The good guys thread

[kuhio98]

BARRE, Vt. - It was a secret act of kindness that lifted spirits in Barre and has been shared more than 5,000 times on Facebook.

Kathleen Connors has a thing for bingo and doing good.

"I have been on a lucky streak with bingo and I had a pocket full of money and I like to pay it forward," said Connors, a Central Vermont Medical Center nurse.

And Saturday morning over breakfast at the L&M diner in Barre she had an idea.

"I said to the waitress 'I think I'll take care of their bill.' She says, 'do you know them?' I said, 'no, I just wanted to do it,'" Connors explained.

But when she left what she didn't realize was that her simple act of picking up the tab for a father and son she didn't know would take off in a big way. Nearly 50 additional tables followed her lead, treating folks to a meal on the house.

"Like I said before I only thought a couple tables did it, but as the day went on it kept going and going and going," said Tayler Merriam, a waitress at L&M.

"I am speechless, I'm euphoric. It's just insane," said Connors.

When Connors returned to work at CVMC Sunday night after a weekend in Massachusetts she was in for a surprise.

"I came in to work the other night and everyone was giving me kudos and high-fives. I'm like what are you talking about and then it got back to me and I was like I never told anyone," said Connors.

But when co-workers and friends heard a nurse was behind the simple act of kindness they knew it had to be Connors.

"She always has a great personality when she comes in. Always wicked bubbly, always good morning and a smile on her face," said Merriam

The constant optimism, caring heart and generous spirit might be hard to come by for those in similar shoes. Connors made the move to Barre from Massachusetts looking for a fresh start after more than a year without work.

"I came here 10 months ago because I had no job and I took on a big move and I had nothing when I came here and it was my way of wanting to pay it forward and make someone else feel good the way I feel good. I am very grateful," said Connors.

She says buying breakfast for a family she didn't know was the least she could do for a community that's welcomed her as one of its own.

"This is my way of showing my appreciation for Vermont. I love Vermont and I couldn't be happier. I love where I work, I love where I live and I love the people around me," said Connors.

It's love that started in a dinner and is now inspiring others all over the world.

[kuhio98]

This put a smile on my face today.

[kuhio98]

I Almost Gave Up on Pet Adoption, Then Came Ike
By Peggy Frezon, October 13, 2014

I might have given up on pet adoption. After all, my husband Mike and I had been through one adoption fail, one adoption that ended with a broken heart, and countless months of searching shelters and rescue groups, just missing out on dogs that seemed the right match. Yup, I might have given up. Then came Ike.

Last spring Mike and I walked a pebbled park path, a lanky golden retriever trotting cautiously at our side. “What do you think, do you want him?” Lex asked. Lex was the volunteer from Peppertree rescue group.

The dog was about 9 years old, too skinny, with patchy gold fur that hinted at allergies. His teeth were mostly broken stubs. Lex told us that he’d been shut away from a female dog in heat and chewed through a wooden door to get to her.

“He gets car sick,” she said, handing us some pills to settle his stomach. Was this supposed to convince us? I struggled to decide what was right for us, right for the dog.

Basically, all I knew was that his name had been Buddy and the rescue group had renamed him Burleigh, neither name we’d likely keep. That, and he was apparently a lusty fellow.

We stopped walking, and Mike stooped down and put a hand on the dog’s golden head. He leaned in close and talked softly. This was Mike’s way, a little tête-à-tête, a private attempt to evaluate the dog’s capacity to trust and bond.

“Did you make a connection?” I whispered.

“Yes, a little,” he returned.

Still, I wasn’t sure. We took Buddy/Burleigh home, renamed him Ike, and surrounded him with love. Even our resident bossy female dog, Kelly, accepted him.

The four of us went out on walks, played in the yard, and relaxed in the living room in the evenings. All seemed to be going well, but it takes a little time for pet adoptions to shake out. Sometimes new dogs put on their company manners for a while.

One night, a week or so after we got him, Ike came up to me and sat at my feet. I stroked his head, thinking how difficult it must have been to leave everything he knew, to adjust to a new home and new family.

Yet, each morning he greeted me with jumps of joy and faithfully followed at my heels all day. He’d never once given me anything but love. He looked in my eyes, and I saw that trust. And we made a connection.

Ike is gentle, adorable, loving, and devoted. I’m so glad we gave him a chance. And we’ll forever give adoption a chance. It isn’t always easy. It isn’t always quick. But when you end up giving a homeless dog a sense of security that enables love and trust, it’s all worthwhile.

October is National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. There are millions more homeless dogs (and cats) than there are people who adopt from shelters. Adopting a shelter pet can be life-saving.

Adopting also means refusing to support cruel factory breeding organizations called puppy mills. Puppy mills will continue to operate until people stop purchasing from them. So, if you’re thinking of adding a dog to your family, please consider adoption.

And tell them Ike sent you.

[kuhio98]

Katie Driscoll calls it a campaign – but others might call it a crusade.

Either way, for the past two years she has been on a vigorous mission to help cast children and adults with intellectual disabilities or physical differences in advertisements ranging from local to international.

"We're a society that's all about inclusion for children," Driscoll, 40, of Palos Park, Illinois, tells PEOPLE. "But when you look at imagery, you almost never see children with disabilities of any kind."

In 2012, she and her friend, Steve English, created a website, Changing the Face of Beauty, to promote the use of special-needs models in mainstream ads.

The response has been astonishing.

They have helped at least 20 models from all over the world land gigs – and those are just the ones they know about.

"I tell companies and designers: 'When you're putting your advertising out there for all to see, why wouldn't you include someone with a disability?' " says Driscoll.

Holly Ramsburg is one grateful parent.

"What Katie is doing with her campaign is life-changing for a lot of us," says Ramsburg, 44, of Naperville, Illinois, whose 8-year-old daughter has Down Syndrome and has been in several ads promoted by Driscoll's campaign.

It all started with Driscoll's youngest child, four-year-old Grace, who has Down Syndrome. After having five boys, Driscoll was delighted to finally have a reason to buy girls' clothing and started posting photos of Grace wearing every new outfit on her blog.

She then reached out to small online vendors to see if they might be interested in using Grace to model their products to show people that "Grace is more than just her diagnosis."

After forming the website, Driscoll began sending pictures of Grace and other special-needs kids she'd photographed to various companies, urging them to consider using special-needs models in their mainstream ads.

As word of her campaign spread through social media, she was inundated with photos of special-needs individuals – including individuals with Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, dwarfism, autism, reliance on devices such as wheelchairs, etc. – sent by parents or guardians from all over the world.

Most of those images were transferred from the campaign's website to its Facebook page for public viewing, where company reps can view the portfolio and contact Driscoll or English if they're interested in using any of the models. Driscoll then puts the company reps in touch with the families.

"There's more than $200 billion in discretionary spending from individuals with disabilities, so why wouldn't they be represented?' " says Driscoll, who also runs a small, separate commercial photography business out of her home.

She also champions inclusion.

"Often, when I talk to advertisers, they say: 'Great idea! We'd love to do a campaign celebrating special-needs children!' " she says. "And I say, 'No, I'm talking about including, say, one child who has a difference, along with everyone else in the ad.' "

Driscoll is grateful for responses from agencies like Chicago-based Real Talent Inc., which specializes in representing "real people" as models. Last year, agency founder Markus Giolas signed 18 models from the CTFOB database.

"I wish there were more people at high levels demanding 'real' models like the ones Katie is promoting," Giolas says, "because the more people see those models in mainstream advertising, the more they'll become comfortable with it."

Driscoll's campaign has benefitted from some celebrity support, including Maria Shriver. The Kennedy family member championed the effort on her blog.

But for Driscoll, the most important feedback is from the parents themselves – like one mother whose 23-year-old daughter is profoundly disabled and non-verbal.

"She told me, 'Thank you for changing my perception of my daughter,' " says Driscoll.

The mother also told Driscoll: " 'I've gone through life viewing my daughter as a disabled child,' and now I see her as a beautiful young woman – and I see opportunity for her.' "

[kuhio98]

GRANDVILLE, Mich. — Two young girls from Zeeland are making a world of a difference in the lives of animals still in search of their forever home.

Raina Bredweg, 11, and Taylor Bredweg, 6, donated a $300 check along with a letter and adrawing to the Lake Haven Animal Rescue in Newaygo.

The girls’ mother, Angela Bredeweg, says she’s extremely proud of her kids. adding that they chose the Lake Haven Animal Rescue right away because of it’s no-kill policy.

Volunteers at the shelter say donations can be hard to come by, but when they do come in, they can go a long way.

The shelter plans to name two kittens after the girls in honor of their selfless act.

The shelter also says there’s lots of ways for people in West Michigan to get involved.

The Lake Haven Animal Rescue is holding adoption events at the Pet Supplies Plus in Grandville on Saturdays.

[kuhio98]

ROCKY HILL, CT (WFSB) - A Kosovo native, who is a barber in Rocky Hill, said he was brought to the United States with the help of American soldiers.

On this Veterans Day, Nazim Saliu gave back to them by cutting their hair for free on Tuesday.

Saliu, also known as “Noli,” is a barber who is living a dream in his Rocky Hill salon. It's a dream that didn't seem possible when he was in his native Kosovo in the late 1990s.

"When I was in a refugee camp, how they help me and brought me here,” Saliu said. “It's my favor to do.”

Saliu and his family were chased out of their native Kosovo where war was leaving thousands dead. The United States Military came to the rescue and Saliu got a new chance in this country.

After living in Minnesota for about nine years, Saliu said he knew it was time to make some kind of change and that's what ultimately brought him to Connecticut where he has been living with his family and cutting hair now for almost seven years.

That is why Saliu offered free haircuts to any veteran, police officer or firefighter all day on Tuesday at his salon Noli's.

“I like to help pay back whenever they need me,” Saliu said.

His offer started at 9 a.m. on Tuesday at his salon which is located at 2409 Main St., in Rocky Hill. For more information, call the salon at 860-563-1670.

"That makes me feel good that people appreciate what we do because we get a lot of negative most of the time, you know,” Ronald Tarpey, of Rocky Hill, said. “It's good to get a positive from everybody."

Noli made it clear to Eyewitness News on Tuesday that this offer is not about him, but about the people in the US Military.

“We come here all the time for our haircuts,” said veteran Robert Bright, who served in the US Air Force during Vietnam War. “He's a real nice guy.”

The shop was full all Tuesday with veterans taking advantage of the deal. There was a line earlier in the day. People stopped by to drop off food and donations for those men and women who served in the military.

It's a service that should not be forgotten.

"I have a lot of respect for these men and what they've been through a lot,” Saliu said. “They deserve to be treated well."

Read more: http://www.wfsb.com/story/27355829/r...#ixzz3IsGLYktP