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Man Whips Out Chainsaw in Middle Of Night to Free Deer Whose Antlers Got Tangled in Tree

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Good News Network
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It’s strange to see a majestic animal like this stuck in a sticky situation, but luckily, someone stepped up to help the poor critter — with a chainsaw.

Jacob Eing was spending time outside one night when he noticed a group of deer frolicking ahead. At the sight of him, they all fled the scene, except for one.

Because he noticed the deer’s tail kept flopping up and down at a frantic pace, Jacob decided to investigate.

When he finally got near the deer, he discovered that the animal had somehow gotten one of its antlers lodged in a tree.

Jacob tried to free the deer himself, but the antler was stuck. He then ran back home and asked his dad to come help a deer—and to bring his chainsaw.

Even though his dad was a bit confused at the request, he obliged. The two of them then went back to the deer and freed his antlers.

CLICK to WATCH the rescue video – and don’t forget to share with your dear ones…

Oh, The Strangers You’ll Meet Walking Across America for Charity

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dfinnegan611
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My friend Abby and I spent the last 6 1/2 months walking across the United States to raise money for a homeless shelter where we used to work—and all the wonderful strangers we met made it all the more fulfilling.

The repeated acts of kindness from those who populate this country cannot be overstated; we were fed meals, welcomed into homes, and shown compassion wherever we went. We didn’t want to forget the personalities of the countless people we met, so we decided to write about a few of the notable types of individuals we met.

Strangers who stop

On one single back-country road, about 30 miles outside Indianapolis, all these wonderful interactions happened within one hour of each other.

We had three pickup trucks stop to talk with us, one immediately after the other. The first came offering Cola’s and water. The second, a handsome young guy who loved what we were doing, offered advice on reaching our campsite, and told others down the road about us. The third was a nice older couple, who offered words of encouragement, and later down the road, came out of their home to donate $40 to our homeless organization, JOIN, and to give us water, all while their dogs licked our legs and laid across our feet.

RELATED: Have You Watched This Netflix Series About Kindness?

We had a sun-shaded man with a cigarette dangling from his lips give us $5, and when we explained our reason for walking across America, he donated us another $5, without questioning anything we said.

We had a nice interaction with a man named Rod, who was out fishing with his buddies, and only briefly stopped to chat with us. He left a lasting impression, with a simple handshake, a soft-spoken voice, and a faint smile on his face as he wished us well. And, last, we met Sheldon, an elderly man who ran out of his house at a tortoise’s pace to offer us a ride up the road. This back-country road in rural Indiana left us grateful to have abandoned the main roads for a day.

Strangers who share our passion for walking

A couple weeks ago we received a generous donation to our funding page from a mysterious man named Dave. A day later, we received an email from the same man, offering us a spot to stay in Indianapolis. While we didn’t know who this man was, and weren’t going to be passing him on our route, we reached out to him anyway, and arranged to get dinner with him while in Indianapolis.

CHECK OUT: 5-Year-Old Has ‘Meltdown’ On Train Ride But Mom Snaps Photo When Stranger Sits Down With Him

It turns out Dave has dreamt of walking across America since he was a child, and he when he happened to stumble upon our blog one day and saw we that we were walking through Indianapolis, he wanted to contribute in whatever way he could to our journey.

On this trip, we have been continually amazed by the kindness of the strangers, but never had we met someone who held the same dream as us, inspired by the same desire to see the country at a slow pace, and interact with the beautiful people who reside in it. Our dinner with Dave was special. We bonded over our similar experiences with internet trolls, shared stories from the road, and left feeling inspired to continue our walk, knowing we had the support of a new friend in Indianapolis.

Strangers who make us laugh

We got pulled off the highway, out of the heat and into a bar with the promise of air conditioning and soda pop. Our host was wearing a shirt with a giant deer on it that said in bold letters “Stop the Buck.” He told us stories, made us laugh, and, while saying goodbye, said something that rang particularly true for our journey.

LOOK: Youth Risks His Life to Crawl After Suicidal Woman and Talk Her Down

“Hey guys, we need more people like you in the world,” he said.

We responded by saying: “We need more people like you giving us pop,” and he calmly replied with “we can all get where we’re going a lot easier if we go together.”

If there’s anything we’ve learned from two months into our trip, it is that it has been a lot easier to get where we’re going if we rely on the help of strangers along the way.

Click To Share The Sweet Story With Your Friends

World’s Largest Green Bean Casserole to Feed 2,000 Homebound Seniors

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Good News Network
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Green Giant sets Guinness World Records title for Largest Serving of Green Bean Casserole (PRNewsfoto/B&G Foods North America, Inc.)

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, families are getting ready to gobble up turkey, cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes.

But thanks to a big happy green guy, 2,000 seniors who are unable to leave their homes will be enjoying another famous staple in the American tradition— a green bean casserole that just broke a world record.

The Green Giant company achieved a Guinness World Record last weekend when it made the world’s largest green bean casserole. And it took 6 hours alone just to open all of the cans.

MORE: India Plants Record-breaking 66 Million Trees in 12 Hours

The whopping 637-pound dish required 780 cans of Green Giant green beans, 53 cans of mushroom soup, 32 quarts of milk and 65 pounds of French fried onions.

Upon breaking the record, the casserole was donated to Citymeals on Wheels – a New York City-based nonprofit that delivers over 2 million meals to homebound seniors.

CHECK OUT: Girl Scout’s Hilariously Honest Cookie Reviews Lead to Record-breaking Sales

According to the company, they wanted to mark their first ever appearance in this year’s 91st annual Macy’s Day Parade.

Green Giant vice president Jordan Greenberg says, “We wanted to celebrate our inaugural year in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade by baking up some excitement while helping so many people in this incredible city.”

(WATCH the video below)

Fed Up With Negativity? Click To Multiply The Good (Photo by B&G Foods Inc.)

How to Perform Well Under Pressure – No Matter the Stakes

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Good News Network
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Title: Performing Under Pressure

The Lesson: Fedor Holz is only 24 years old and he has already played in dozens of high stakes poker tournaments and multi-million dollar competitions – so, it’s safe to say that he knows a thing or two about staying cool under pressure. In this podcast, the German card player gives his best advice on how to stay calm during high-risk business situations, how to train yourself for improvement, and – most importantly – how to coach yourself when you lose.

Notable Excerpt: “If you want to be great at something, put every single minute you’ve got into it.”

The Host: After spending years of his young life and athletic career struggling with his own emotional wellbeing, a crippling injury left Lewis Howes without an identity and without any work. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, however, Howes recreated himself as a multi-million dollar media producer, motivational speaker, bestselling author, and podcast host. The ex-football player now spends his days chatting with the most inspirational icons of his generation on his School of Greatness podcast..

Podcast: The School of Greatness podcast is available for download on Soundcloud and iTunes. You can also watch footage of the interviews on Howes’s YouTube channel.

Books: Howes is the author of the New York Times bestselling book “The School of Greatness”: an in-depth collection of lessons and wisdom that he has gathered from interviewing hundreds of the world’s greatest role models and thinkers. Howes’s latest book, “The Mask of Masculinity”, is based on his experience with the dangerous stereotypes and expectations that are placed on men in modern society.

(LISTEN to the talk below)

Click To Share And Inspire Your Friends – Photo by Danny Maxwell

Bill Murray Delights Us Again By Buying Bluegrass Concert Tickets For Everyone In Line

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Good News Network
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Bill Murray has been a staple of the comedy world for decades. The 67-year-old actor is known for movies like Caddyshack, Ghostbusters, and Groundhog Day.

Well known as a former cast member of Saturday Night Live, Murray is part owner of a Minnesota baseball team, a Florida restaurant, and involved in his community of Charleston, South Carolina. But best of all, we love him for his quirky pranks and total kindness, which has delighted strangers that he meets around the globe.

Recently, Bill went to a bluegrass concert in Charleston and spontaneously decided to buy out the venue — and then he gave all the tickets to complete strangers waiting in line behind him.

Visit Our Partner’s website to Hear More about the Caddyshack star’s good deed…

Elementary School ‘Share Tables’ Keep Unwanted Lunch Food Out of Trash

By
McKinley Corbley
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If sharing is caring, then these young students must care a lot.

The elementary schoolers of Orange County, Florida are cutting down on food waste by leaving the food that they don’t want at designated “share tables”.

The share tables mean that – instead of throwing out the snacks and meals that they don’t want – the kids can leave them out on the table for their fellow students, or grab food for themselves. Any food leftover on the table at the end of the day is either given to needy student families, or it is packaged up, donated to local churches, and distributed to the homeless community.

RELATED: Man Creates ‘Shoes That Grow’ So Poor Kids Don’t Outgrow Them

According to the Orlando Sentinel, this innovative initiative has several benefits. For starters, kids from low-income families don’t have to worry about being able to afford lunchtime meals; the tables save hundreds of pounds of food from the trash; and school officials say that because kids don’t have surplus food at the end of the lunch period, they are less likely to play with their leftovers and cause a mess.

The tables are especially handy because the federal school lunch program requires students to take a certain amount of food items per meal, including a serving of fruit and vegetables – even if they don’t want the food.

CHECK OUT: For Every Bottle, This Recycling Machine Dispenses Dog Food for Strays

Additionally, since there is only one standard serving size, the meals may be too large for smaller kindergartners to finish, and too small for growing fifth graders to satiate their hunger.

Due to health code regulations, hot and non-packaged food items are not allowed at the share tables, but there is still more than enough nutritious food to go around.

Over 20 schools in the region have reportedly started using share tables since the initiative first started two years ago – and school representatives hope that more academic institutions will start their own.

Power Up With Positivity: Click To Share (Photo by Amanda Mills, USCDCP)

Meditation and Mindfulness Tips to Combat Everyday Worries and Life’s Big Questions

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Good News Network
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Anxiety. Stress. Feeling overwhelmed. Life is messy. Life is fun. Life is hard.

Give it five minutes and your feelings about life will change. That’s the nature of this wonderous adventure.

Stress arises when we dwell on the past or focus on the future, but life is very simple. Go with the flow. Is it really that easy? It is with practice.

You remember when you first learned that “new” thing…a job, Facebook, Twitter, how to play guitar, bake a cake? We are all familiar with the feeling – and challenge – of learning something new. You weren’t great at it, were you? But you stuck with it, you practiced and you got better.

LOOK: Check Out This Yoga Studio Made Entirely of Salt

So how do you handle the constant changes that seem to pop up just when you thought life was going so well? It’s interesting to note – according to science we have between 60,000-80,000 thoughts a day. Even though these thoughts are not all conscious, they still have a major impact.
The thing is – even with that many thoughts – just as little as 12 mindfulness minutes a day can have major benefits including:

  • reducing negative self-talk
  • increasing compassion
  • decreasing anxiety

Mindfulness is being with what is happening RIGHT now and tuning into how you feel about that experience. It’s connecting with the good, the bad, the ugly. Paying attention to the feelings in your body, tuning into your senses without judging yourself. When you focus on your senses you are in the present moment.

Let’s practice.

Right now you are reading this article, so this is your present moment. How do feel about what you have just read? Name the emotion. Pay attention to your senses and notice what feeling(s) arise in your body. Observe your feelings with no judgment.

RELATED: This is How Good You Feel When You Do Good For Others

That’s it! You’ve done a mindfulness practice. That was simple, right? Repeat doing this throughout the day.

Here a three additional practices to help you be more mindful during your day:

Hands to heart: During the day at any time lay both hands flat in the center of your chest. Take a deep breath and say out loud, “I am safe. I am calm. All is well.” This simple practice done regularly relaxes your body more and helps reduce anxiety.

Three conscious breaths: Stop what you are doing and plant your feet solid on the ground. Think about what you want to do next. The breath you take will be done in threes. Breathe in for three counts, hold for three counts and release for three counts. Take three conscious breaths throughout the day to regain your focus and provide mental clarity.

CHECK OUT: Einstein’s Theory of Happy Living Emerges in a Note Uncovered After 95 Years

I am here now: Set your phone or clock to alarm at five minutes before the hour. When the alarm goes off, stand up. Take a deep breath in. Look around the room and notice what you see. Say out loud: “I AM HERE NOW.” Open your arms wide, smile, look up at the sky or ceiling and be grateful.

It helps to remember that life is changing all the time. Life is difficult. Life is exhilarating. When you find yourself overwhelmed, anxious or stress, remember that struggling is a choice. Stop. Place your hands over your heart. Take three conscious breaths. Look up and around, open your arms wide, smile and say, I am here NOW and I am grateful.

Barbara J. Faison believes we are all students and teachers in the school of life, and being open to learning, evolving and growing is a way to stop struggling. Faison educates, inspires, and enlightens with her unique perspective on being and finding purpose wherever you are. She has also been a meditation and mindfulness ambassador for over 20 years, and she is the author of the audio program, “Be Still: Learn to Meditate in 10 Minutes a Day.”

Click To Share The Wisdom With Your Friends (Photo by GWC)

Shelter Dogs to Get Temporary Homes So They Can Celebrate Thanksgiving With Families

By
McKinley Corbley
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Thanksgiving may be a holiday for humans, but that doesn’t mean that these pups don’t want to get in on the fun too.

This Home For The Pawlidays program is a sweet new initiative that pairs shelter dogs with temporary foster homes for Thanksgiving week.

The project, which was created by the Lifeline Animal Project in Atlanta, Georgia, is finding families to take in 20 of their loneliest shelter dogs for the coming week.

RELATED: High School Cross Country Team Take Shelter Dogs For a Run

Fostering animals is an invaluable resource for rescue shelters – it gives dogs a break from being in shelter cages all day long and it gives foster parents and shelters a chance to learn more about the pup’s personality, which may help encourage a family’s decision to adopt in the future. If shelters know whether a dog likes to play or be around children, they can then help connect the pups with prospective pet owners who might be more drawn to those traits.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, the pups will have a chance to relax, spend time with a family, get out of the cage, and maybe join in on the feasting as well.

Plus, they will be exposed to a whole new group of people who might feel compelled to adopt them into loving homes.

MORE: Animal Shelter Enlists Help of Pokemon GO Players to Walk Dogs

The best part about the program? It’s basically free.

“We’ll provide the pet supplies, vet care and support you need,” says the organization’s website. “You just provide the love!”

You can keep up with the pawesome holiday fun of the 20 lucky pups by following the #LifeLinePawlidays hashtag.

Click To Share The Barkin’ Good News With Your Friends (Photo by Lifeline Animal Project)

J.J. Abrams Directs Celebrity-Filled Spoof on Comic Book Jimmy Kimmel Made When He Was 10

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Good News Network
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In honor of Jimmy Kimmel’s 50th birthday earlier this week, a couple of his friends got together to make a little surprise birthday video gift.

The video, which was directed by some guy named J.J. Abrams, was based off of a comic book that Kimmel wrote when he was 10 years old called “The Terrific Ten”.

WATCH: Guy Makes Hilarious Commercial to Sell His Girlfriend’s Used Car–and Bidding Soars

“From the mind of pre-pubescent Jimmy Kimmel”, the Terrific Ten team of crimefighting superheroes included such dazzling names as Lucky Lad, Color Kid, and Super Duck.

You may have heard of some of the actors who volunteered for the complex roles – Shaquille O’Neal was on the roster, as well as Jennifer Anniston, Jon Hamm, Zack Galifinackis, Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Matt Damon (whoever that is).

It’s probably safe to say that they will never be in a more relevant movie.

(WATCH the video below)

Be A Hero And Fight The Blues: Click To Share With Your Friends

Hearts Melt Over College Roommate’s Dedication to Helping His Little Sister

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Good News Network
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While some people might have dicier memories of older siblings from their childhood, this college student is doing a small kindness for his little sister that “will stay with her forever.”

Reddit user TheRylan posted a photo of his college roommate FaceTiming with his younger sister in front of a calculator and a Post-it note of scribbles.

According to TheRylan, his roommate calls his sibling every week so he can help her with her high school algebra homework.

LOOK: Teen Walks Home Old Man With Groceries, Photo Goes Viral

While the gesture may seem trivial for a family member, college classes can be incredibly time-consuming – the fact that the roommate is ensuring that he has enough time in the day outside of his coursework to help a sibling in need is wonderfully endearing.

The post went viral and prompted another user to share his own life-changing experience about sibling love.

“Such an insignificant task on his end will stay with her forever. He’s going to be her hero for years to come,” said Gothamhunter. “Source: [I am a] big brother, have cried at a letter my sister wrote me about everything I did, no matter how insignificant, for her while taking care of her when we were growing up.”

CHECK OUT: 10-Year-old Boy Delivers His Baby Brother – and Saves His Life

“People with siblings; the little things count immensely. Read them a story. Help them with homework. Spend a sliver of your time a day with them. Show them how to play your favorite video game. Pour them a bowl of cereal. Cook em a grilled cheese. It doesn’t take a lot or a big gesture to leave an impact that shows you care about them.”

“My sister’s favorite memory is how I would cook the 3 of us grilled cheese for lunch during the summer and cut them into as small of pieces as possible, like little grilled cheese bites,” he added.

“Taking care of my sisters was hard, especially with how our upbringing was, and knowing that I helped shape their lives and make them better people, rather than just thinking it, was a validation I never knew I needed until I had it,” says Gothamhunter.

Another user simply said that TheRylan’s roommate has gotten himself a new well-deserved nickname: “Algebro”.

Click To Share This Sweet Sibling Story With Your Friends (Photo by The Rylan)

Dad Gets to Grant Christmas Wish For Son With Autism Thanks to Internet

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Good News Network
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James Dutton and his ex-wife were determined to give their son with autism the perfect Christmas.

Upon asking 19-year-old Thomas to make a wish list for Santa, however, they ran into a problem.

The parents from London were able to get everything on the list except for a rare VHS tape of an old animated children’s show called “Postman Pat”.

CHECK OUT: Plane Passengers Are Left “In Awe” of Woman’s Kindness Towards Agitated Boy With Autism

Though the show was discontinued, Thomas got hooked on the series by watching YouTube videos.

In a desperate bid to complete Thomas’s Christmas list, Dutton took to social media in search of Postman Pat’s Prize Postbag on video cassette from 1981.

The tweet, which was republished by Brendan Cole from the British reality show “Strictly Come Dancing”, was shared thousands of times until it appeared on Jill Hulme’s newsfeed – and luckily, she had the exact movie that the Duttons were searching for.

RELATED: Store Finds the Cutest Way for Autistic Boy to Keep Himself Busy in the Aisles

“The response has been absolutely overwhelming and I’m so grateful to everyone for taking the time to give advice, or search in attics!” said James. “The heartwarming side of human nature.”

“It will mean a huge amount for him on Christmas Day,” the Duttons told the Independent. “Nothing he asks for is a high-cost item, but it’s all about the value to him and his innocent child-like enjoyment of life.”

“I think the biggest thing that we have learned is the power of social media for good things, and the kindness of complete strangers,” they added.

Click To Share The Sweet Story With Your Friends

Thought to Be Extinct For 42 Years, Cute Critter is Finally Spotted by Guy Eating Lunch

By
McKinley Corbley
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It’s been 42 years since anyone has seen this elusive little salamander – but when someone spotted one hiding in the jungle last month, it was under the most unlikely circumstances.

27-year-old forest guard Ramos León-Tomás was eating his lunch on the outskirts of the Finca San Isidro Amphibian Reserve in Guatemala when he spotted a small black and gold amphibian hiding in the brush.

The tiny creature, which is known as Jackson’s climbing salamander, was thought to be extinct until León-Tomás found him on his lunch break.

RELATED: India Saves Its Tigers Instead of Mining For $330M in Diamonds

The forest guard only recognized him because local conservationists have held workshops with the reservation’s staff on what the fabled critter looked like. According to the Guardian, there have been dozens of expeditions onto the reservation in search of Jackson’s climbing salamander since its discovery in 1975, but to no avail.

León-Tomás recognized the salamander from the workshop, snapped some photos, and sent them to Carlos Vásquez Almazán, the amphibian coordinator with the Foundation for Eco-Development and Conservation.

Vásquez, who has reportedly made 30 different voyages into the jungle in search of the salamander, could not believe his eyes.

MORE: Mexico Saves Millions of Monarch Butterflies by Stopping Logging in its Tracks

“I took [deep breaths] for a couple of hours, until they managed to send me a photo through WhatsApp, because the region is remote and there is little good internet signal,” Vásquez told the Guardian. “It was definitely the sought-after and awaited Jackson’s climbing salamander.”

Vásquez currently believes that no one was able to find Jackson’s climbing salamander over the course of the last 42 years because they were looking in the wrong place. While researchers were investigating the region in which the amphibian was first discovered in 1975, León-Tomás found it at a higher altitude. This may be due to warmer climates pushing animal species to higher ground in search of cooler environments.

Now that scientists know that Jackson’s climbing salamander is not extinct, surveys will be conducted on the area to ascertain how many salamanders make up the population.

Click To Share The Cool News With Your Friends (Photos by Carlos Vásquez Almazán)

People Are Posting Stories of Celebrities Being Nice to Them and it is Incredibly Refreshing

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Good News Network
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Though it may seem like there are endless allegations against celebrities for one crime or another these days, it’s good to remember that not all Hollywood stars use their fame for evil.

In a social media post created by a Twitter user named Bakoon, people are being called to share their positive experiences of dealing with famous people in real life.

“If anyone has any nice allegations against a celebrity, that would be great too,” says Bakoon. “Does a famous actor give good christmas presents?”

RELATED: Robert Downey Jr. Comes to the Rescue of Bullied 7-Year-old

While some of the stories are as simple as celebrities leaving hefty tips for their servers and baristas, others are way more heartwarming.

One of the first tweets to get the ball rolling was from Mara Wilson, the actress who starred in Matilda and Mrs. Doubtfire, vouching for the kindness of her film co-star Danny Devito.

And the stories just get better and better.

Click To Share The Refreshing News With Your Friends (Photo by Eva Rinaldi, CC)

Walmart Cashier Helps Struggling Man: ‘We’ve forgotten how to love one another’

By
Good News Network
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Sometimes it’s the smallest good deeds that mean the most.

Facebook user Spring Herbison Bowlin of Clarksdale, Mississippi posted a photo to social media last week of a Walmart cashier helping an older man count his change.

After the cashier gave him the total for his groceries, the man was apparently embarrassed by having to pay in coins, even though Bowlin insisted that she didn’t mind.

RELATED: Woman Called ‘Angel’ After Her Sweet Gesture Was Recorded at Walmart

“He looks apologetically back at me and starts taking handfuls of change out of his pockets,” says Bowlin. “He miscounts and starts to get flustered. Gives me a muttered, ‘I’m so sorry.’ His hands and voice are shaking.”

Then, the woman behind the counter offers to help.

“This beautiful cashier takes his hands and dumps all the change on the counter and says, ‘This is not a problem, honey. We will do this together.’”

WATCH: Teen Boys Filmed Giving Duvet to Homeless Man and Tucking Him In

Once the transaction is finished, Bowlin thanks the woman for patiently helping the senior, and she responds with the most wonderful piece of wisdom.

“She shakes her head and replies, ‘You shouldn’t have to thank me, baby. What’s wrong with our world is we’ve forgotten how to love one another.’”

In light of the cashier’s compassionate advice, the post has already been shared thousands of times.

“I want to be more like her,” added Bowlin.

Click To Share The Sweet Story With Your Friends – OR,

Pope Auctions Gift Worth $250K For Christian Communities Destroyed by ISIS

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Good News Network
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Earlier this week, Pope Francis was gifted a sleek, specially made papal-themed luxury car – but he doesn’t plan on driving it. Instead, he plans on having it auctioned for charity.

Lamborghini executives presented the Pope with a white and gold-gilded Huracán in front of the Vatican. After autographing and blessing the car, His Holiness announced that he would be giving it to Sotheby’s for auction.

RELATED: Pope Francis is Paying the Rent of a Private Beach for the Disabled

The vehicle, which Top Gear has called the “Supercar of the Year”, has a base value of $250,000. Because this is the seventh edition of the automobile created specially for the pontiff, however, it could sell for even more.

According to the Catholic News Agency, the proceeds generated by the Huracán’s auction will reportedly go towards three different causes: restoring Christian villages that have been damaged by ISIS in Iraq, assisting victims of human trafficking, and financing outreach work in Africa.

(WATCH the video below)

Click To Share This Holy Story With Your Friends – Feature photo by EWTN

Military Couple Helps Care For Pets of Deployed Soldiers (And You Can Too)

By
McKinley Corbley
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Asking the neighbors to feed your dog while you’re on vacation for the weekend is one thing – it is quite another thing trying to find someone who can watch your dogs while you are deployed overseas for six months.

Luckily, there is an organization that does just that.

Capt. Alisa Sieber-Johnson and Lt. Shawn Johnson first adopted their beloved pup JD shortly after they got married. Then, at the same time that Sieber-Johnson was deployed to Quantico, Virginia for six months of marine training, Johnson was told that he would be shipping out with the Navy.

RELATED: Swipe Right For Unconditional Love – App Pairs You With Adoptable Pets

Though the San Diego-based couple found a foster family to look after JD, they considered how often military pet owners must be forced to search for places to house their pets while on active duty.

This is why Alisa and Shawn launched Dogs on Deployment: a nonprofit that pairs civilian foster homes with the pets of military members while they are away on duty.

Since the service was first started six years ago, over 1,100 dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, and critters have found temporary homes with volunteer boarders during their parents’ service.

LOOK: Guy Gives Shelter Dogs Free Haircuts to Help Them Get Adopted

Additionally, the organization has given away almost $400,000 in grants to military families for such pet-related expenses as emergency veterinary treatment or spay and neuter services.

“DoD brings together two of America’s loves: our support for our troops and love for our pets,” Sieber-Johnson told TODAY. “It’s spread 100 percent through word-of-mouth. There’s no other organization doing what we’re doing.”

If you want to volunteer as a boarder, donate to the organization, or find a temporary home for your pet while you are on active duty, you can check out the Dogs on Deployment website for more information.

Click To Share The Pawesome Story With Your Friends (Photo used with permission from Terran Bayer/Westway Studio)

Guy Raises Funds to Build Statue For the First and Only Cat in Space

By
McKinley Corbley
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Have you ever heard of Félicette the cat? Well, not many people have – which is a shame, considering that she was the first and only cat to ever go to space.

One man, however, is on a mission to remind the world of the feline’s contribution to science.

Matthew Serge Guy first found out about Félicette when he saw her picture on a vintage tea towel. After researching the trailblazing astro-cat, he found that her launch into space had become largely forgotten by the masses.

MORE: Corporation Surprises Grieving Father Secretly Tending a Mystery Memorial

Félicette was one of 13 cats who underwent rigorous training in preparation of a trip to space. Scientists conducted the research because they figured that if animals were able to survive in space, then humans could too. Félicette was eventually selected as the successor of the project due to her surprisingly calm disposition (or because the other cats became too fat – no one knows).

In October 1963, the cat was propelled to a height of 97 miles (157 kilometers) for 5 minutes of weightlessness before she parachuted back to Earth and was picked up by helicopter just 13 minutes after launch.

 

Félicette’s accomplishment, however, was forgotten in the annals of history because of the host of other milestones during the space race in the 60s. She was technically given an honorary set of stamps after her mission, but the postage company spelt her name wrong thinking that she was actually a male cat named “Felix”.

While the first dog and monkey who went to space have been given statues and proper burials in their memories, Félicette’s voyage has mostly been ignored – up until now.

LOOK: Dearly Departed Internet Cat Gets Honorary Statue

Guy created a Kickstarter page with the hope of crowdfunding enough money to erect a statue of Félicette in her hometown of Paris. While the page has raised $38,000 of its $52,000 goal with the weekend deadline looming, Guy is delighted that people have been so enthusiastic to learn about The Astro Cat.

“Through this Kickstarter campaign itself, Félicette’s story has now been relayed to many people all over the world, who previously had no idea she existed at all,” says Guy.

“So in a way, it’s done the same job as the statue itself – helping the world remember the first cat who went to space.”

(WATCH the video below)

Click To Share The Pawesome Story With Your Friends

Veteran Bursts into Tears When Dentist Sees His Teeth and Gives $15K of Work For Free

By
Good News Network
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A chance meeting at the gym changed retired Air Force Staff Sergeant David Tyler Harmon’s life for the better.

It all started when he met Dr. David Nguyen during a workout and learned that David was a dentist. The Air Force veteran decided to book an appointment with him for a teeth cleaning – but when it was time for the examination, Dr. Nguyen took one look at the veteran’s teeth and was shocked.

“I came in for a cleaning, and he’s like, ‘My goodness!’ And I start telling him all the pain I’m in,” the sergeant recalled.

Nguyen said: “There was infection in his gum tissue, a lot of cracked teeth everywhere, a lot of crowding, a lot of grinding problems.”

The dental problems were made even more severe by head trauma David received during multiple tours on active duty. And the cost to fix those problems was greater than expected — about $15,000.

“I overheard him saying something about sending the paperwork to the VA,” said Dr. Nguyen. “I was like, ‘Wait, if he were to wait for the VA, it would take months.’”

They didn’t have that long.

“I saw infection,” Dr. Nguyen explained. “I said, ‘Listen, you need to get this handled right away.’”

That’s when Dr. Nguyen offered to do David’s dental work entirely free of charge.

David, being understandably overwhelmed, broke down into tears.

CLICK the link below to watch an interview with the sergeant – and don’t forget to SHARE this moving story with your friends…

Bearded Guys Pose in Mermaid Calendar to Raise Funds For Therapy Horses

By
McKinley Corbley
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Forget about getting another cat calendar for the holidays – you can now help a great charity by decorating your office cubicle with 12 months of bearded Canadian dudes in mermaid outfits.

Dozens of men from the Newfoundland and Labrador Mustache and Beard Club volunteered to pose for the merman calendar in order to raise money for Spirit Horse NL: a nonprofit that pairs therapy horses with mentally ill youths and adults.

LOOK: 12 Hot Firemen Take Shirts Off for Charity Calendar

Hasan Hai, who founded the Newfoundland and Labrador Beard & Moustache Club, says that over 70 of their burly members were willing to step up for the organization.

“They’re desperately in need of funds and awareness because it’s expensive to raise and upkeep horses,” Hai told CBC. “I figured right away that this is a cause our club can get behind.”

The “MerBy’s” 2018 calendar features the gentlemen getting haircuts, drinking beer, hanging by the seaside, and blowing kisses to each other in nothing but their facial hair and fins.

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

Since the club posted teaser photos of the calendar on their Facebook, they have been flooded with pre-orders.

You can buy your own for $19.70 USD ($25 CAD) a pop – but you better be quick about it if you want to get yours in the mail by the holiday season.

Click To Share This Fishy Find With Your Friends (Feature photo by Darrell Sharpe Photography)

College Offers Free Semester of School So Hurricane Victims Don’t Get Blown Off Track

By
Good News Network
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With Puerto Rico still recovering from the damage of Hurricane Maria, a New England college is opening their doors to displaced students so they can continue with their studies.

Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts is giving a free semester of classes to hurricane victims from the University of Puerto Rico.

The college will also be providing free room and board to the students, as well as a stipend for textbooks, travel costs, and expenses.

CHECK OUT: Tesla Restores Power to Puerto Rican Children’s Hospital– And That’s Not All

According to the school’s website, the average price tag for tuition, room, and board can cost students without financial aid as much as $66,000 per year.

In light of the circumstances, however, school representatives believe that young adults pursuing an education should not have to give up their academic career just because of a hurricane.

WATCH: Hamilton Star Pushes Awkward Celebrity Photo Fundraiser to $1 Million For Puerto Rico

“Our goal is to allow these students to continue their studies at an outstanding liberal arts college with a welcoming, supportive community,” said Audrey Smith, the college’s vice president for enrollment. “I know Smith students, faculty and staff will welcome them eagerly.”

Anyone wishing to apply has until December 6th to fill out the necessary forms. Application fees for University of Puerto Rico students will also be waived.

Click To Share The News With Your Friends (Photo by Smith College)

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