The good guys thread

[Karen]

How nice, what a dear and touching sight they must be at each funeral.

[kuhio98]

The Burrito Boyz Serve Up Free Breakfasts for San Diego's Homeless

While most teens are impossible to rouse at the crack of dawn, the Burrito Boyz of San Diego, Calif., are out of their homes by 6:30 a.m. every Sunday.

Their mission: Making breakfast burritos for the city's homeless, something they've done for 167 consecutive Sundays since November of 2010.

Comprised of a core team of seven high school boys and a small army of volunteers, they've given away more than 51,000 burritos and counting.

"We show the homeless community that we're not giving up on them, so they shouldn't give up on themselves," explains Alec Johnson, 15, who started the Burrito Boyz nonprofit with his father, Michael, 49, and best friend Luke Trolinger, 16.

The Burrito Boyz (which includes classmates Nick Peeleman, 16; Joe Skvarna, 15; Cole Smith, 16; Justin McDonald, 16; and Julian Wahl, 16), along with the Burrito Babes (Girl Scout Troop 5273) have expanded their mission over the years.

They now also provide books, clothing, rain tarps, toiletries and have been known to host occasional spaghetti dinners for the homeless as well.

"It's heartwarming to know that someone cares," says Eddie, 60, a former construction worker who is now homeless and did not want his last name used.

"They treat us like human beings," he says. "They're not just a charity, they're our friends."

Says San Diego City Councilman Scott Sherman, who explains the homeless population, many of whom are veterans, has spiked dramatically since 2008: "These boys aren't just giving handouts, but a hand-up by showing them that everyday people care."

The nonprofit began after Alec, then 12, presented his Christmas wish list to his parents in 2010: an iPhone, MacBook Air and other pricey items.

"I thought, 'Holy cow. My son's growing up quick, asking for such mature items,' " explains Michael, a former sports marketer.

"My wife, Mehrnaz, and I instead decided to teach him what's important in life," he says.

The very next weekend, they handmade 54 breakfast burritos in the family kitchen – paid out of their own pocket – and greeted the less fortunate on the downtown streets with the hot meal, bottle of water and a touch of dignity.

"It felt like punishment at first when my dad told me the idea," Alec says with a laugh.

"But to see human beings sleeping on the cold ground outside, it really touched me," he says. "To realize how much they don't have, and how much we do. It's a huge part of my life now."

Trolinger agrees.

"We learned to see the person beneath the grit and the grime," he says. "They're just ordinary people down on their luck."

Cordaryl Johnson, 26, is one of those people.

"This is God working in mysterious ways," says Johnson, an unemployed construction worker who has been living out of two cars with his wife and five children for the past several weeks.

"Once we get on our feet," he says, "I'll be right back here helping to volunteer."

[kuhio98]

Waitress receives $6,000 tip for being happy

So it turns out that being nice can pay off. Who knew?

Abigail Sailors is a waitress at a Lincoln, Neb., Cracker Barrel. And despite the many, many obstacles in her life, Sailors is a cheerful waitress, not one who slings your food at you with barely disguised disgust. And her cheerfulness has paid off in a big way.

Two customers walked into Sailors' Cracker Barrel last week asking to be seated at a table of the grumpiest server in the restaurant, promising they could make that server laugh. The hostess refused their request and sat them with their cheeriest waitress instead. So the two customers found themselves at one of Sailors' tables, and she began talking. And talking. And talking.

It turns out that Sailors has had a troubled life, one filled with foster homes and abuse and families broken time and time again. When she was just 7 months old, she was involved in a major car crash from which her mother has never fully recovered. Her father was deemed unfit to be a parent, and she and her four siblings were moved to three different foster homes. They suffered abuse at one of the foster homes before Abigail and her siblings were adopted by the Sailors family nine years ago.

The more the customers, who remained anonymous, questioned Sailors, the more she shared about her ancient and recent history. She told them that she's currently enrolled at Trinity Bible College in North Dakota, but didn't have enough money to take classes in the spring. So she was saving money with the hopes of returning in the fall.

“I’m just thankful," she told the Lincoln Journal-Star. "Everything we went through, my attitude is: God blessed me with a lot of things. I’m doing good. That’s all that matters to me.”

Sailors' story and positive attitude moved her customers so much that they invested in her future to a significant degree. They wrote a check for $5,000 to Trinity for her to go back to school this spring, and another check for $1,000 for Sailors herself for daily expenses.

“I couldn’t believe it," she said. "I tried to thank them, and they said, ‘Thank God.’”

So there you go. You can gripe about your life, or you can spin it positive and hope a mysterious stranger rolls into town and tosses you a few bucks. Hey, you never know.

[Karen]

Sounds like a very nice person, and those were very special customers!

[kuhio98]

Puppy rescued off I-395 overpass ledge

Most of us are zombies on the way into work, mindlessly listening to the radio and zoning out as we dread the eight hour day ahead. But not Tiffany Nicolette. Her sharp eye saved a puppy's life. And camera's caught the whole thing on tape.

Tiffany Nicolette was driving into work Thursday morning when she spotted something out of the corner of her eye. It was a puppy. It was trapped behind a fence on the 395 overpass near the stadiums in Baltimore. Nicolette pulled her car over and called for help, watching the pup shaking more than 30 feet above the street below.

"I knew he was in the wrong place so I knew I had to do something. It was scary just because if you make the wrong move and startle him, he could go off the edge," Nicolette said.

As Nicolette and others waited for a way to rescue the puppy, someone spotted a bucket truck. A crew with Arundel Signs happened to be working in the area. The group flagged down the truck and made a request - drive to Hamburg Street and raise the bucket to reach the puppy.

Worker Billy Muncy rose to the rescue. His efforts were captured in a cell phone video that was posted to YouTube.

"It hopped in my arms when i put my arm up," Muncy said, "It leaped toward me. I had to catch it so it wouldn't fall down. I was scared I was going to drop it."

But he didn't. The dog was now safe and sound. It's since been taken to BARCS, which we're told plans to adopt out the seven-month old dog. Nicolette, who already has three dogs at home, says the pup she helped rescue won't have a problem finding a new family to love.

[kuhio98]

Diamondhead traffic cop serves community with dance

He is not your ordinary traffic cop.

"I just let the spirit move me," Diamondhead Police Officer Darrell Hughes said.

Hughes puts a little hip and arm action into his directing.

"Traffic control is probably the most boring part of police work but you make it what it is, and if you enjoy it goes by faster."

He has been dancing his way through work for 35 years since he first earned his badge in 1979.

"I'm from New Orleans originally and you know everything is a show in New Orleans."

We actually caught his boogie act back in 2003 when he worked for the Long Beach Police Department. While his moves have not changed much, he is still a big hit with South Mississippians.

"I love him," Diamondhead Resident Rosemary Slate said.

"We come around the corner and he's just throwing his little arms around."

Her husband also enjoys his dancing act.

"He has a very good time doing it," John Slate said.

Fourth grader Lexie Ladner enjoys her rides home from school in the afternoons.

"He's very funny and has a really good personality," Lexie said.

Do not let his goofy moves fool you. Hughes takes his job very seriously and gets choked up knowing he not only serves and protects, he also puts a smile on many faces.

"It gives me a warm feeling inside," Hughes said with tears in his eyes.

He said he does not plan on giving up his dance moves anytime soon.

"Not until the day they put me in the ground. If you don't like your job get a new one, but if you like your job, love your job."

You can catch Officer Hughes' dancing act several days a week at the corner of Interstate 10 and the eastbound entrance into Diamondhead between 3:30 and 4:15 in the afternoon.