After Years Apart, Watch This Mother Elephant Reunite With Her Baby

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Apr 9, 2015

A mother and child reunion in Thailand proves nothing can match a mother’s love — and elephants never forget.

Baby MeBai was only three years old when taken from her mother, Mae Yui, and forced to give rides tourists in Thailand as part of the country’s trekking industry. MeBai was too young and small for the job, and steadily lost weight until she could no longer carry passengers.

That’s when Elephant Nature Park stepped in, rescuing MeBai and putting her into their “Pamper a Pachyderm” program. Elephants in the program are freed from lives of work and allowed to do what elephants do — roam freely, bathe in rivers, kick up dust and hang out with other elephants.

But the Park’s officials weren’t done helping the young elephant. They
tracked down mother Mae Yui at another elephant-ride business and talked the owners into retiring the mother elephant to their sanctuary.

Reunited after nearly four years of separation, MeBai and her mother recognized each other right away. They can now be seen nuzzling one another with their trunks and flapping their ears, apparently inseparable, in this video from ENP.

When she first arrived, MeBai was uncertain of her new, unfamiliar surroundings and didn’t trust people, but she’s starting to warm up to the tourists who visit and pet her.

“MeBai was nervous and wary of people when she first arrived at the sanctuary,” says a post on the ENP website. “But she quickly learned that her new caretakers had no intention of abusing her in any way.”

Owners of the elephant ride business are currently helping ENP to rehabilitate both mother and child so they can return to the wild.

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37 years After Graduation, Student Sends High School Teacher $10,000

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Apr 9, 2015

Kevin Perz took the idea of giving his favorite teacher an apple to another level.

The Kansas businessman stunned the woman who was his beloved home economics teacher from 37 years ago with a surprise telephone call–and later a $10,000 thank-you check.

Perz, who attended Parkway Central High School in Missouri, expressed his gratitude in a letter to Marilyn Mecham using bold letters, “You were the B-E-S-T teacher EVER!”

Students Discover Math Teacher’s Secret Identity… As Baby Cuddler

After years of working with the alumni association to search for Mrs. Mecham, he finally found her son’s phone number, which led to a January reunion.

The monetary gift included a handwritten note with implicit instructions to spend the money only on herself, noting that he’d be sad otherwise.

Mecham, now 62, was a first-year teacher in 1977 when she taught Perz and his classmates how to cook.

Fifth Grader Donates Entire $300 Savings To Stop Teacher Layoffs

She was overwhelmed by his kindness, and said she would’ve been happy with just the surprise phone call.

Perz’s penchant for mailing money to former teachers began in 1992 when he sent a $5,000 check to his former calculus teacher. Twenty years later he gave his business instructor $10,000, according to ABC News.

Honoring his gift request, Mecham plans to visit her family’s homelands of Norway and Sweden.

Mecham runs a charitable effort now and says the event made her stop and think, ‘who do I want to thank’. Additionally, her post on Facebook about the incident caused many friends and strangers to comment about the teachers in their own lives who made a difference.

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75-Year-Old Jack Nicklaus Sinks Hole-in-One at Augusta (Watch)

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Terry Turner

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Apr 9, 2015

Watch @jacknicklaus makes a hole-in-one on No. 4 during the #par3contest #themasters https://t.co/R6eX1kwQo1
— Masters Tournament (@TheMasters) April 8, 2015

A winning shot at the buzzer, a Hail Mary pass into the end zone, a walk-off home run — these are the Holy Grails of their sports. But what athlete does something like that after they turn 75?

Jack Nicklaus.

The Golden Bear sank a hole-in-one at Augusta Country Club during a Masters Par-3 tournament.

Earlier in the day, he’d he joked about doing something special for his fans, even calling the shot.

“A hole-in-one?” Nicklaus said on ESPN. “Absolutely. We’ll try to get one for you.”

Nicklaus is considered the greatest golfer in history — 18 championships in 25 years, sports types are now convinced Tiger Woods will never equal him.

But in all his years playing at Augusta, Nicklaus never made a hole-in-one there, other places, but never at Augusta — probably the most prominent course in professional golf. He finally does it at the age of 75, ten years after retiring as a pro.

Teeing off at the 130-yard, fourth hole, Nicklaus drove the ball onto the green, past the flag. The ball took three bounces, then it’s spin carried it straight back into the hole. The crowd burst into applause and golfing greats Ben Crenshaw and Gary Player shared high-fives and fist-bumps with Nicklaus.

The ball and golfing glove Nicklaus used Wednesday are part of sports history now, but they’re staying in the family. The Golden Bear gave them to his grandson, Stevie.

Featured photo credit: pocketwiley, CC

5 Nonprofit Restaurants Join Jon Bon Jovi in Giving Back to Communities

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Apr 8, 2015

GNN fans will already know about Jon Bon Jovi’s Soul Kitchen, a pay-what-you-want restaurant in Red Bank, NJ. It opened in 2011 with no prices on the menu as a way to provide fresh food to low-income neighbors.

During the recent recession, the “SAME Cafe” in Denver opened, and so did several Panera nonprofit restaurants, none of which needed any cash registers.

Since 2011, more such charitable dining establishments have popped up around America.

From Atlanta to Los Angeles, Chicago to Manhattan, here are four more amazing nonprofit restaurants that lead by example when it comes to the delicious business of giving back.

(SEE the fabulous five in Affect Magazine) – Photo: Inspiration Kitchens, Chicago

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Homebound Elderly Across America Will Get The Gift of Puppy Love

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Apr 8, 2015

Many homebound elderly people are deprived of the simple joys of puppy love, but this heartbreaking fact is about to change for some American seniors.

Lacking the financial means or physical ability to care for a pet meant they had to give up the companionship they enjoyed for so many years. Fortunately, a nonprofit called Caregiver Canines is officially going national, and will be connecting four-legged visitors with seniors in Texas and Pennsylvania beginning this week.

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After a successful six-year run using therapy dogs–many of them, adopted rescue pups–in New Jersey, the group has partnered with the National Volunteer Caregiving Network to launch pilot programs around the country. Caregiver Canines is providing them with all of the guidance and materials they need to kick the program into high gear.

“Elderly who are homebound feel the loss of a dog in their lives very deeply. They generally are life-long dog owners, but sadly, find themselves at a time in their life when their medical or financial situation does not allow them to have a pet,” explains Lynette Whiteman, the Caregiver Canines founder and director.

Whiteman works for Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey, a program that assists homebound and disabled elderly with vital tasks so they can remain independent. Many of the seniors are suffering from dementia and various physical ailments, so during home visits Lynette often found it hard to engage them in conversation.

But whenever she asked if they’d had a dog, it completely changed the game.

“They would light up right away, go off to find pictures of dogs they had, and start talking about them,” said Lynette. “I thought, ‘There are therapy dogs brought into nursing homes, so why don’t we bring them into peoples’ homes?'”

One of those dogs is Daisy, a 12-year-old Cocker Spaniel who was rescued from a shelter in South Carolina. She goes with her owner, Barbara, to visit 88-year-old Violet, who is immobile because of bilateral knee replacement surgery and unable to move at home without assistance.

Violet had a Cocker Spaniel when she was a little girl, and Daisy’s visits bring back wonderful memories. Daisy always jumps up on the couch to sit right by Violet, and Violet pets her head, cuddles her, and repeats over and over how beautiful she is.

“I always had dogs, but I can’t take care of them anymore because of my knee. I’m always excited to see Daisy. She’s so sweet, she gives me all these little kisses,” said Violet. “I wish there were more people that were able to do what Barbara’s doing.”

Before leaving, Barbara always puts the date of their next visit on Violet’s calendar so she has something to look forward to.

Grieving Grandpa Surprised With a New Puppy After Wife Dies (WATCH)

“Daisy had a hard life before she was adopted. She and Violet relate to each other. They are both old and have their infirmities, but they make each other happy.”

You can help by spreading the word for the nonprofit group, Friends for Life, in Waco, Texas, which is on the hunt for therapy dogs in their area. The Share Care Faith in Action in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania is also looking. These groups will have the right to use the name “Caregiver Canines” if they follow the guidelines CVCJ set up to preserve the integrity of the program and the safety of people visited.

“Many of our clients have had dogs, either growing up or in their younger years, and truly miss having a pet around,” said Lynn Marie Heiney, Executive Director of Share Care Faith In Action. “I believe receiving a visit from a therapy dog will ease people’s depression and isolation and totally brighten their lives.”

The plan is to offer the service to about 130 sites nationwide.

“It’s really exciting,” said Whiteman. “I’m so glad that other lonely people are going to be able to experience this type of joy.”

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11-yo Super Fan with Down Syndrome Becomes EU Football Treasure

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Kristy Cooper

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Apr 8, 2015

This 11-year-old sports fan with Down Syndrome has had the “Best Day Ever” over and over again for a year–winning hearts on football pitches from Scotland to Greece.

A home video taken by his family in Northern Ireland (see below) shows the wild moment when his pro football hero, Georgios Samaras, announced live on Sky Sports Network that he won the “Goal of the Month” contest.

Jay Beatty is obsessed with Celtic football and he jumped at the chance in January to run on the pitch at half-time and kick a goal for his green and white “Bhoys”.

His enthusiasm won over the crowd so much that the Scottish Professional Football League entered the video into the Goal of the Month competition on YouTube in February. The lad won a record-breaking 97 percent of the vote.

“Jay doesn’t play with toys, he doesn’t play with anything, all he does is watch Celtic, look at Celtic books, look at Celtic magazines and listen to Celtics songs,” his father, Martin Beatty, told the BBC Radio Scotland.

Other magic football moments for the boy from Lurgan, County Armagh, include giving a pre-game pep talk to his favorite team in the locker room the day of his now-famous kick, and singing songs on the team bus.

Beatty first came to the attention of Glasgow Celtic players and fans when he was plucked out of the crowd by Georgios Samaras to celebrate the club’s Scottish Premiership title win on May 11, 2014. The two became friends and still keep in touch, though the striker has moved on to play for a Saudi team.

Samaras said Jay was a major inspiration to him during the World Cup in Brazil when he played for his national team, Greece. After scoring a last-minute goal to help his team advance, he thanked Jay during the post-match press conference. “I want to thank you for the strength you give me. “Your smile and your support gives strength to everyone. In the end, I want to say that I’m very, very proud that you’re my friend. So I hope to see you soon, buddy.”

Jay was thrilled to be able to see his buddy “Sammy,” not in person, but appearing on the television screen to announce his victory in the Goal of the Month contest in February, “Jay, it’s great to see you scoring goals like me… Well done on such a great job – I miss you and hope to see you soon.”

(WATCH the videos, including his reaction to win, his goal, and his hero carrying him onto the field) – Photo Credit: SPF

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Parkinson’s Pen For Patients Who Want to Keep Writing Christmas Cards

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Apr 8, 2015

One of the most bothersome things about Parkinson’s Disease is when it forces your handwriting to become tiny and unreadable, even when you try your darnedest to make it look larger.

A new vibrating pen helps overcome this disorder, which is called micrographia and is one of the earliest symptoms common to almost all Parkinson’s patients. Called “ARC”, the pen improved writing in 86% of cases.

Created by Dopa Solution, the pen uses high-frequency vibrating motors to stimulate muscles in the hand to address the progressively smaller, more cramped handwriting.

11-Year-old Invents Non-spill Cup for Grandfather With Parkinson’s

Keith Welton, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2010, was one of 14 people with micrographia in the original tests of the ARC prototype.

He noticed a marked difference immediately. Without the pen, he said, no matter how hard he would fight to keep his writing large, “I’d end up with virtually a straight line.” The ARC to him, was like magic.

“I started with very big writing, for some reason that I can’t explain,” he said in the Dopa video, before chuckling at the results. “It just went large.”

”We heard stories of how frustrating it was for people with Parkinson’s who were still working, or who wanted to write a card, sign documents, anything that had to do with writing,” Lucy Jung, one of the ARC designers said. “We went through lots of different possible solutions with the participants and found out that with the right frequency it increased size of the writing.”

The thick, ergonomic design of ARC makes it easy to hold. It also rests in a recharging stand when not in use so users don’t have to struggle with replacing batteries.

And this may be the first in a whole series of tools for people affected by Parkinson’s, designed by this team of mechanical engineering and design students from the Royal College of Art, Imperial College London.

“As our theory of using vibration works for other tools,” Jung told wired.co.uk. “It could be [used in] make-up tools, brushes, computer mice and other tools.”

The pen is still a prototype and the team is looking for funders, manufacturers and distributors for further development.

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Veterans Ensure Safe Passage for Chicago Kids Walking To School

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Good News Network

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Apr 7, 2015

U. S. Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are keeping youngsters safe on their walk to and from school in Chicago. The successful program was born out of a most unlikely beginning — college loan debt.

Eli Williamson and Roy Sartin, both veterans and both struggling with student loan payments after leaving the service, created Leave No Veteran Behind looking for a way to help veterans pay off that debt.

“What if we were to raise dollars,” Williamson said, “apply those dollars directly to the veteran’s student loan account, and then require that veteran to give back in community service once that debt has been paid?”

In US first, New Orleans Finds Homes for All its Homeless Vets

And what better community service than posting ex-Marines on the corners of Chicago’s roughest streets before and after the school bell rings each day. The “Safe Passage” program does just that, and since it’s start in 2011 nearly 400 veterans have taken part. On a typical day, as many as 130 vets and community members keep watch over Chicago neighborhoods. (See the video below)

Hakka Gurkan, a Chicago police officer and veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan came up with Safe Passage as his community service project. Gurkan not only envisioned vets keeping an eye on the kids, but also positively interacting with them. Their peacekeeping efforts cut violent crime on the gang-ridden routes by 20% in the first couple of years.

In addition to the student loan relief, the veterans are paid $10 per hour for their several hours of service each day.

“Somebody’s going to think twice because we’re there,” Whittaker said. “And because of that, there’s going to be a child that gets home safe that day.”

(WATCH the video below or READ the story at Nation Swell)

This Is How To Feed A Town With Loose Change

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Kristy Cooper

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Apr 7, 2015

A quarter won’t get you very far these days—but an innovative program in Canada, is helping folks put their loose change to good use.

April 7 is World Health Day, and what could be happier than fresh produce. As part of a “Food For Friends” program, grocery stores around Woodstock, Ontario have been inviting shoppers to add 25 cents to their check-out bill to help local families in need. The money, which is collectively transferred onto food cards, allows families the opportunity to shop for their own fresh groceries, and avoid the shame associated with visiting a traditional food bank.

It’s amazing how fast those quarters add up. Now in it’s ninth year, the initiative has raised between $75,000-$90,000 a year for the 275 families enrolled in the program— an amount equivalent to what typically feeds those families through the food bank system.

The cards are not only a more discreet method of distributing food, they’re also more efficient, cutting out the need for food truck deliveries, warehouse storage, and volunteer hours. Not a cent is used for administrative costs, and it’s a great way for people from all socioeconomic backgrounds to help others within their own community.

The program was developed by Stephen Giuliano, the Director of Operation Sharing, a group that assists low-income people in Oxford County. Giuliano hopes to use this approach with other Operation Sharing programs such as the homeless shelter, disability support and children’s services.

Believing the model could be used across Canada as a method for addressing poverty, he told The Star, “I think we can make history here.”

(WATCH the video below from CBC’s The National) – File Photo: by Old Shoe Woman, CC

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Lane Bryant Challenges Victoria’s Secret By Redefining Beauty

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Apr 7, 2015

It’s a great week to be a woman.

Regardless of what size you are, the message of this new full-figured lingerie campaign, and the French legislation passed last Friday, is clear: sexy doesn’t have to be just one size.

Let’s start with the new ad campaign everyone is buzzing about this morning, Lane Bryant’s #ImNoAngel.

The ads are clearly a dig at Victoria’s Secret, which caps its sizes at XL and 40DDD and has promoted their lingerie using super-thin models alongside the caption, “Perfect Body.” The company has caught flack about this for years, and Lane Bryant’s latest splash capitalizes on the public push for a more positive message, much like The Dove Campaign For Real Beauty did in 2004.

“Our ‘I’m No Angel’ campaign is designed to empower ALL women to love every part of herself,” Lane Bryant Chief Executive Officer Linda Heasley said in a statement. “Lane Bryant firmly believes that she is sexy and we want to encourage her to confidently show it, in her own way.”

Backing the campaign, “real” women on Twitter have been celebrating the idea that perfect really isn’t so perfect, and that being happy and healthy in your own skin is more important than anything else.

Trying to be perfect is a waste of time. #ImNoAngel and that's what I love about myself. @lanebryant @Refinery29 pic.twitter.com/4Zi7gshcdq
— Beck (@manfattan) April 7, 2015

The new ads arrive on the heels of last week’s announcement that France is now banning “skinny” models. Expected to be enacted this week, the law passed by the Parliament makes it illegal to send a woman who’s just too darn thin down Paris’s catwalks. To be exact, she must present a medical certificate showing that her BMI (body-mass index) is at least 18, which translates, for example, to 121 pounds for a woman who is 5’7. Any company failing to comply will be fined about $7,500 Euros ($8,100).

Additionally, French magazines will have to disclose when a model’s image has been doctored to make her look skinner—and cough up 30% of their ad revenue if they don’t.

According to NPR, Spain, Israel and Italy have rules against ultra-thin models, but none go as far as the French measure would.

It looks like people are finally waking up to the fact that “plus size” is just as perfect as any other size, as long as you’re healthy. Now that’s something to celebrate.

‘Guitars Over Guns’ Keeps Kids Off Mean Streets With Celebrity Jams

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Kristy Cooper

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Apr 7, 2015

Chad Bernstein, a premiere Latin, funk and jazz artist, has played with the likes of Shakira, Pharrell, Jennifer Hudson and Pitbull. But most notably he channels his artistic passion into helping at-risk kids overcome the pull of Miami’s rough streets by training them in the music business. On that sweet note he was named a CNN Hero.

Bernstein’s nonprofit, Guitars Over Guns, puts musical instruments and mixing boards into the hands of middle-school students in the city’s poorest neighborhoods. The group pairs students with professional musicians and since 2008 the program has benefitted more than 225 students with free instrument lessons and mentoring.

Mentors develop a close relationship with the teens and get to know their families. In addition, the kids receive tutoring and social services. By the end of the year, they are performing on stage and recording in Chad’s studio.

During Bernstein’s own childhood he was bullied and suffered from self-esteem issues. Playing the trombone gave him a sense of identity. Bernstein says his group has seen more than a 90 percent increase in academic performance and school attendance by participants.

One of the Guitars Over Guns pupils excitedly announced that he could do anything now, “even become a doctor.” The grateful young man told CNN, “Without this program, I’d be in jail or dead.”

The 30-year-old brass master said there’s an amazing sense of pride when a kid gets a round of applause on stage, after working hard.

Having received his doctorate from the University of Miami, the “Trombone Doctor,” as he is called, has found the cure-all for youth on the street: “Music is the most important tool we have in reaching these kids.”

(WATCH the video below from CNN)

Photo Credit: CNN Heroes Facebook

Acrobatic Rescue of Serbian Pup Leaves Thousands Inspired

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Good News Network

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Apr 7, 2015

During a walk with friends in Niš, Serbia, Zox Pavlovic spotted a dog stranded on an island underneath a bridge.

They tried contacting a few animal shelters, but no one would offer help.

That’s when Sasha Pešić, who takes care of dozens of stray dogs, volunteered to try an acrobatic rescue of the pup.

He nimbly climbs down the bridge piling and his friends join in the rescue.

See more of Sasha’s dog-loving antics on Twitter at #SaveSashasDogs.

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Journey Drummer With ‘Open Arms’ Helps Fire-Weary High School Band

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Terry Turner

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Apr 6, 2015

After he learned that fire shut down an Oregon high school band, destroying classrooms, uniforms, sheet music and instruments, the drummer for legendary rock band, Journey, came to the rescue.

The musician who’s laid down the beat for “Faithfully” more times than he can probably remember is keeping faith with fellow band members in his home state.

“That was the only reason I stayed in school,” Deen Castronovo recalled. “I was terrible in every subject except band.”

He pledged to chip in $10,000 to help restore the program for South Albany High School. And he plans to deliver the money in person when he gets a break from his current tour later this month.

“I would love to talk to the kids, give them some encouragement,” he told the Albany Democrat-Herald. “It’s a disappointing loss and a bummer all around.”

The fire destroyed the school’s cafeteria and choir and cheer equipment, too. Insurance will cover most of the losses, but not all.

Actor Jared Leto Becomes Global Wildlife Ambassador for WWF

Donations have been pouring in to the Albany School Foundation. Castronovo’s pledge matches the total raised so far, and is an inspiration for students, parents and faculty at the school.

Castronovo, whose earliest gig was playing in the marching band at his high school in Salem, Oregon, has a message for the school, which today reopened after Wednesday’s fire: “Don’t stop believing.”

(WATCH the video below from KPTV) – Photo by John C Piercy, via CC license

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Police Pull Family of Four From Car, Tuck Them In At a Motel

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Good News Network

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Apr 6, 2015

Tired from days on the road and trying to save money, Robert Wood’s family prepared for another night of sleeping in their car. But a Eugene, Oregon police lieutenant wouldn’t let them stay in the city park. He paid for a room at a motel instead.

Wood was moving his family back to Oregon from Alaska. It was late when they arrived in Eugene and he, his wife and their two children were already bedding down in their seats, like they’d done on the long drive down the remote Alaska Highway.

When Lt. David Natt spotted the car and began telling Mr. Wood he would have to move, he noticed the two boys, a two and four-year-old, asleep in their laps.

That’s when Lt. Natt insisted that the family follow him to a motel and allow the police department to pre-pay the bill.

Homeless People Show Heart-touching Generosity in Undercover Op (WATCH)

“It’s part of our three-word motto: protect, serve and care,” Lt. Natt said. “And you have to take each one of those, in all circumstances, to heart.”

It turns out, the University Fellowship Church created and endowed a special fund for use by Eugene police officers to help people in need. Lt. Natt dipped into the fund to put the family up in a motel for a couple of nights until they got their bearings.

It was a good deed Lt. Natt probably thought would go unnoticed. But a Facebook post has spread the story of the “Good Samaritan Cop” around the world.

Costco Customers Unite to Send Terminally-ill Employee Who Always Smiles On a Vacation

“I have tears in my eyes,” Wood posted to Facebook on Feb. 25, praising the police officer’s act of kindness. “Holy loving lucky stars. I got tears in my eyes.”

“He made me want to do the same kind of thing for other people,” Wood continued. “It was moving, you know. It just was.”

The Wood family is now staying with friends and looking for a permanent home in Eugene.

(WATCH the video below from KMTR’s Ty Steele)

Kitten Survives 3000-Mile Trip From Egypt to UK Locked in a Box

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Good News Network

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Apr 6, 2015

Curiosity nearly killed this cat. An 8-month old kitten became an accidental tourist after snuggling inside a shipping container full of linens in Egypt. The cat survived 17 days without food and water during its 3,000 mile journey.

Sinbad, as he was named, crossed the Mediterranean Sea and traveled by road trip through central Europe after sneaking into the container March 8th.

British workers unloaded the cargo on March 25th and, after hearing desperate meows, the eight-month-old ginger kitty was finally discovered.

Terminally Ill home ss Man and Dog Gifted An Apartment & Pet Food For Final Days (WATCH)

“I gave him beef which was for my lunch. He scoffed it,” Graham Monteath, Managing Director at Mediterranean Linens, told The Telegraph. “So he got some good food for his first meal on British soil.”

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), the UK’s largest animal welfare charity, was promptly notified about the feline stowaway.

Surprised at how well he looked, RSPCA inspector Pippa Boyd said she had not seen anything like it in her eight years.

In good spirits and health, Sinbad will spend the next four months in quarantine where he will receive necessary vaccinations, be fitted with a microchip, and cared for.

The RSPCA set up a fund to raise the £2,000 (about $3K) needed to cover those costs. The curious kitty’s story was enough to attract donations of more than £3,742 so far. Boyd admitted it was quite a bit of money for one cat, but his plight makes the cost well worth it.

Once released, Sinbad will be placed in a loving home —preferably one with a bed made out of quality Egyptian cotton.

Photo Credit: RSPCA

Baby Boom Surprise For World’s Most Endangered Orcas

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Good News Network

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Apr 6, 2015

There’s a baby boom going on among a clan of the world’s most endangered killer whales.

Whale watchers off the British Columbia coast have sighted a fourth calf born since December to the group of Southern Resident Killer Whales that also frequent Washington State waters.

Naturalist Jeanne Hyde first spotted the latest addition while aboard a whale watching cruise. At first, she thought it was another orca born earlier in the year. Then she saw the dorsal fins of both calves break the surface at the same time.

“It was so exciting, because this calf has the heavy-duty, deep fetal folds,” Hyde, the avid whale photographer, was quoted as saying in an online magazine. “I’d never seen one so fresh. That’s an indicator that it was born just within a couple days.”

The birth of ‘J52’, as the newest arrival is called, increases the estimated number of wild mammals in the community of Southern Resident Killer Whales by three percent, to a total of 81.

It’s been almost three years for the clan since a calf has survived to its first birthday, according to the Center for Whale Research. The survival rate is normally about 50 percent for any young orca. The latest string of births have allowed for cautious optimism, however, and even a bit of excitement.

The research community and whale watchers in the Pacific Northwest are keeping their collective fingers crossed that the endangered community has “finally turned the corner.”

Photo Credit: Jeanne Hyde courtesy of Center for Whale Research (shows both calves’ dorsal fins breaking the surface)

KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut Commit to Deforestation-free Palm Oil

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Good News Network

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Apr 5, 2015

The company that owns fast-food restaurants KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut joined the trend toward sustainability by announcing on Friday it plans to refrain from using palm oil obtained through deforestation by committing to source 100 percent of its palm oil from responsible sources by the end of 2017.

A study by scientists in 2012 found that the number of forests being leveled to produce new palm plantations is causing a globally significant increase of carbon dioxide emissions.

But the trends are positive.

The percentage of palm oil companies operating under zero-deforestation commitments grew from zero to about 60 percent last year. And the five biggest palm oil growers in the world have launched and signed the Sustainable Palm Oil Manifesto with a temporary moratorium against deforestation.

3M vowed recently to begin sourcing all its paper products from sustainable forests. General Mills joined other U.S. companies — Unilever, Nestle, Kraft and Burger King — by announcing in 2010 an end to buying palm oil from companies accused of destroying rain forests.

KFC completely replaced palm oil in all its UK and Ireland stores in 2012, which also cut the saturated fats from their food by 25 percent.

(READ the story from UPI)

Amputated After Frostbite, Dog Walks Anew with 4 Prosthetic Legs

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Good News Network

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Apr 5, 2015

Second chances should always be this sweet.

Brutus, a two-year-old Rottweiler and a quadruple-amputee, is currently living a frisky life, thanks to Orthopets Denver and a university team from the veterinary teaching hospital — and, especially, the woman who rescued him.

Laura Aguilina, of Loveland, Colorado, first spotted Brutus, then badly crippled, in a parking lot, where his previous owner was trying to sell him.

After Laura took him in, a friend advised her to take him to Orthopets, a unique animal clinic specializing in innovative, biomechanically-correct prosthetic solutions for animals around the world.

Go On… Let Dogs Lick You, It’s Good For Your Health

Before Brutus could be fitted, he would require paw surgery at the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, so she quickly created a GoFundMe page to raise money for his new legs and accompanying therapy. So far, almost $14,000 has been raised from 295 donors.

Five months into his new life, Brutus is longer afraid to take a walk on the wild side–he’s chasing squirrels and playing his favorite game, tug-of-war.

“Brutus is super sweet, ridiculously smart and has a very forgiving nature,” Aquilina told Good Morning America. “You would think a dog like him who’s been through so much wouldn’t trust people, but he’s a very gentle soul.”

More milestones lie ahead for Brutus: neuro-muscular re-education therapy and walking on an underwater treadmill. But the sweetest is the finalization of his adoption by Laura and her husband, which will take place next week.

(WATCH video below, or READ the story at KDVR News) – Photo Credit: Better Paws for Brutus

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Easter Bunny Has a Twin: This Florida Lady Gives Thousands of Baskets to Needy Kids

By

Good News Network

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Apr 5, 2015

For the last nine years Lee Hardy has made thousands of Easter baskets for needy kids in her Palmetto, Florida community— and each is a toy-laden cellophane-wrapped masterpiece.

Hardy nearly empties the holiday shelves at all the Dollar Stores in her area, buying Easter grass, candy, bunny-themed coloring books and plush toys.

“The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office donates toys cars and stickers but Hardy buys nearly everything that goes into the baskets,” reports WTSP News. “She even throws in a toothbrush to balance things out.”

Called the Easter basket lady, she invites hundreds of kids into her home to pick out one of her baskets.

“The smiles on their faces make all the long hours worth the work for Hardy,” says, WTSP.

(WATCH the video below or READ the story, w/ Photos from WTSP)

File photo by storkbitesforyou, CC

Bereaved Palestinian, Israeli Parents Unveil Something Beautiful at U.N.

By

Terry Turner

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Apr 4, 2015

GNN Exclusive- At the outbreak of the 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict, Israeli and Palestinian parents who’d lost children to violence set up a tent on a street in Tel Aviv. For 70 straight days, they hosted dialogues on peace and reconciliation in the “Peace Square”. Out of that session came a mural, imagined by 20 Palestinian women who, after discussing their personal losses and grief, decided to pick up paint brushes. It was finished by Israeli parents who suffered the same loss of a child.

Now, that mural is on display at the United Nations in New York. And while a mural may not seem like an obvious step towards peace in the Middle East, the message is powerful enough to transcend politics.

“We’re not artists,” Robi Damelin told Good News Network. “We use art. Art can open up all kinds of people to our message.”

Damelin’s son was shot to death by a Palestinian gunman in 2002. She was the only Israeli in the room when the 20 grieving Palestinian women began creating the mural.

“As the women began to work [on the mural] they became more and more free.” she said. “It’s quite therapeutic.”

It’s also quite symbolic of what their grassroots group, the Parents Circle, hopes to accomplish.

“We can talk, work together thru this piece of art,” Bassam Aramin, whose daughter was shot and killed by an Israeli police officer in 2007, told the Good News Network.

Robi and Bassam ParentsCircle-Peace Mural-800px — Bassam Aramin, left, with Robi Damelin

Rather than giving into anger or seeking revenge, Aramin sought reconciliation. He found like-minded people, both Israeli and Palestinian like himself, in the Parents Circle, which was formed more than a decade ago for grieving parents from both camps. More than 600 families have joined the Parents Circle Family Forum since then.

Damelin said there is no difference between Israeli or Palestinian parents when they lose a child.

“The pain is the same,” She said. “You never want any other parent to feel that pain.”

Norway Muslims Form Human Shield Around Jewish Synagogue

The mural is an expression of that pain. But it is also a concrete example of cooperation and peace.

“The mural we unveil today was inspired by the powerful symbol of the Peace Square,” Deputy UN Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said from the U.N. in New York. “It is the work of bereaved families and friends, both Palestinian and Israeli. Its very existence conveys a vital message: within both communities there is a hunger for reconciliation and a longing for peace.”

Aramin says seeking peace between Israelis and Palestinians is the best way to honor the “blood of sons and daughters” spilled by both sides in the conflict.

“Revenge?” he said. “You will never meet your loved ones again. We believe we can exist in peace.”

The Peace Square Mural, measuring 20 X 6.5 feet, can be viewed until April 10 on the third floor, just outside the conference building at 46th Street at First Avenue.

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