The good guys thread

[kuhio98]

Dennis Tyler never expected to fall in love.

But after he took in a former racing greyhound named Clara Voyant in 1991, Tyler soon discovered that he'd found a constant companion in the affectionate light-brown dog, who strode beside him on daily walks and nestled against him while watching TV.

"She was a very special dog," recalls the Melbourne, Fla.-based father of two grown children. "She blended right into the family."

So when Tyler, 66, learned that many greyhounds, some injured while racing, faced the risk of being euthanized, he couldn't look the other way.

"These dogs can be the most wonderful pets," he says. "I needed to do something."

Since then the retired mechanic and his wife, Claire, 66, have found homes for more than 7,400 greyhounds through his nonprofit, Florida Greyhounds http://www.floridagreyhounds.com/

Using donations, Tyler provides medical care for the dogs, personally matches them to a compatible family and drives them from his home state of Florida – which has the largest number of greyhound racetracks in the U.S. – to their new homes along the East Coast.

While the group briefly suspended operations last year due to new costs at track kennels in the area, Tyler says they'll be back up running later this month. His group has also started a fledgling foster dog program.
Lorie Stewart, of Satellite Beach, Fla., is one of the thousands of people who have benefitted from Tyler's efforts.

"I just adore my dogs," says Stewart, who's adopted five greyhounds through Florida Greyhounds. "They call them potato chip dogs because they're so addictive; you can't have just one!"

[kuhio98]

Soup Lady & Oil Tanks:

Dale Dunning from Delaware is known as the soup lady for providing 900 quarts a week to those who are hungry and in need. Over the last 11 years, Dale estimates that she has given out 65,000 bowls of soup.


Dallas from Washington found a way to turn his business of removing old oil tanks from homes into a way to help others. Taking the leftover oil in the old tanks and giving it to families without heat, Dallas has been able to keep 200 homes warm.

[kuhio98]

Joy Jars

Jessica Rees was diagnosed with a brain tumor at age 11, and she and her parents would drive to the hospital every day to receive outpatient treatment.

"One day we were leaving, and she just simply asked us, 'When do all the other kids come home?'" said her father, Erik.

When Jessica found out that many of them would have to stay at the hospital, she wanted to help "make them happier, because I know they're going through a lot, too," she said.

So she started making JoyJars -- containers full of toys, stickers, crayons, anything that might brighten a child's day.

"She was really particular about what would go in the jars," said her mother, Stacey. "It had to be something cool, it couldn't be cheap or flimsy."

Jessica created 3,000 JoyJars before she passed away this January. But her parents are carrying on her legacy.

By the end of 2012, more than 50,000 JoyJars will have been delivered to young cancer patients through the Jessie Rees Foundation.

"It's what she started, and it's what we'll continue to do," Stacey Rees said.

"What makes Jessie a Young Wonder is that she cared," her dad said. "And in the midst of a world that says focus on yourself, it's all about you, she said, 'No, it's not.' "

NEGU (Never Give Up) http://www.negu.org/

[Taz_Zoee]

Yesterday on the way to my brothers a guy in front of us at the toll booth paid our toll. I told Bruce I was going to pay it forward next weekend and I'll tell the worker in the booth to tell the person behind me to Pay It Forward.

[kuhio98]

When Will Lourcey was 6 years old, he asked his parents why a man was holding up a sign that said, "Need a meal."

His parents explained homelessness and hunger to him, and Will felt compelled to do something about it. Soon, he came up with FROGs -- Friends Reaching Our Goals -- an organization in which he and his friends find fun ways to raise money to fight hunger.

From running a lemonade stand to having businesses sponsor kids in sporting events, Will has raised more than $20,000 for his local food bank in Texas and, in turn, provided more than 75,000 meals to people in need.

"When you see somebody who gets so engaged and gets so much of the community engaged, it's an endorsement of the battle that we fight to end hunger," said food bank director Bo Soderbergh.

In his quest to spread awareness for his cause, Will has spoken before the Fort Worth City Council, worked with the former mayor of Fort Worth and written for the White House blog.

But Will is not resting on his laurels: He has his sights set on not only eradicating hunger in his hometown, but throughout Texas, the United States and the world.

[Catty1]

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/good-...173020116.html

Young brothers stand up for their bullied sisters with Down Syndrome

The Hollis boys, Noah 7, and Caleb, 6, star in a viral video in which they stand up for their bullied sisters, Meg and Alina, both of whom have Down Syndrome.

One morning in the spring of 2011, the Hollis family woke up in their Illinois home to find hateful words targeted at the young girls spray-painted on their cars and the side of their house.
“That day changed my life forever," said Anne Hollis.

Instead of living in fear, the Hollis family decided to turn the hate into a tool for awareness.
"As the community rallied to support them, the Not in Our Town Elmwood organization budded out with blue ribbons on trees all through town. It evolved into a public awareness campaign that raised $60,000 to bring messages of tolerance and sensitivity to 22 area schools," Best Buddies Illinois reported.

The Hollis boys decided to make a video in support of their sisters.

Watch their moving story below.
Warning: Get those tissues ready.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=ObPoZCTTVeI


The Hollis' parents submitted the video to Everyone Matters, a "Don't Judge" campaign supported by famous folks like Paul McCartney, Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman.

[kuhio98]

Marilyn Mock - Foreclosure Angel:

Devastated at a home foreclosure auction, Tracy was stunned when a stranger recognized her desire to save her house and bid $30,000 to buy it; turning around and giving it back to her. Marilyn Mock saw what it meant to Tracy to keep her home for her daughter and chose to act first and figure out how she would do it later.

So far, Marilyn says she's been able to help four other homeowners and has received more than 10,000 requests for assistance. "Most of the people, they only need maybe $600 to maybe $2,000 to keep their house," she says. "They don't need a lot."