The good guys thread

[kuhio98]

Couple cancels traditional wedding to give back to others

"Shocked and frozen." Those are two words that Mark and Ismini Svensson say perfectly describe their families' reaction to their unique wedding plans.

Instead of having a typical ceremony, complete with cake and family photos, the couple chose a different path: To celebrate their love by sharing good deeds across the country with people they'd never met.

For past two years, the newlyweds have been spending their wedding budget to perform one act of kindness in each of the 50 states. The Svenssons plan to complete their mission this spring.

The New York-based couple met as students, while attending Georgetown University. They say it was their mutual love of volunteerism and community activism that drew them together.

"It just clicked," says Mark Svensson. "We both had this passion within us."

While in the midst of selecting a venue for a more traditional wedding ceremony, they had a change of heart.

"We were actually planning a big wedding reception and honeymoon," Ismini says. "We realized that our way of celebrating our love would be different, and we came up with 50 Acts of Giving Back."

For Ismini, the idea of sharing goodwill in place of a wedding also became a special way to honor the legacy of her father, a civil engineer and philanthropist who taught her the importance of making a difference.

"The father of the bride plays important role on the wedding day, and I realized my father wouldn't be there."

Ismini says her father suddenly passed away from heart attack while hosting a charity event that gave college scholarships to underserved youth. At that event, Ismini's father delivered his last speech -- focusing on the importance of love and the importance of giving back.

So, Mark and Ismini ditched the idea of a formal wedding. No flower bouquet was tossed. No speeches were made, and no family pictures taken. The New York couple quietly exchanged vows at a courthouse.

They named their mission, "50 Acts of Giving Back" and took to Facebook and Twitter for suggestions of where to go. Soon the couple was overwhelmed with responses. They say each stated visited was the result of an online discussion.

After sharing their idea on social media, their friends and followers echoed the message through Facebook shares and retweets. Using the hashtag #50Acts, the Svenssons say they were contacted by people across the country in need of their support. What started as a way to honor the legacy of Ismini's father became an online campaign to promote the couple's first love: volunteerism.

"Social media, whether it's a post or a tweet, can impact your world," Mark says. "It may seem small, but it can go a long way."

After hearing of their initiative, Mark and Ismini say others were so inspired by their story, people began to donate to their cause. The couple continued to self-fund "50 Acts of Giving Back" but used the monetary donations to start a nonprofit, StayUNITED. This way they would be able to continue their charitable work once their 50 state journey was completed.

After selecting a location with the help of their online friends, the Svenssons rented a car and drove to each state. Although challenging, it became the Svenssons best way to travel as they soon learned they were expecting their first child! After their daughter Rafealla was born, the couple hit the road again with her in the backseat.

"She became a part of this journey. She was always with us," Ismini says. "Everybody loved her. The baby became like the little mascot."

In Asheville, North Carolina, they brought flowers and presents to patients suffering from cancer. In Aramillo, Texas they assisted elderly men and women with grocery shopping. In Connecticut, the couple participated in an adaptive sports camp for children with disabilities. At the conclusion of the camp, the couple says they presented gifts to the children.

"Because of all the support received from all over the U.S., we realized this journey is much bigger than a wedding," Ismini says.

Although rewarding, the couple admits there were challenges. In addition to handling the daily tasks of having a newborn, Mark and Ismini balanced worked schedules as well. Working in a family business allowed them the flexibility to travel, but they say coordination was key.

"Some states you literally have to drive seven hours just to get to the next area," Mark commented. "It's definitely something you have to be mentally prepared for."

The couple's next move? The Midwest, Pacific Northwest, Hawaii and Alaska. They hope to wrap up their journey by spring of 2015.

"We believe in a chain reaction of kindness," Ismini says. "It's all about realizing us doing our part in something much bigger than ourselves and giving back."

Photos of some of their adventures are here: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/02/02/wo...ess/index.html

[kuhio98]

Anonymous Stranger Buys Wedding Dress for Cash-Strapped Bride-to-Be

When Elizabeth Jensen realized she couldn't afford her dream wedding dress, she probably didn't expect to have a fairy tale ending.

While the 21-year-old was admiring the dress at the pop-up shop Elizabeth Cooper Designs in Provo, Utah, last Friday, a fellow shopper and bride-to-be, who remains anonymous, offered to purchase the dress for Jensen.

"I said, 'Are you sure?' Because it's just not the norm," Carrie Ling, the bridal store owner, told the Deseret News. "I'm still flabbergasted. I don't know why she did it."

"It's unusual for a customer to walk out empty-handed, so I was shocked when I tried to help the anonymous lady pick out a dress and she instead told me that she wanted to help one of the five women in the store at the time," Ling told PEOPLE.

She pointed to Jensen and said that she wanted to help her because she was shopping alone, while the others had one or two people with them.

Jensen had her eye on the frock, but couldn't afford the dress's $480 price tag. She is currently a full-time student at Brigham Young University. Her father is also currently unemployed, making money tight for the family.

When Ling approached Jensen with the news, she immediately started crying.

"She told us her story and how grateful she was and really blessed that it happened to her," Ling said.

The store caters to brides on a budget, but none of the employees have ever seen such a sweet gesture happen out of the blue like this.

"The fact there was somebody in the store watching me and seeing how much I loved the dress and taking the time," Jensen, who is one of eight children, said. "She didn't even know me."

Jensen's fiancé, Jimmy Gillespie, proposed to her last month and they are set to wed on May 1. She wants the stranger to know that she has an open invitation to the wedding.

"We want to have our marriage built upon that principle of giving to other people," Jensen told ABC News.

[kuhio98]

Matt Zeller and Janis Shinwari Saved Each Other's Lives – and Now Help Others

Pinned in a foxhole and low on bullets, CIA intelligence analyst Matthew Zeller thought that April 28, 2008, was his day to die.

And indeed, it almost was.

Two Afghan Taliban soldiers were sneaking up behind him, ready to shoot, when suddenly, Zeller heard an AK-47 go off next to his head.

He turned and saw Janis Shinwari – an Afghan interpreter he had met for a few minutes just days before. Shinwari had shot both enemy soldiers, saving Zeller's life.

"I made a promise right there," Zeller, now 33, tells PEOPLE, "that if he ever needed my help, I would be there. Janis taught me a lot about loyalty and brotherhood that day."

Zeller kept that promise.

He worked with Shinwari, 36, for the next year until he returned to the States, unaware that back in Afghanistan, Shinwari was receiving death threats for his role in helping U.S. military men and women. The Taliban stuck a note on Shinwari's door late one night: "We are coming to kill you."

The married father of two had applied for a visa to emigrate to the U.S. in 2011, thinking it would be approved in a few months. Instead it took two years and only happened with the help of Zeller, the close friend Shinwari calls "my brother."

"He had to go into hiding with his wife and kids for more than two years," says Zeller. "I'll never forget the day he called and asked me to 'help get him out of this hell.' "

Zeller called in favors with the U.S. embassy and raised $35,000 to help his friend. After passing two polygraph tests, Shinwari was cleared to leave.

Now the two are assisting other translators who have fought alongside U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan through No One Left Behind, a nonprofit they started last spring.

Currently neighbors in Arlington, Virginia, Zeller and Shinwari have helped 60 families with visa applications, rent money and housing, and helped translators furnish their homes and find jobs.

"These people have helped us and they should not be abandoned," says Zeller, who now works full-time for No One Left Behind, and is a divorced dad with a young daughter. "They've earned their visas and now it's our turn to help them."

With a backlog of some 6,000 applicants at the State Department, Shinwari's story is not uncommon, says Katherine Reisner of the Iraqi Refugee Assistance Project.

"The application process is daunting," she says, "and these people are moving their families from house to house every night because they're on a death list and the electricity is always going out. Imagine how difficult that would be. No One Left Behind is simply a terrific idea."

Soon after Shinwari, his wife Srozan, and their kids arrived stateside in October 2013, Shinwari landed a job as an immigration-services liaison with Virginia Rep. Jim Moran. When Moran recently retired, Shinwari started a new career as an accountant.

He and Zeller started No One Left Behind with the leftover funds Zeller had raised, helping their first translator, Ajmal Faqiri, once an interpreter in Afghanistan for former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, in January 2014.

"Janis and Matt helped me to get a car and they arranged to give us furniture, food, anything we needed," says Faqiri, how a volunteer with No One Left Behind.

"They furnished my house completely," he says. "It was amazing. I am so grateful."

It's the least they can do, says Shinwari.

"Everybody comes with one suitcase and nothing else," he says.

"There are thousands like me in Afghanistan," he says. "These people are living in fear for years. After all they've done for the United States, it is our duty to help them."

[kuhio98]

Bella's Blessing - The black Lab that introduced him to the love of his life sent an emissary to his wedding.
by Michael Gordon

Tall pines framed an elegant outdoor amphitheater nestled in the Wallowa Mountains. This small ranch in Joseph, Oregon, was truly the ideal place for Kara and me to be married. We loved the outdoors.

Looking out at the scenery on the morning of the ceremony, I marveled that this was everything we wanted when we got engaged. Well, almost everything, I reminded myself. There was one thing missing: Bella. And she was the reason we were here in the first place.

Six years ago to the day, I’d just finished competing in the Black Diamond Triathlon in Enumclaw, Washington. I was pretty proud that I’d raced well, having swam, biked and run 32 miles.

I was waiting to accept my award when a black Labrador retriever wandered over to me and licked my leg. “Bella! Come back here,” another triathlete said when she saw what her dog was doing. “Sorry about that.” Bella flopped down at my feet.

“No problem,” I said. “My name’s Michael.” Kara introduced herself. We’d heard of each other before—the triathlon community is pretty small—but we may never have actually met if it weren’t for Bella.

As I got to know Kara, I got to know Bella. I got to love the way she jumped around me to get attention, begged me to play fetch or tug-of-war. The three of us became inseparable. We planned to make her a part of our wedding ceremony, but Bella died just two months before the big day.

“We’ll just have to imagine her here with us,” Kara said, coming up behind me. She couldn’t even see my face, but she knew what I was thinking. “Let’s get ready for the first part of the day.”

Kara and I were both signed up to participate in a local triathlon just minutes from the ranch. Some of the guests thought we were a little crazy to compete in a multi-stage endurance race the morning of our wedding, but without Bella, we were glad for a special way to commemorate how we’d met.

“I like to think she will be running right along with us all the way,” Kara said as we stretched and warmed up.

“She won’t have trouble keeping up with us, now that she’s got her angel wings,” I said. I was trying to be cheerful, but I really missed her. The day that was supposed to be perfect couldn’t be perfect without her.

I ran wearing my vest and tie. Kara attached a wedding veil to her bike helmet. A few members of the wedding party joined in as well. Some of them had raced in the same triathlon where Bella had brought us together.

Friends and family cheered us on from the sidelines and the locals loved our “formal” triathlon attire. Kara and I finished in the top tier.

We headed back to the ranch to make our final preparations for the main event. As we got out of the car, something on the grounds caught my eye. Something black with a long tail.

“That dog looks just like Bella,” I said. Kara turned to look. The strange dog bucked excitedly whenever someone showed her attention and begged games of fetch from the kids.

“She acts just like Bella too,” Kara said. “Those are her mannerisms.”

One of the owners of the ranch hurried up to us. “I’m sorry,” she said, gesturing to the dog. “Luna just loves being around people. We can keep her inside for the day if you want, so she doesn’t bother anyone.”

“No, she’s great! I love having her here,” Kara said. “She reminds me of my old Lab. She couldn’t be here today....” She smiled over at Bella’s look-alike, who was now engaged in a fierce game of tug-of-war. Just like Bella used to do, I thought.

Kara and I went inside to shower and change in record time. We reemerged to find our guests settling themselves in the cool shade of the little amphitheater. I lined up with the minister and my groomsmen beneath the grove of pine trees that surrounded the ranch. Musicians played as my bride began her walk down the aisle.

Just as Kara reached me, I felt something touch my leg. I looked down. There was Luna, flopped at my feet, an exact likeness of Bella the day she’d introduced me to the love of my life. Luna lay there, pressed against my leg, while Kara and I said our vows and pledged to spend our lives together.

It was the perfect wedding. Bella may not have been there, but she’d found a way to give us her blessing by way of the Rainbow Bridge.

[Tashia]

Nice story and link. Thanks!! Hearing about others caring and doing good reminds me that I am not alone!!

[Taz_Zoee]

Oh, that story brought on the tears.

RIP Bella!!

[Karen]

Aww, like the Border Collie emissary that attended Uncle Mac's funeral.

[kuhio98]

Xena, Warrior Dog
She’d run out of ideas to help her special needs son.
Linda Hickey

I picked up popsicle sticks from the den floor. I’d spent all afternoon writing words on them, trying to make it fun for my younger son, Jonny, to speak...or even just to repeat the sentence that my husband, Grant, and I had been practicing with him for months: “Do you want to play?”

It didn’t work. Nothing worked. Jonny knew how to read, though not at his grade level. He knew how to speak too, but no one could get more than a word or two out of him, if that. I’d tried every idea I could think of, talked to God about it the way I talked to him about everything. But Jonny was eight years old. If he couldn’t speak in sentences and hold a conversation by now, would he ever?

It went beyond unlocking his speech. If Jonny could talk, it would open a whole world of possibilities for him. He would be able to connect with people, maybe make a friend. That was what I wanted for him more than anything.

Jonny didn’t hit the developmental milestones that our older son, Christian, had. Things that didn’t faze other kids, like picking up food with his hands or having someone stand too close to him, freaked him out.

He was two when we got the diagnosis: autism. I could hardly say the word. I avoided telling people. I didn’t want them to judge him. We tried physical, speech and occupational therapies. Special diets. Medication. Nothing changed.

Jonny was content to be with his family, but he ignored everyone else, even our two gentle old dogs. It broke my heart to see him retreat into himself, playing all alone. In some ways that was harder to take than his other behavioral extreme—uncontrollable meltdowns.

I never knew what would set him off. Once in the deli line at the supermarket, he’d started hyperventilating. Was it something he smelled? The sight of the deli meats? People crowding him? “Jonny, focus,” I said. He stared through me. Then he fell to the floor, kicking and screaming.

“Is he okay?” other customers asked. I’d hurried Jonny out of the store. I didn’t say what I was thinking. No, he’s not okay. He probably never will be.

I felt ashamed for thinking that. I hadn’t given up hope for Jonny, but I’d run out of ideas to help him. I was so discouraged, so exhausted. I flopped now onto the couch. The local news was on.

A horrifying image. A fawn-colored puppy on a veterinarian’s exam table, covered in scabs, so emaciated it was hard to believe she was alive. The reporter mentioned that the rescue group had set up a Facebook page under “Xena, the Warrior Puppy.” They were hoping she would pull through.

I grabbed my laptop and went to the page. “Xena appears to be a four-month-old Lab mix,” the post read. “Her nose scabs are likely from trying to escape a locked crate where she had no access to food. Her chances of survival are less than one percent.”

My heart went out to the little dog. “Please let Xena live,” I asked God. Like I said, I talk to him about everything.

The next morning before the boys woke up I checked Facebook. “Xena made it through the night and she’s eating!” Yes!

From then on, I checked her page several times a day. Grant teased me about my new obsession. I wasn’t the only one. Xena had more than 9,000 followers. Little by little, she grew stronger.

It might sound strange that I got emotionally invested in a dog I’d never met, but Xena was so inspiring. She’d been given almost no chance of surviving, yet here she was, thriving. A warrior, all right. I wasn’t holding out for something that miraculous for Jonny, but maybe there was hope for him yet.

I saw an update one afternoon saying there would be a meet and greet with Xena in November, about two months after I’d seen her on TV. I told Grant. “Isn’t that for people looking to adopt her?” he asked.

I nodded. “I know it’s crazy to take on another dog now,” I said. “But we would give her lots of love.”

Grant’s expression softened. “Okay,” he said. “Just don’t get your hopes up. I’ll bet tons of people want to give her a home. And there’s no guarantee she’d get along with our dogs.” He didn’t have to add, What about Jonny? There was no telling how he’d react.

A few days before the meet and greet, I found out something else that gave me pause. A Facebook update said that Xena wasn’t a Lab mix after all. She was a pit-bull mix. I’d seen scary stories on the news about pit bulls attacking people. Could they be trusted around kids, especially one as unpredictable as Jonny?

“I don’t know about this anymore,” Grant said.

“Me either,” I admitted. But then I thought about how I didn’t want people to judge Jonny because he had autism. How could I write off an entire breed of dog? “Maybe we should just see what she’s like.”

“Fine,” Grant said with a sigh.

The meet and greet was packed. People milling around, even TV news crews. I tensed. What if Jonny freaked out? “Don’t worry,” Grant said. “We won’t stay long.”

We were there maybe five minutes. Just long enough for me to thank Chrissy, the woman who had rescued Xena, for bringing me so much hope the past couple of months. And to see Xena make her entrance. She seemed totally friendly, darting up to people, unafraid despite her history of abuse. That made me want her all the more.

At home I filled out an application to adopt Xena. There were no questions about family members with disabilities. If they weren’t asking, I wasn’t telling. That night, as I made dinner, Grant turned on the news. “Linda!” he called. “It’s the meet and greet.”

I ran to the den. There was Xena. “She’s running straight to Jonny! Did he actually smile at her?”

“I can’t believe I forgot to tell you,” Grant said. “It happened so fast, and we were in such a rush to leave.”

Three months went by and I didn’t hear from the rescue group. All I could do was keep praying and checking Xena’s Facebook page.

Finally, I got a call from Chrissy. “We considered the applications carefully,” she said. “We think your family would be a good fit. Would you like to take Xena for a trial visit?”

I shouted yes so loud I think God might have needed earplugs in heaven.

Xena was dropped off that Monday morning to meet our other dogs before Jonny came home from school. The dogs sniffed each other, then ambled around the house together. Well, the other dogs ambled. Xena bounded.

Time to pick up Jonny. I opened the van door and Xena hopped right into his booster seat. “Make yourself at home,” I said, laughing.

The carpool line seemed to take forever. Finally Jonny slid open the door.

“Remember Xena?” I said.

His eyes lit up. Xena hopped out of the booster seat. Jonny got in. His seat belt clicked. Then I heard something else.

“Mom, look! She has four legs! And two eyes. And two ears. And she’s brown and white. And she has a booboo on her nose.”

My breath hitched. Did Jonny just talk? In complete sentences? How could that be? After all these years.…

“That’s right, honey,” I said.

“She needs a Band-Aid for the booboo,” Jonny declared.

Now I was the one who couldn’t speak.

Xena jumped into Jonny’s lap, crowding him. He giggled, not minding one bit.

Xena became a part of our family. She’s gotten Jonny to open up in many ways. Not only did he get over his phobia of touching food, he makes her dinner every night. He chatters nonstop and even got an award at school for his friendliness. He marches right up to people at the supermarket and says, “Give me a hug!”

I took over Xena’s Facebook page. I proudly tell thousands of people about Jonny’s autism and the incredible difference Xena has made.

“What kind of dog is Xena?” I like to ask Jonny.

“She’s a warrior, Mom!” he says.

“That’s right. Just like you.”

Miracles too, both of them. That’s what I talk to God about these days.

[Taz_Zoee]

Love the Xena story. Although, it was difficult to read the end through the tears of joy!!

[kuhio98]

Community thanks beloved mailman with notes, money for trip to Hawaii

LAYTON — Mailman Brent Coulam’s 42 years of service in a Layton community went far beyond delivering letters.

As a token of thanks, residents of the West Layton neighborhood where Coulam worked surprised him by attaching balloons to mailboxes filled with thank-you notes and gifts Saturday, the last day before his retirement. They even gathered “fun money” for him to use on a vacation in Hawaii.

“He was very touched,” resident Andrea Abbott said. “He even got teary-eyed a couple of times. A lot of people just made the effort to come out and say goodbye and give him hugs. We had little kids out there. He loved those little kids and would always wave and talk to them.”

Coulam helped a lot of people in many ways, according to Abbott. He’s been delivering her mail since she moved into the neighborhood 22 years ago.

Examples of Coulam’s acts of service include carrying groceries and taking mail directly to residents' doors when he knew someone in the family was sick. A couple of weeks ago, he noticed a truck on fire and ran up to the home to let the owners know.

“They ran out, and he stayed out there with them and tried to help put the fire out until the fire department came,” Abbott said. “Then he went on his way, but he saved that family’s home from being destroyed by a car fire.”

Despite all the praise, Coulam remains humble.

"It's just part of the job," he said. "It really is part of the job. You're supposed to keep our eye on the public.”

During his decades of service, Coulam became close with many of the people on his route. Neighbors said he always took the time to chat with people who were outside and remembered what family members were doing.

"I have kids in this neighborhood who have kids who are grown," he said.

[kuhio98]

Cape Coral firefighters rescue trapped ducklings

family of ducks fell into a storm drain in Mid cape on Monday.

Shortly before 10 a.m., resident Sandy Pizarro saw a mother duck and about 10 ducklings along NE 15 Place west of Del Prado.

“When I first saw them there was about 6-8 or so, but when I looked again when taking my daughter to the school bus I only saw four.”

When leaving again a short time later there was only one duckling and soon that one disappeared. Pizarro approached a dental office for help who in turn called the fire department.

Firefighters responded and discovered the ducklings had fallen through a very narrow grate at the entrance to Capri Commons. There was no way to open up the area and get down to the ducklings, which were approximately 2-3 feet below ground.

It didn’t take long for the crews to come up with a safe way to get to the ducks.

“Since there was no way to get down to the ducks, and since ducks love water, it made sense to float the ducks up to within reach,” said Michael Heeder, Public Information Officer for the Cape Coral Fire Department.

Firefighters used tank water to fill the drain. As the water rose inside the catch basin, the ducks floated toward the grate.

Engineer Todd Clark, using a pair of tongs, was able to reach in and pull the ducklings to safety all while the mother duck kept a watchful eye from a distance.

What was thought to be 8-10 ducks ended up being 20 ducklings, and all were saved by the firefighters. It took nearly an hour to catch all of the ducklings.

None of them were injured in the rescue effort and once all ducklings were removed, mother duck and children found shelter in a culvert nearby.

“While we do handle animal rescues including ducks on a fairly regular basis, each rescue itself is unique,” said Heeder. “We have to balance the need for helping with the need to have our units immediately available for fires and rescue calls in our community. That being said, we will always respond and assist when someone calls for help.”

[kuhio98]

Entire Town Secretly Learns Sign Language to Give a Deaf Man Best Day of His Life

This was no ordinary day for a man who is hearing impaired.

On Dec. 24, 2014, Muharrem and his sister, Ozlem, took a walk around their town in Instanbul only to find that everyone they encountered greeted them in sign language.

In this Samsung commercial to promote the company's new video call center for the hearing impaired, the town is shown learning to sign in anticipation of the big day. Video cameras were also placed around the city and to capture those moments when Muharrem was greeted at a bagel shop, or offered an apple, or being apologized to when a woman bumps into him – all delivered in sign language.

As the events unfolded, Muharrem grew increasingly confused along the way, until he came to a Samsung representative and a sign that explained what was going on. The rep also signed to him, "A world without barriers is our dream as well."

What follows is a greeting by neighbors as Muharrem tears up and hugs them all.

[kuhio98]

Shawn and Alisa Johnson Find Homes for Dogs While Their Owners are Deployed

Instead of being forced to relinquish their pets, active members of the military now have a place to house their pets during deployment: Dogs on Deployment.

DoD connects members of the military with able-bodied individuals willing to take in their pets while they serve their country.

The organization came to fruition in June of 2011 when San Diego natives Alisa Sieber-Johnson (now a first lieutenant of the U.S. Marine Corps) and her husband, Shawn Johnson (a lieutenant of the U.S. Navy) struggled to find someone to watch their two Australian shepherds when they were being stationed on opposite coasts.

"We didn't have immediate family who could keep our dogs," Sieber-Johnson, 27, tells PEOPLE. "Our organization exists to ensure that your pets can stay a part of your family no matter what."

So far, DoD has provided over 650 members of the military with boarding placement and financial support across the United States and abroad.

"It's important to know that your dogs are in a safe and comfortable environment while you're away – whether it's for a weekend or several years," says Sieber-Johnson.

When U.S Army 1st Lt. Gretchen Zilka, 25, and her husband, Lt. Benedict Zilka, 25, prepared to deploy from Fort Bliss, Texas to Afghanistan in April 2013, her husband was also deploying, though a few months later, in November.

They had no idea what to do with Tango, their five-year-old terrier mix.

DoD found Amanda Lopez-Askin – an animal rights advocate from Las Cruces, New Mexico – and the couple knew they were in good hands. Lopez-Askin, 40, cared for Tango for nine months.

"Dogs on Deployment laid out everything for us – from contracts to veterinary care," Lopez-Askin tells PEOPLE. "It's a one-stop shop; and they made it easy."

Lopez-Askin assured the Zilkas that she and her family would be equipped to do right by them and their dog because no person serving his or her country should have to stress over finding a secure home for his or her pet upon being deployed.

"We were going to make sure that [Tango] was very well taken care of," Askin tells PEOPLE.

"I think that anybody who really appreciates the sacrifice that soldiers make in their personal lives can get on board with [DoD]," she says, "And if they love animals, it's the perfect marriage between the two things."

Sieber-Johnson says the group gives soldiers something priceless: peace of mind.

"To take on a mission, your mind needs to be in a healthy place in order to have a successful deployment," she says, "and you need to be mentally, physically and emotionally set to deploy."

[cassiesmom]

Sunday started out as a normal day waiting tables for Claire Hudson.

The 25-year-old was working a double shift for her job at local burger joint, Mac's Grub Shak, when something amazing happened.

"It was actually a really slow day and then this couple came in," said Hudson of Spring Hill, Tennessee. "I didn’t even realize the tip until after they were gone."

The unidentified diners had left a $36 tip on a bill that couldn't have been more than $30, Hudson told ABC News.

"I would’ve liked to have caught them and said 'hey this is awesome!,' she said. "They did it anonymously and it was really sweet."

In addition to the $36, the couple also left Hudson with a note explaining the heartfelt meaning behind the digits.

"Today is my brother's b-day," it said, written behind the credit card receipt. "He would have been 36 today. Every year I go eat his favorite meal (hot dogs) and tip the waitress his age. Happy B-day Wes."

"I was in tears when I read it," Hudson said. "I had to go in the back of the restaurant and compose myself before I went out to my other tables."

About three hours after the experience, Hudson posted an image of her customer's note on Reddit.

"When I woke up I was on the front page," she said. "It had over 1.5 million views on Imgur and 350K upvotes on Reddit."

In light of her story going viral, Hudson and the restaurant owner hope to track down the kind patron that left the tip.

"We want to see what his brother Wes liked on his hot dogs because we'd like to name a hot dog after him," she said.

"I have a friend, he was my best friend, he died about three years ago. This experience has definitely given me the idea to do the same thing on his birthday every year. It was deeply moving and just the coolest thing that’s ever happened."

[Catty1]

http://www.viralnova.com/tips-do-mat...n%202015-03-15

Instead Of A Tip, This Polite Server Was Given The Chance To Change His Life

MARCH 14, 2015

Brian Maixner recently served attorney Fred Boettcher a meal at Doo-Dah Diner in Wichita, KS. Boettcher was struck by the cheerful demeanor of Maixner, but also by Maixner's dental problems. Maixner's smile was genuine, but Boettcher recognized the signs of a painful infection, as he'd suffered from a similar condition as a child.
"He carried himself with such kindness and confidence with a mouth that looked painful. I was struck by that," Boettcher said. Maixner's predicament struck him so much that he decided to personally do something about it.


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Brian Maixner (seated) behind the scenes at the Doo-Dah Diner in Wichita.


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Instead of leaving a conventional tip, Boettcher instead asked the owner of the diner if it would be acceptable for him to fund Maixner's dental work. When Maixner heard the news, he shed tears of joy.
"This man doesn't know me and this is something I could never afford to do for myself. It touched me so much that he cared," Maixner said.
Boettcher referred Maixner to his own dentist in Ponca City, OK, who has, to date, performed thousands of dollars worth of work on Maixner's teeth.

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The before and after pictures of Maixner, showing what difference a smile can make.


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Fred Boettcher, on the left.

Boettcher is one of the first people to make lawyer jokes, but he lives by a principle of kindness and generosity. "No matter what religion you might be or whether you even believe in an afterlife, the way to be satisfied in your life is to be kind to everybody and be as generous as you possibly can be," he maintains. His daughter, Meredith Boettcher Young, was there at the diner the day he decided to help Maixner. According to her, acts of kindness like this are not out of character for her dad.
"I remember him buying groceries for people in need when we were growing up," she recalls.

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Maixner has made several trips to Boettcher's dentist in Ponca City so far, but he still has a number of procedures to go.

Today, Maixner's smile has been repaired. He's undergone several procedures that replaced his damaged teeth with temporary dentures. After a six- to eight-month healing period, those dentures will be replaced with permanent ones. And Maixner, who was cheerful even before, continues to smile brightly.

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Maixner's repaired teeth make a huge difference in his comfort, and also make him appear much younger.

(via Elite Daily, KWCH)
As for Boettcher, he maintains that he's also gained happiness by giving this gift to Maixner, who calls it a "life changer." For him, helping other people is true happiness, and he encourages all people to help others to the best of their ability.