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These Street Performers Spend Hours Delighting the Public So Homeless Can Take What They Need

By
McKinley Corbley
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Many city dwellers have become immune to noticing homeless people on the streets – but this 28-year-old man felt compelled to do something about it.

William Boyajian first moved to New York City one year ago and became upset by the amount of rough sleepers he saw on the streets.

“When I moved to NYC from little ol’ Upstate New York, the issue of homelessness really bothered me,” Boyajian recounts. “These people in need are our neighbors and fellow New Yorkers, and I didn’t wanna ignore them.”

So instead of ignoring the problem, Boyajian took his guitar into the subway tunnels and started busking for money. However, the cash he received was not for him to keep.

LOOK: Kid Therapist Raises Money by Offering Advice to Stressed New Yorkers

The musician set up a sign next to his guitar case reading: “If you’re homeless or need help, take as much as you need from the case (I just like to play)”.

Boyajian then used the performance model as inspiration to create the New York City-based charity Hopeful Cases.

The nonprofit, which Boyajian launched last year, recruits artists, musicians, and entertainers to use street performing as a means of raising money for the homeless. According to him, the performances are a fun way to play and practice music – especially because “people don’t boo as much”.

MORE: Recovering Addict Gives Free Gym Memberships to Those Who Want to Stay Sober

“Right now, we have probably 2-3 other consistent performers in the city,” Boyajian tells Good News Network. “The beautiful thing about this project, however, is that people can jump in or jump out when they have the availability.”

Boyajian’s own artistic career kicked off in 2012 when he graduated from Ithaca College with a BFA in musical theater. The musician currently makes enough money from entertainment gigs to get by, so whenever he is not out of town for a performance, he is playing for Hopeful Cases.

“When I am in the city, I busk 4-5 days a week, normally for around 5 hours a day, or until my voice gives out whichever comes first. Singing in the subway without amplification takes its toll.

WATCH: Guy Shows How You Can Now Use Amazon Prime to Instantly Help the Homeless

“Luckily,” he added, “I have no day job.”

Boyajian told GNN that one of the creeds of being a Hopeful Case performer is that they should avoid physically interacting with the money as much as possible – they should just try to keep performing until all of the money runs out.

“Sometimes though, it’s been 5 hours, and the money keeps trickling in and you never reach that zero balance,” he says. “In which case I will take the remaining money and walk the streets around Penn Station or Port Authority and hand it out to those sitting on the streets.

“This gives a really interesting opportunity to sit and talk with the people who are receiving the funds and hear their stories.”

WATCH: ‘Dancing Doctor’ in Boston Busks a Move to Raise Tips for Charity

In addition to sometimes saving money for specific projects, such as Metro Cards, socks, and school supplies, the charity is currently working on siphoning off some of the funds to make feminine hygiene products and toiletries available in the guitar cases during the performances.

“The point of this project was to change the way we think about giving, the homeless And poverty,” says Boyajian. “As anyone who lives in NYC or any major city knows, your options are either to ignore it, notice till it eats you up, or do something. This is what I thought I could do.”

If you would like to sign up to be a Hopeful Cases performer, you can check out the nonprofit’s website or look at their work on Instagram.

Play Up The Positivity: Click To Share The Story With Your Friends – Photos by Hopeful Cases

When a WWII Veteran Couldn’t Walk to His Wife’s Grave, Two Men Carried Him There

By
McKinley Corbley
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When a 96-year-old veteran was too weak to walk to his wife’s grave, he was resigned to paying his respects from the car – until two onlookers insisted on going the distance for him instead.

George Boone had been a pilot who was a prisoner of war to the Nazis during WWII. As a means of paying tribute to his services, Boone was flown from North Carolina to Washington D.C. by the Honor Flight Network – an organization that pays for veterans to visit their respective memorials at the nation’s capital.

While they were in the city, Boone asked if they could visit the grave of his late wife Alma, who was laid to rest in 2008.

Though it was technically not a stop on the Honor tour, they were more than happy to oblige.

RELATED: Veterans Find Peace Protecting African Wildlife from Poachers

Unfortunately, they arrived at the cemetery on Saturday only for Boone’s son Jon to realize that he had forgotten his father’s wheelchair. When he asked if his father had the strength to walk, the veteran said no.

The two Honor Flight volunteers who had escorted the father and son then offered to carry George to the grave – and though he was initially reluctant, he eventually accepted. The men made a chair with their arms and carried the veteran all the way to the resting site. For ten minutes, they held George so he could pay his respects.

One of the men was so touched by the exchange, he offered to carry George back to the car on his back.

LOOK: Veteran With PTSD is Creating Free Tiny House Community for Others Like Him

“He said, ‘This is my honor and privilege. I’m going to carry you. Wrap your arms around my neck, I’ve got you,’” Jon recounted to CNN. “And off they went.”

“Without a doubt, it gives you so much pride to be an American,” Jon Boone said. “It’s not all what we see on the news. There are incredible people out there waiting to do good things and show acts of kindness.”

Click To Share The Emotional Story With Your Friends – Photos by Jon Boone

“Compassion directed toward oneself is true humility.” – Simone Weil, French philosopher, activist

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “Compassion directed toward oneself is true humility.” – Simone Weil, French philosopher, mystic, and social activist

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

These Are Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 5 Rules For Success

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Good News Network
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The Lesson: Arnold Schwarzenegger did not become a world-famous bodybuilder, Hollywood actor, best-selling author and politician overnight – he had to work hard and overcome hundreds of obstacles so he could be where he is today. All of these factors have taught him many things about happiness and fulfillment, but he has five key rules for anyone who wants to find success, no matter what they do.

Notable Excerpt: “If you don’t have a goal, if you don’t have a vision, you’re just going to drift around – you’re not going to be happy. I grew up after the second World War and in Austria … there was, of course, depression, there was a terrible economic situation, and I wanted to get out of there. I wanted to escape. And luckily, one day in school, I watched a documentary about America. I knew that that was exactly where I wanted to end up. The question was just ‘how do I get there?’ … No one had the money to travel or anything, but one day I was fortunate enough to see a bodybuilding magazine. And on the cover was this very muscular guy, Mr. Universe … I read the article as fast as I could. I learned about how the guy grew up [poor] in Leeds, England and how he trained five hours a day every single day and then he became Mr. Great Britain. And then he became Mr. Universe … and as I read, I became more and more certain – I had that vision very clearly laid out: to be a champion and stand on the same stage where he won the Mr. Universe title. And then move to America and get into movies. From that moment on, everything that I did, no matter how hard I had to work or how much I had to struggle, it didn’t matter, because I knew what the purpose was and I found my passion. Always discover your vision and the rest will follow.”

(LISTEN to the inspiring talk below)

Good Advice? SHARE It – And, CHECK Out More on our Good Talks Page…

Instead of Money for Themselves, Black Men Unjustly Arrested at Starbucks Arrange Grant for City’s Youth

By
McKinley Corbley
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After two black men were arrested at a Philadelphia Starbucks earlier this month, the discriminatory nature of the event sparked a national backlash.

Now, the men are being praised for their symbolically progressive settlement with the city.

In exchange for expunging the city and company of all claims, Donte Robinson and Rashon Nelson are settling for $1 each and a pledge from the city to create a $200,000 grant program for high school entrepreneurs.

“We thought long and hard about it and we feel like this is the best way to see that change that we want to see,” said Robinson, according to the Associated Press. “It’s not a right-now thing that’s good for right now, but I feel like we will see the true change over time.”

RELATED: When Truck is Vandalized With Racist Graffiti Auto Shop Will Not Just Stand By

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said in a statement, “I am pleased to have resolved the potential claims against the city in this productive manner,” adding that the men first proposed the idea to Philly officials “in an attempt to make something positive come of this.”

The 23-year-old men will both serve on a committee to create and award the grant, and the program’s curriculum is expected to help educate Philadelphia public school students on the challenges and benefits of being business owners. Neither Robinson, Nelson, or their attorneys will be receiving any money from the grant program.

Nelson and Robinson were launched into the judicial fiasco after they were arrested for sitting in a Starbucks restaurant in mid-April. They had been waiting to embark on a real estate business deal with a third party when the manager called the police and accused the young men of trespassing because they had not bought anything from the store.

WATCH: Black Man Befriending KKK Members Has Led to 200 People Quitting the Organization

A video of the men being led away in handcuffs then went viral. Robinson and Nelson spent eight hours in jail before they were released without any charges filed or changes to their criminal records.

Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson personally flew to Philadelphia to apologize to the men and thank them for their “willingness to reconcile”. Additionally, the company will be closing all American stores on May 29th so they can give unconscious racial bias training to their 175,000 employees.

Click To Share The News With Your Friends – Representational Photo by Nick_Humphries, CC

Japanese Bus Drivers Strike by Continuing to Run and Refusing to Take Anyone’s Money

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Good News Network
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Japanese bus drivers are using an unusual community-based strike tactic to demand better job security from their employers.

The drivers working for the Ryobi Group in Okayama declared a labor strike after a rival bus company opened up overlapping bus routes that charge cheaper fare.

When Ryobi would not comply with their demands for better job security, the drivers decided to take an experimental angle with their strike: they would continue to drive their usual routes, except they would not be accepting anyone’s fare money.

RELATED: The Homeless in San Diego Are Getting Jobs Thanks to a 16-Year-old Boy

Ideally, the free-fare tactic will prevent management from claiming that the workers are putting their own needs before the community’s.

Additionally, online news outlet Japan Today says that the free bus rides will help preserve the company’s relationship with their passengers in the face of a rival company giving cheaper rides.

Time will tell whether the tactic succeeds, but many social media readers are praising the drivers for their unconventional approach to demanding worker safety while simultaneously serving their community.

Drive This News To Your Friends: Click To Share – Representational Photo by JKT, CC

Hawaii Lawmakers Have Just Passed First Ever Ban on Sale of Toxic Sunscreen

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Good News Network
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Hawaii lawmakers have just passed a ban on the sale and distribution of sunscreen containing chemicals that are toxic to coral reefs.

The ban specifically targets oxybenzone and octinoxate, two chemicals that are found in common sunscreens. According to a 2015 study, the ingredients cause coral DNA to mutate while its still in its larval stage, which prevents it from growing properly and makes it more susceptible to bleaching.

If Gov. David Ige (D) approves the legislation as expected, it would make Hawaii the first American state – and the first region in the world – to ban the ingredients.

“Amazingly, this is a first-in-the-world law,” said Sen. Mike Gabbard (D) told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser in an e-mail. “So, Hawaii is definitely on the cutting edge by banning these dangerous chemicals in sunscreens.

LOOK: Now You Can Turn Cremated Remains of Loved Ones into Blossoming Coral Reefs

“When you think about it, our island paradise, surrounded by coral reefs, is the perfect place to set the gold standard for the world to follow. This will make a huge difference in protecting our coral reefs, marine life, and human health.”

Some experts oppose the ban because they believe it will lead to more people neglecting sunscreen altogether, which could lead to skin cancer. The ban, however, does not affect sunscreen that is brought into the state by tourists, nor does it apply to prescription sunscreens.

Additionally, non-toxic sunscreens are currently readily available for purchase in the state.

Click To Share The Groundbreaking News With Your Friends – Photo by Tim McClanahan / WCS

68-Year-old With Alzheimer’s Staves Off the Disease by Climbing the Same Mountain Every Day

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Good News Network
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A 68-year-old man with Alzheimer’s disease has defied all conventional medical wisdom by climbing the same mountain every day for the last fifty years.

According to his interview with The Guardian, Sion Jair estimates that he has climbed the Old Man of Coniston in Cumbria, England at least 5,000 times. Sometimes he climbs to the summit twice in one day, no matter the season.

Though he has kept up his fitness routine for the sake of familiarity and habit, he also says that he has kept up the routine as a matter of health and discipline. In addition to living with chronic fatigue syndrome since he moved to the area in 1968, he was also diagnosed with pernicious anaemia in the 2000s. His body rejected the B12 injection treatment necessary to moderate the disease and doctors gave him three years to live.

“My body had adjusted to the small amount of B12 I could accept,” Jair tells The Guardian. “The doctors did tests and put it down to – although it’s not scientifically proven – my exercise routine. I just kept going and my body had two choices: I could either sit down and die, or the body had to get up and use what it had.”

RELATED: When Grandma With Alzheimer’s Can’t Do Her Puzzles, Teen Comes Up With Perfect Solution

Though he was able to adjust to the anaemia, the condition had hidden the Alzheimer’s that was developing in his brain until a brain scan finally revealed the disease four years ago.

Jair’s solution? Just keep on hiking up the 2,634-foot (803 meters) mountain. And judging by his disposition – along with this recent study that supports exercise as a means of staving off dementia – his fitness routine is definitely helping.

“I got over this business of going up a mountain for a challenge years ago. I just do it because I enjoy it. I do it because it’s familiar, and particularly when you’ve got Alzheimer’s, you need something that’s familiar,” Jair tells the news outlet.

“All I know is that I’m not getting any better, but I don’t think I’m getting that much worse that quickly,” he adds.

Click To Share The Big Story With Your Friends – Photo by jirikruta, CC

‘Vicious’ Dog Call Turns into Friendship Between ‘Pit Bull’ and Police Officer

By
McKinley Corbley
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Even the “meanest” dogs have the capability to be man’s best friend.

A Texas police officer came to realize this after he answered a dispatch call about a vicious dog on the loose.

Earlier this week, Officer Travis Frost spotted the big gold dog on the front porch of someone’s house. Frost left the door of his cruiser open – just in case he was attacked and needed to jump to safety – and cautiously approached the dog.

According to a Facebook post that was published by the Texarkana Texas Police Department, “this didn’t go quite like we thought it would.”

LOOK: Pit Bulls Save Children From Venomous Snake Lurking in Their Yard

“He whistled at the dog, who then came trotting over to him with his tail wagging,” says the department post. “After Travis pet the dog for a minute, [the canine] went right up to the patrol unit, jumped in the front seat, and just made himself at home.”

In the time it took for an animal control officer to arrive, Frost and the dog became best buddies. They hung out in the squad car, snapped some selfies, and got some well-deserved belly rubs before the pup was taken to the shelter.

The dog’s microchip later identified him as an American Bully named Gold. Thanks to the microchip, the owners were able to pick him up from the facility shortly after his rescue.

RELATED: Pit Bull Elected as Town Mayor in Landslide Election

The police department seized this opportunity to remind pet owners to microchip their animals – and to not judge a book by its cover. Officers believe that they received the call about a vicious dog because pit bulls and similarly bulky canines are often negatively stereotyped. Frost and the police department, however, think otherwise.

“If you are judging the dog based on the breed then you are probably doing yourself a disservice,” police spokesman Shawn Vaughn told TODAY, adding that the only time he was ever bitten on the job was by a little Chihuahua.

The police department finished the Facebook post by saying: “[These dogs] have a bit of a bad reputation. Travis said that, while you should always be careful around any dog that you don’t know, you shouldn’t automatically assume that all pit bulls are bad dogs. They might be really loving – like this guy was this morning.”

Click To Share The Pawesome Story With Your Friends

“The garden is growth and change, and that means loss as well as constant new treasures to make up for the few disasters.” – May Sarton

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “The garden is growth and change, and that means loss as well as constant new treasures to make up for the few disasters.” – May Sarton

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Remember the Teen With a Plan to Rid Oceans of Plastic? His Massive Project Launches in July (Podcast)

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Good News Network
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At just 18 years old, this Dutch teenager claimed he could tackle the Great Pacific Garbage Patch – and starting this summer, he is going to do just that. Hear the inspiring update from The Good News Guru (from the April 27, 2018 Ellen K. Morning Show on KOST-103.5 radio in L.A.).

READ more and see the video on GNN…

Watch Bone Marrow Donor Give Special Birthday Surprise to the Man He Saved

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Good News Network
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Bruce Becke was at a restaurant celebrating his birthday weekend with his family when they surprised him with the ultimate gift: a chance to meet the man who saved his life.

It had been two years since Becke received a life-saving bone marrow transplant from a 26-year-old named Mike Drisgill.

Becke, who had been battling leukemia, had never come face-to-face with Drisgill. All he knew was that the Maryland man’s donation had saved his life.

WATCH: Single Mom Pizza Delivery Driver Moved to Tears After Church Surprises Her With Massive Tip

So as a means of surprising Becke for his birthday, the compassionate donor and his family flew from Baltimore, Maryland to New Buffalo, Michigan.

In a video uploaded to Facebook earlier this week, Becke can be heard proclaiming his gratitude for the 26-year-old donor. Little does he know, the donor is sitting right next to him.

And the result is extremely heartwarming.

(WATCH the emotional video below)

Surprise Your Friends With This Sweet Story: Click To Share

Now You Can Get Paid to Travel Across America and Take Photos of the Sun

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Good News Network
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Do you enjoy traveling? Do you also enjoy having fun in the sun? Well, the Days Inn has the perfect job for you.

The hotel chain has just posted a job listing for amateur photographers who are willing to travel to America’s brightest cities – “from sunrise yoga in San Diego to a sunset sail in Miami” – so they can take pictures of the sun.

LOOK: Man Finds Puppies Abandoned in the Middle of the Desert and Takes Them on Epic Cross Country Road Trip

In addition to the “sun-terns” receiving a glowing recommendation for their resumé and all-expenses paid travel for a month, Days Inn will also be paying them a $10,000 monthly stipend for the gig.

Applicants need to be 21 years older to apply and they must submit their best outdoor photo from their portfolio along with a 100-word description of why they are the best person for the job.

Power Up With Positivity: Click To Share The Sunny News With Your Friends – Photo by Mayur Gala

Scientists May Have Just Overcome the Biggest Obstacle to Mass-Producing Hydrogen Fuel

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Good News Network
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The quest to develop the ‘Holy Grail’ of affordable, viable, and environmentally-friendly fuels using sunlight has taken an exciting new twist.

A team of renewable energy experts from the University of Exeter has pioneered a new technique to produce hydrogen from sunlight to create a clean, cheap, and widely-available fuel.

The team developed an innovative method to split water into its constituent parts – hydrogen and oxygen – using sunlight. The hydrogen can then be used as a fuel, with the potential to power everyday items such as homes and vehicles.

Crucially, hydrogen fuel that can be created through this synthetic photosynthesis method would not only create zero carbon emissions, but it would also be a virtually limitless energy source.

MORE: Scientists Create World’s First Zero-Emission Solar Fuel Reactor That Works at Night

At present, around 85% of the global energy provisions come from the burning of fossil fuels. Therefore the need and desire to find a sustainable, cost-effective renewable fuel source is growing in urgency.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the sun is earth’s most abundant renewable energy source, with the potential to provide 100,000 terawatts of power each year – meaning one hour’s worth of solar energy is equal to an entire year of total energy consumption worldwide.

However, one of the most significant hindrances to the development of viable solar energy has been an inability to produce a semiconducting material that can effectively convert sunlight to a storable energy source.

RELATED: In Historic Announcement, World Bank Says it Will No Longer Finance Oil and Gas Exploration

But in this new research, the team utilized lanthanum iron oxide to create a semiconducting material that gave the ideal results for using sunlight to produce hydrogen from water, making it the strongest candidate yet for renewable hydrogen generation.

The ground-breaking new research centers on the use of a revolutionary photo-electrode – an electrode that absorbs light before initializing electrochemical transformations to extract the hydrogen from water – made from nanoparticles of the elements lanthanum, iron, and oxygen.

The researchers believe this new type of photo-electrode is not only cheap to produce, but can also be recreated on a larger scale for mass and worldwide use.

LOOK: Tesla’s Solar Roof May Actually Be Cheaper Than Your Own Roof

The research is published in leading journal, Scientific Reports.

Govinder Pawar, lead author on the paper and based at the University of Exeter’s Environment and Sustainability in Cornwall said: “With growing economies and population, fossil fuels will not be able to sustain the global energy demand in a ‘clean’ manner as they are being exhausted at an alarming rate.

“Alternative renewable fuels sources must be found which can sustain the global energy demand. Hydrogen is a promising alternative fuel source capable of replacing fossil fuels as it has a higher energy density than fossil fuels (more than double), zero-carbon emissions and the only by-product is water.”

Govinder Pawar added: “We have shown that our photo-electrode has ideal band alignments needed to split water into its constituents (H2 and O2) spontaneously, without the need of an external bias. Moreover, our material has excellent stability where after 21 hours of testing it does not degrade, ideal for water splitting purpose. We are currently working on further improving our material to make it more efficient to produce more hydrogen.”

(Source: Exeter University)

Power Up With Positivity: Click To Share With Your Friends – Photo by jkrebs, CC

Hotel Gives Best Friends Unforgettable Night Together After Hearing About Woman’s Brain Cancer

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Good News Network
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Ever since their friend was diagnosed with brain cancer two years ago, this group of women has been doing their best to savor and enjoy each other’s company – and now, a hotel is being hailed for its hand in helping them have one of the best nights of their lives.

One of the women, Jennifer Toby, told the story to a newscaster for KTVU who then published the story on Facebook.

In the message, Toby explains how she and five other women have been best friends since they met in high school 19 years ago. This is why they were heartbroken to hear that one of them had been diagnosed with Glioblastoma brain cancer over 2 years ago.

“This hurdle has brought us even closer together and we try to make as many memories together as possible,” writes Toby.

WATCH: Bus Driver Gives Heartfelt Goodbye Gift to 4-year-old Before Switching Routes

During one of their most recent get-togethers, the sick friend mentioned that she wanted to have a weekend getaway at the beach – so her friends did their best to make it happen.

“Traveling in her condition is not easy and the brain tumor has made it hard for her to be mobile so she feels most comfortable in a wheelchair,” says Toby. “We couldn’t find one house or hotel that was available that was wheelchair accessible WITH views facing the ocean like she wished for.

“The only place we could find was the Ritz Carlton [in] Half Moon Bay.
The rate for this hotel was far from our budget, but we went out on a whim and called them to see if there was anything they could do for us to help us out.

RELATED: Woman Needed to Thank Two Strangers Who Talked on a Train – Her Note is Shared by Thousands

“We were BLOWN away with their response.”

Toby explained their dilemma to a sales coordinator named Tanya Cruz. Within an hour of hearing the woman’s story, Cruz asked Toby to send over some photos of the friends along with information on any food allergies they may have.

Cruz then arranged a weekend getaway for the women in one of their fanciest handicap-accessible rooms with a private fire pit and a dazzling view of the ocean.

WATCH: Friends For 60 Years Find Out They’re Biological Brothers

“We knew that this trip was going to be special, but we had no idea how special until we set foot in the room,” says Toby. “When we opened the door to our room, we all had chills and were in awe with what we saw.

“They had decorated it with balloons, wrote her a special card, gave her a gift bag with goodies, spoiled us with fruit and cheese platters, a smore’s kit, and even a bottle of wine!

“They even printed out one of the pictures that we gave them and put it in a nice picture frame in the room … [and] the view that we had topped it off!”

MORE: Mom Adopts Hospice Babies No One Else Wants

The women were even more impressed when they decided to eat in the hotel restaurant.

“Our friend decided that she wanted to try to go out for dinner. We did not make a reservation and we were told that we would have to wait 45 minutes for a table.

“Within 5 minutes, they came over to us and had cleared a table along the window with the most breathtaking view of the sun setting over the ocean.

LOOK: Hospital Grants Dying Patient’s Last Wish For Wine, Cigarette

“After dinner, we spent the night at our fire pit roasting s’mores, laughing about old times. We literally stayed up the whole night having the best conversations.

“It was such an incredible time, we didn’t want to sleep because we didn’t want it to end.

“We will forever have this memory and it will go down as one of our best nights together.”

Click To Share The Sweet Story With Your Friends – Photos by Jennifer Toby

Uber Driver Wins Biggest Tip Ever – and it Only Cost the Passenger Five Bucks

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Good News Network
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While a $5 lottery scratch-off ticket may not seem like a hefty tip for an Uber ride, it eventually paid off for the lucky driver who received it.

A Colorado driver named James P. was given a $5 Super Special Ultimate Bingo Scratch ticket as a tip from one of his regular passengers.

When he scratched off the prize, he found that he had won $30.

He then used his winnings to buy six more scratch-off tickets. Since James continued to win small prizes from the tickets, he kept using his winnings to buy more scratch-offs – until finally, his efforts paid off.

RELATED: Man Wins $400,000 By Playing Lottery Numbers That Came to Him in a Dream

Six weeks after receiving the first ticket, he hit the $140,000 jackpot.

James says that he plans on giving some of his winnings to his parents and using some of the funds to fix up his car.

The driver also says that he has given rides to the generous passenger several times in the past, but he has not seen the man since he gave James the scratch-off.

“I haven’t been able to find him yet and tell him about this, but I hope I do,” James said.

Click To Share The Lucky Story With Your Friends – Photo by Colorado Lottery

“Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” – Helen Keller

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” – Helen Keller

Image: by Jack Lazar, CC

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

This ‘Currency’ Lets People Trade Talents in Exchange For Services

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Good News Network
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The Lesson: Everyone has value and there are no throwaway people – which is why Dr. Edgar Cahn invented Time Banking: a currency built off reciprocating talents, time, and experience that is bringing communities around the world together and opening up new worlds of value and connections.

Notable Excerpt: “I feel that people, if you give most people a chance, would say, ‘I’d love to think of myself as a kind, decent human being. How can I do that?’ When you ask them politically, they feel alienated from a system that has sent them a message that they don’t matter; that their voices don’t matter. I think it’s a matter … of using vehicles that say you can create alternatives. I think we need a whole mentoring squad to make that feel real. I think Peace Corps did that. I think that there were times when we had that as a dominant culture. When the hot thing to do was not to be negative, but at least being negative gives you an identity if you don’t have any other options and I just think that time banking is neither left nor right – [it is] only respect for human beings, only respect for capacity and if we begin to appeal to the capacity of people to be bigger than themselves, I think they will respond.”

The Guest: Dr. Edgar Cahn, the inventor of Time Banking, is a legal professor and former counsel and speech writer to Robert F. Kennedy. After attending the London School of Economics, he created Time Banking in 1995. There are now Time Banks in over 30 countries around the world.

The Host: Julie Pilat works in music and tech in Los Angeles while also participating in many community activities. After growing up in radio, she missed interviewing people and decided to create “The Idea Fountain: Life-Changing Conversations” monthly podcast in which she interviews someone who has changed her life.

(LISTEN to the inspiring talk below) – Photo by Chiara Cremaschi, CC

Good Advice? SHARE It – And, CHECK Out More on our Good Talks Page…

Instead of Keeping $100 Bill, Little Boy Searches for Rightful Owner: a Senior Living on Fixed Income

By
McKinley Corbley
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Jaron Johnson may only be 8 years old, but he is already well on his way to being an upstanding citizen after his compassionate display of integrity last week.

The youngster was out running errands with his mom when he found a $100 bill in the parking lot of a Walmart in Pineville, Louisiana.

“He was a few steps behind me and said, ‘Mom, look what I have in my pocket,’ and he said, ‘Can we turn it in to Walmart and give it to the rightful owner?’” Jaron’s mom Jodie told Inside Edition.

Jodie was aware of how an employee could simply pocket the money for themselves, so she told Jaron that they would go home and work out how to return the money the following day.

LOOK: Photo of Young Athletes Paying Respect to a Funeral is Restoring People’s Faith in Humanity

The next day, Jaron told his mom to call Walmart and ask if anyone had reported the missing money. Jodie then called the store and left her phone number with the clerk. She did not, however, mention exactly what the missing property was.

Later that same day, she received a call from the daughter of James Grice: an 86-year-old man who had lost the $100 while he was shopping.

Because the senior lives on a fixed income, he had been unable to buy his groceries without the money; so when he discovered that someone had kept his finances safe, he was overwhelmed with joy.

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Grice and James met each other a few days later so the youngster could give him the money. As a means of expressing his gratitude, Grice gave Jaron $20 and a permanent invitation to the fresh tomatoes in his vegetable garden – which also happen to be one of Jaron’s favorite snacks.

“Jaron’s got a big heart,” Ms. Johnson said. “He has a passion for others. He has always shown his integrity and heart for others.”

Pay It Forward: Click To Share The Sweet Story With Your Friends – Photo by Jodie Johnson

42 of the Biggest Food Companies Make Historic Pledge to Cut Plastic Waste

By
McKinley Corbley
-

42 of the UK’s biggest retailers, supermarkets, manufacturers, and brands have taken a historic pledge to completely transform the plastic packaging sector by 2025.

Corporate giants such as Asda, Nestle, Lidl, Coca-Cola, Aldi, PepsiCo, Unilever, Tesco, Waitrose, Morrisons, Sainsbury, and Pret a Manger have joined the UK Plastics Pledge to eliminate single-use plastic packaging. Together, the signatories represent roughly 80% of the plastics sold in UK supermarkets.

The initiative, which is orchestrated by waste advisory charity WRAP in collaboration with the UK’s largest nonprofits, recyclers, and governments, has set a series of goals to cut wasteful packaging over the course of the next seven years.

For starters, the initiative will ensure that 100% of plastic packaging must either be recyclable, compostable, or reusable in order to make it onto supermarket shelves. Some supermarkets have gone even further and declared that plastic packaging will no longer be used on fruits and vegetables.

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Additionally, the pact seeks to increase the amount of properly recycled plastic from its current rate of 30% to at least 70%.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove, who is backing the pact, said in a statement: “Our ambition to eliminate avoidable plastic waste will only be realized if government, businesses, and the public work together.”

“Industry action can prevent excess plastic reaching our supermarket shelves in the first place. I am delighted to see so many businesses sign up to this pact and I hope others will soon follow suit,” he added.

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The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, one of the industry groups supporting the initiative, will also be helping to expand the initiative to other countries so more governments, businesses, and manufacturers can replicate the goals.

Dame Ellen MacArthur of the MacArthur Foundation said: “This bold new pact will bring together businesses, policymakers and the public to create a circular economy for plastics that tackles the causes of plastic waste and pollution, not just the symptoms. Focusing on innovation, better packaging design and end-of-use systems will not only generate long-term benefits for the environment, but is also a huge economic opportunity.”

“We encourage others around the world to help drive this momentum towards global solutions to what is a global problem.”

The pact comes as a welcome follow-up to the UK’s recent promise to eliminate wasteful plastic packaging by 2042.

(WATCH the video below)

Pass On The Historic News To Your Friends: Click To Share – Photo by WRAP

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