The good guys thread

[kuhio98]

Australia's Oldest Man Spends Free Time Knitting Tiny Sweaters for Injured Penguins

Alfred "Alfie" Date, Australia's oldest living man, is putting his amazingly sharp mind and nimble hands to good use.

The 109-year-old likes to spend his free time knitting little sweaters for injured penguins from his room at a retirement home New South Wales, reports 9Stories.

Alfie picked up the hobby over 80 years, when his sister-in-law handed him a pair of needles and some wool and asked the man to knit a jumper for her baby boy.

That baby boy grew out of the jumper decades ago, but Alfie has continued to knit. The great-great-grandfather enjoys taking requests, so when two nurses asked in March if he wanted to knit sweaters for needy penguins, Alfie started stitching.

His creations were donated to Victoria's Phillip Island Penguin Foundation to help little penguins affected by an oil spill. Little penguins are a rare species only found in Australia and New Zealand, with just 32,000 living on Phillip Island.

Oil from the spill caused the penguins' feathers to stick together, allowing cold water to reach their skin. Sweaters from generous knitters like Alfie helped the birds stay warm while they waited to be cleaned up. The garments also prevented the penguins from picking at their feathers and accidentally consuming the toxic oil.

Thanks to Alfie and thousands of other knitters from around the world, Victoria's Phillip Island Penguin Foundation was overwhelmed with cozy jumpers, which allowed the foundation to fully rehabilitate many of the birds.

With this good deed done, Alfie now keeps his hands busy by knitting scarves for friends and hats for premature babies.

"It's a good way of getting along in life," Alfie said about his hobby. "You make friends all the time, but you don't make a fool of yourself either."

[Taz_Zoee]

I wish they would have shown the sweaters on real penguins and not stuffed animals.
I feel like I've actually seen them before though. Such a great thing!
And to be 109 and still able to do knitting. I am only 40-something and I can't knit!

[kuhio98]

I wish they would have shown the sweaters on real penguins and not stuffed animals...

That would be cute but I guess I'm glad they didn't have any penguins covered in oil for the photo op.

[mon]

I can't believe he knitted those sweaters in the picture. They are remarkable sweaters! I'm in awe. If I wasn't married...

[Taz_Zoee]

That would be cute but I guess I'm glad they didn't have any penguins covered in oil for the photo op.

Ahh, good point! They could have put them on clean birds just for modeling purposes. But yes, you are right. I wouldn't want to see oil soaked penguins either.

[kuhio98]

DEAR ABBY: Once again I have found that one random act of kindness begets another.

Today, I had a hankering for one of those great salads from my favorite fast food chain. It was noon, and the line from the main highway to get into the driveway was long.

When I finally was able to turn in to the ordering section, I noticed a man in his work truck trying to get into the line. We were face-to-face. I looked back, saw all the cars behind me and knew none of them were going to let him in, so I motioned for him to go ahead of me.

When I reached the window and started to pay for my order, the cashier said, "You are already paid for." I said, "What?" The man in front of me had paid for my order.

The message? Be kind -- it's good karma. -- LINDA IN ORANGE, CALIF.

DEAR LINDA: I agree. Like a stone thrown into a pond, a good deed can create ripples that extend far beyond the initial splash.

[kuhio98]

Donkey basketball raises money for Albany teacher battling cancer

http://www.kptv.com/clip/10011244/do...attling-cancer


ALBANY, OR (KPTV) - Students, staff and even a rival school rallied to support a South Albany High School teacher who is battling cancer.

A donkey basketball game was held Tuesday night for Jason Henkel, who was recently diagnosed with stomach cancer.

"When we found out he was going to be going through this, I think everyone wanted to back him up and help as much as we could," said student organizer Amanda Kelley.


Organizers hope the event, which was held at the Linn County Fairgrounds, will contribute to Henkel's future medical bills.

Kelley said donkey basketball is an old tradition at her high school, so when an opportunity emerged to bring it back for a good cause, students jumped at the chance to participate.

There were eight teams from Albany-area schools and organizations, and even a team of Henkel's doctors.

Henkel wasn't able to attend because he just underwent chemotherapy treatment.

[kuhio98]

Naugatuck student creates backpack meant for children battling cancer

A Naugatuck Elementary School student is trying to help others who are battling cancer.

The now 11-year-old student had fought the disease herself, at just 3 years old, and now she has invented a new device that is aimed at making a child's fight a little easier.

Kylie Simonds has created a backpack that is themed with Hello Kitty, lights up, but it is really a pediatric IV backpack that can easily be carried around.

“My inspiration is for all my friends that had cancer and have cancer they all inspired me to make this,” Simonds said.

The backpack would be used for children who are going through chemotherapy treatments.

Simonds thought of the idea that she thought of after being assigned to a school project.

“I had to think of an everyday problem so I thought of the everyday problem I used to have which was going to treatment and using the IV poles,” Simonds said.

She is now a sixth-grade student who fought her own battle for a full year after being diagnosed with a type of soft-tissue cancer.

She went through one month of radiation and 46 weeks of chemotherapy and said the worst part about it was wheeling around a large metal pole with an IV and all of its tubes attached to it.

“Even when I was in treatment, I thought this could be so much easier if I could think of something and I have backpacks for school and how light they are,” Simonds said. “Treatments would be so much easier for them and not as scary for them because just seeing the IV poles is scary.”

Eventually, Simonds said she wants the backpacks to be personalized for boys and girls, including different colors and themes.

She has raised $52,000 through a GoFundMe page.

“I'm hoping all the hospitals all over the country can have them and I want all the kids to be happy again,” she said.

The family's next step is making a working backpack to test out and they hope to do that in the next year.