This July, I had to rush to the neighbourhood drugstore to pick up some medicines for my Dad. As I parked my bicycle outside the store, I spotted a tiny little kitten; bleeding from the neck and all soaked in the rain. Without a second thought, I just lifted her up and put her in a basket to bring her home. After we cleaned up her bruises, we put a little anti-bacterial ointment to soothe it down. One could not help but notice the gratitude in her little, sparkling eyes. Motivated with the expression of gratitude; we went to sterilise a dropper with Dettol solution, washed it with warm water and then fed her with luke warm milk, drop by drop. Oh, it was a sight. She lapped it up all and fell asleep in the ball of cotton we had wrapped around her. We decided to name her 'Sparkle' and keep her with us till she chose to stay. Her bruises healed up in no time at all. A week ago she delivered 3 adorable kittens and turned into a MOM, herself. So, friends that was my little story. Try doing something similar and I'm sure you'll love it. God Bless & Love to All
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Car from a Co-worker
I had been driving a 18 year-old Yukon to work ever since my 12 year-old Explorer gave up a year before. I could barely afford to put gasoline in the monster, and was constantly worried about it breaking down. One day, a co-worker who had recently come into a fairly large amount of money, walked into my office, and placed a packet of money on my desk. It was 5,000 dollars! I used the money to put a down payment on a good, dependable car. No one in my life has ever done something like that for me! She has always been a caring and thoughtful person, but never in my wildest dreams would I have thought she would have done that for me. Just goes to show that there are still people in this world who care.
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Phred would be so proud!
Essex Junction Domino’s Pizza & Fire Department to Promote Fire Safety
ESSEX JUNCTION, Vt. - Domino's in Essex Junction is partnering with the Essex Fire Department.
A press release says anyone who orders pizza between 5 and 7 p.m. could have their pizza delivered by a fire truck.
"When you change your clocks for daylight saving time or plan your spring cleaning, it's a great time of year to remember to change the batteries in your smoke alarms," said Sam Jackson, general manager of Domino's Pizza in Essex Junction. "Functioning smoke alarms save lives, but many people forget to maintain the batteries. We are excited to be working with the local fire department to promote good fire safety precautions."
If firefighters find that your smoke alarms are working, your pizza is free.
If they don't work, the fire department will replace the batteries before leaving your home.