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Grandpa Granted Dying Wish of Being Buried With Cheese Steaks

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Good News Network
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While most funerals are usually pretty somber affairs, there was one amusing silver lining to Richard Lussi’s funeral in October: his son and grandson lovingly placed two Philadelphia cheesesteaks in his casket before he was buried.

This may seem like a bizarre action for a grieving family, but then again, most people probably don’t know how much Richard loved these sandwiches.

They weren’t just any ol’ sandwiches, either – they were specifically bought and made at Pat’s King of Steaks in Philadelphia.

RELATED: Daughter Fulfills Dad’s Last Wish With Side-Splitting Obituary

Despite the restaurant being two and a half hours away from Richard’s home in Plains Township, Pennsylvania, the grandfather would have no problem making the drive specifically so he could buy some of the heavenly cheesesteaks.

Before he died of heart complications on October 10th, the 76-year-old would always insist that he wanted to be buried with one of Pat’s cheesesteaks.

“He’s always had a bad heart and doctors told him he had to watch what he ate, but he always said, ‘I’m going to die one day and there’s no way I’m cutting all this good food out of my life,’ ” Richard’s grandson Dominic told the Philadelphia Inquirer.

MORE: Milkshake Travels 400 Miles to Fulfill Hospice Patient’s Last Wish

So, the night before Richard’s funeral, Dominic and his father John traveled to Philly, got a bite and Pat’s, and bought two more sandwiches for Richard. The next day, they placed the cheesesteaks in the casket alongside the deceased (much to the surprise of some of the funeral-goers).

“We were just going to get one but my pop always said, ‘If you’re going to Pat’s you always get two, you never order just one. It’s a waste of time,’ ” recalled Dominic.

Upon hearing about the grandfather’s last request, Pat’s owner Frank Olivieri Jr. told the Inquirer: “I’m flattered, bewildered, and proud that someone would hold the Philly cheesesteak and Pat’s Philly cheesesteak so dear that they want to take it to the afterlife with them.”

“Maybe it’s a bribe for St. Peter,” he added.

Serve Up Some Sweetness To Your Friends: Click To Share – Photo by John Lussi

With Kids in Meltdown Mode, Mom’s Day is Saved When Officer Appears

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Good News Network
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When a mother was struggling to handle her two children at a Walmart earlier this month, a compassionate police officer did not waste time in offering assistance.

Madison Gail Obrien and her roommate were walking into the Kennesaw superstore from the parking lot when they saw the unidentified mother getting a “screaming toddler and a car seat with a crying baby” out of her car.

“As you can imagine, and as we were thinking, she definitely had her hands full,” Obrien wrote on Facebook.

LOOK: Neighbor Sees Police Officer Battling to Push Senior’s Broken Electric Wheelchair Uphill

The mother did not have to handle the youngsters alone, however, because a nearby police officer spotted the woman having trouble and decided to step in.

“As we smiled at [the woman] and continued walking, we saw a cop get out of his patrol car and walk up to the mom. He asked if he could help and grabbed the little toddler’s hand and we watched as they walked in to the grocery store.

The cop reportedly fetched a cart for the mother before wishing her a pleasant night and parted ways.

Thirty minutes later, Obrien was waiting at the checkout when she saw the same supermom walking up to the register with her newborn in one hand, and her cart in the other.

WATCH: Rookie Cop Saves Dangling Suicidal Man Who Changed His Mind

Her toddler then picked up a small toy and asked his mother if she could get it for him.

“The mom replied trying to smile, but with sadness in her face: ‘I’m sorry baby we can’t get that today,’” writes Obrien. “The toddler began to cry and followed his mom to the checkout in a puddle of tears.”

Obrien says that her and her roommate were so heartbroken by the exchange, they contemplated buying the toy themselves.

As it turns out, they didn’t have to – the same cop from the parking lot walked up to the crying boy and asked if he still wanted the toy.

WATCH: When Hurricane Irma Raged Outside, Cop Offered His Hand to Frightened Senior For a Dance

“The boy shook his head yes (still with tears running down his face) and the cop took the boy’s hand, picked out the toy and the cop then proceeded not only to buy the toy but also this mom’s entire grocery cart of food as well. We watched in amazement at this super hero cop and his giving heart!”

Obrien snapped a photo of the sweet exchange and posted it to Facebook where it has since received an outpouring of support.

The Kennesaw Police Department identified the compassionate cop as Officer Matt Wilson – a hardworking policeman who has worked at the station for over 10 years.

Obrien finished her explanation of the touching encounter by saying: “He wasn’t doing it for publicity, or to look ‘good’. He didn’t even have an idea anyone was watching. He was just a good person trying to do something good. And with all this negativity and hate going on, sometimes we need a reminder there are still so many good people in this world!”

Click To Share The Sweet Story With Your Friends (Photo by Madison Gail Obrien)

Senators Make Bipartisan Progress on Background Check Legislation

By
McKinley Corbley
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A new piece of gun control-related legislation has just been introduced by a bipartisan group of senators who are intent on working together to find a middle ground.

The “Fix NICS Act of 2017” is being lauded as an important compromise between anti- and pro-gun control legislators. The bill was introduced by Sen. Jon Cornyn, the Texas Republican whose home state was recently victim to a shooting that could have been prevented if the Air Force had reported the shooter’s history of domestic violence.

The legislation would punish federal and state agencies for failing to report relevant criminal information from background checks to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. Additionally, it would reward and incentivize agencies that complied with the bill.

RELATED: Opposing Congressmen Become Besties When Forced on D.C. Road Trip

“For years, agencies and states haven’t complied with the law, failing to upload these critical records without consequence,” Cornyn said. “This bill aims to help fix what’s become a nationwide, systemic problem so we can better prevent criminals and domestic abusers from obtaining firearms.”

Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy, whose home state has also been a victim of gun violence, also helped to introduce the legislation and voiced his support.

“This deal will strengthen the background check system and save lives,” says Murphy. “Our bill marks an important milestone that shows real compromise can be made on the issue of guns.”

MORE: Congress in Unanimous Vote Passes Bill of Rights for Sexual Assault Victims

“It’s no secret that I believe much more needs to be done. But this bill will make sure that thousands of dangerous people are prevented from buying guns,” he added. “It represents the strongest update to the background checks system in a decade, and provides the foundation for more compromise in the future.”

Dianne Feinstein, the Democratic senator of California, published a tweet on Thursday reading: “BREAKING: We’ve just introduced bipartisan legislation to improve the gun background check system. Progress is possible!”

Click To Share The News With Your Friends Across The Aisle (Photo by the Obama White House via Flickr, CC)

Mindful Holiday Management: Tips for Enjoying the Season

By
Martha Brettschneider
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When I was growing up, my recollection is that Christmas decorations didn’t go up until Thanksgiving. That may or may not be true, but I know that over the course of the last three or four decades, I’ve been conditioned to believe that it’s “wrong” for holiday decorating (and marketing) to start earlier and earlier.

For as long as I can remember now, my body would tense up when I saw the first Christmas decorations of the season. “That’s WRONG!” I would tell myself. “The holidays have become so commercial!” Then I would spend a few more minutes getting pulled into that story, resisting the decorations, pushing back against the holiday spirit that was being offered to me sooner than I was ready for.

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

A few years ago, though, after attending a talk by mindfulness instructor Trisha Stotler, I started to approach the holidays with intention. I gave thought to what mattered most to me during the holidays, what I enjoyed about the season and traditions, what I didn’t enjoy, which holiday experiences in the past made me feel good, which didn’t, and what all of that gave rise to in my body.

I clarified what type of holiday experience I wanted to create for myself and my family, how I wanted to feel, and embraced the activities that supported those intentions and positive feelings. Just as importantly, I gave myself permission to say “no” to things that didn’t illicit a joyful feeling in my body.

And guess what? I realized that I like holiday decorations. I like the feeling of joy these cultural traditions bring with them year after year. I know now that my joy is infectious, as are my emotions on the negative end of the spectrum as well. I have a choice, and I choose joy.

MORE: How to Stop the Runaway Train of Anxiety in 4 Steps

I have absolutely no control when businesses begin their holiday marketing campaigns. Choosing to focus my attention on “It’s wrong for them to commercialize the holidays earlier and earlier,” is wasted energy that creates stress and resentment in my body. Why give it that power when the reality is that the only power I have is to not buy from that vendor (a decision I make sometimes but with no judgment).

Mindfulness trains us to respond to life situations from the standpoint of reality in the present moment. Situations and experiences don’t change, but our mindset does.

So I was super proud of myself last week when I noticed my autopilot response upon entering Michaels and finding the aisles filled with Christmas tree ornaments. “WRONG! Too soon!” the old tapes in my head blared. But it only took a second for me to ground myself, bring my attention to where my feet were standing so that I could bring my mind to that place of reality as well.

RELATED: 10 Easy Ways To Positively Improve Your Romantic Relationship Today

“You like the holidays,” my deeper wisdom, or what I sometimes call my motivational girlfriend voice, reminded me.

“You like Christmas decorations, but no, you don’t have to buy Christmas decorations today or even think about getting out your own decorations. Why not allow yourself to embrace the holiday spirit, even in the midst of everything else going on in your life?”

“Use this moment to take yourself out of autopilot and transmute your energy from resistance to joy,” she advised.

It’s never too soon for that. And it’s never too late.

Help Your Friends Embrace Positivity: Click To Share (Photo by Martha Brettschneider)

Real-Life Action Hero Harrison Ford Races to Help Car Collision Victim

By
McKinley Corbley
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Harrison Ford-CC Gage Skidmore

Harrison Ford may not do all of his own stunts, but that doesn’t mean that he isn’t afraid to jump into action when the need arises.

A 63-year-old woman was driving east down a highway in Santa Paula, California on Sunday morning when she accidentally drove her car off the road and crashed into an embankment.

The California Highway Patrol told the Ventura County Star that Ford, who happened to be nearby the scene of the accident, heard the crash and rushed to the damaged vehicle along with several other good Samaritans so they could help the woman out of the car.

CHECK OUT: People Are Posting Stories of Celebrities Being Nice to Them and it is Incredibly 

The Indiana Jones star reportedly ensured that the victim was okay before leaving the scene.

TMZ was allegedly told something different by eyewitnesses, but the outlet published photos of 75-year-old Ford helping out at the crash site on Sunday afternoon.

The woman reportedly escaped the incident with minor injuries.

RELATED: Harrison Ford Rescues Lost Boy in the Wilderness, Just Like the Movies

This is not the first time that Ford has swooped in to assist someone in need – back in 2001, the film star piloted his helicopter into Yellowstone National Park so he could rescue a 13-year-old boy scout who had gotten lost on a mountain.

“Boy, you sure must have earned a merit badge for this one,” Ford reportedly told the youngster.

Don’t Let This Story Go Solo: Click To Share With Your Friends (Photo by Gage Skidmore, CC)

Buff Dad Wears Tutu For Ballet Class When Daughter Invites Him Instead of Her Pregnant Mom

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Good News Network
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One look at Thanh Tran, and you might think this super-buff dad only likes “manly” things. But when his daughter, Adriana, asked if he’d participate in her ballet class, he couldn’t say no.

His little girl even convinced him to put on a black tutu for the occasion — and he rocked it.

While there was one more dad in the class, Thanh was the only one who dressed up.

“She thought it would be really funny to see her dad wearing the tutu, so I agreed — to make her happy,” the dad told Love What Matters. “She was very proud of me and told me she loved me 20-something times.”

Thanh’s wife, Rebecca, filmed the adorable duo dancing together. The expecting mom sat out this parents’ night, since her daughter said she wanted her daddy to do ballet with her instead.

CLICK the link below to see more sweet photos of Thanh and Adrianna…

Celebrate The Good Dads In Your Life: Click To Share – Photo by Thanh Tran

Mesmerizing Video of 10,000 Snow Geese Taking Flight Will Soothe Your Soul

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Good News Network
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Have you ever seen birds of a feather actually flock together? Because it is quite a sight to see.

In a video published by YouTube user LazyriverGolden, 10,000 snow geese can be seen taking flight from the surface of Lake Massawippi in Ayer’s Cliff, Quebec.

RELATED: Have You Ever Seen a Hummingbird Pool Party? Watch This Magical Scene…

“This was actually a small group compared to what has been on the lake at other times,” says the YouTuber.

If the footage isn’t breathtaking enough as it is, then the sound makes it even better.

(WATCH the video below)

Fly This Story To Your Friends: Click To Share

In Major Game-Changer, Norway Pushed to Divert its Massive Wealth Out of Fossil Fuel

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Good News Network
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The bank responsible for the largest sovereign wealth in the the world has just taken a stance against fossil fuels.

Norges Bank, which is the national bank of Norway worth an estimated $1 trillion, were hailed earlier this week for advising the nation’s government to drop sovereign investment in gas and oil.

According to the Guardian, the announcement comes as a welcome followup to Norway’s $90 billion divestment from the coal industry in 2015. While government representatives have reportedly stated that the decision to divest from gas and oil would not be made until next year, it could be a major game-changer for the fossil fuel industry. The bank’s statement alone reportedly caused European fossil fuel stocks to drop.

MORE: World’s Largest Air Purifier Transforms Chinese Smog into Actual Diamonds

“The return on oil and gas stocks has been significantly lower than in the broad equity market in periods of falling oil prices,” said the bank in a statement.

“Therefore, it is the bank’s assessment that the government’s wealth can be made less vulnerable to a permanent drop in oil prices if the GPFG [sovereign wealth fund] is not invested in oil and gas stocks.”

RELATED: Orange is the New Green For Thriving Costa Rican Forests, Thanks to Orange Peels

Ireland became the first country in the world to divert all of its sovereign wealth from coal, oil, and gas after they passed the Fossil Fuel Divestment Bill in January. The decision resulted in $8.5 billion being pulled from the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund.

“The Irish political system is now finally acknowledging what the overwhelming majority of people already know: That to have a fighting chance to combat catastrophic climate change we must phase out fossil fuels and stop the growth of the industry that is driving this crisis,” said Éamonn Meehan of Trócaire.

Click To Share The Historic News With Your Friends

Supreme Court Rules Law Student Who Turned Life Around Can Take Bar Exam

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Good News Network
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Tarra Denelle Simmons is a mother of three who has overcome all of the odds and turned her life around – and the Supreme Court just helped her do it.

When her father died, the Seattle nurse spiraled into a drug-fueled depression that ultimately cost her everything. She was incarcerated in 2010 with drug charges and spent 20 months in prison. While she was in jail, her house went into foreclosure and she and her husband divorced.

Upon being freed, however, she got clean and – because she had become close with the lawyers who had helped her maneuver the legal system during her time behind bars – started going to law school.

CHECK OUT: How a Lost Purse Got a Heroin Addict on the Path to Recovery

According to KING 5 News, Simmons graduated from Seattle University with honors, made it on the Dean’s Medal, and was even awarded the Sadden Fellowship: an honor that has not been bestowed on a student from the school in almost 30 years.

Despite her academic success, a panel told her that she would not be allowed to take the bar exam because of her past offenses.

Simmons fought the decision and appealed to the Supreme Court. Last week, they unanimously agreed that she would be allowed to take the bar exam.

The ruling states: “After consideration of the record filed in this case, the briefs of the parties and the oral argument, the Court unanimously finds that Tarra Denelle Simmons has the requisite moral character and fitness to practice law in the State of Washington and therefore the following order is entered, with an opinion to be filed at a later date.”

(WATCH the video below)

Let Justice Be Served: Click To Share With Your Friends – Photo by KING 5

Denver Passes Trailblazing Legislation Banning Declawing

By
McKinley Corbley
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Denver has just become the first city outside of California to pass legislation banning the practice of declawing cats.

The bill, which was passed unanimously by the city council on Monday, only applies to elective declawing – conducting the surgery for medical reasons is still legal.

While eight California cities have banned declawing since 2003, New Jersey became the first state to approve legislation that would ban the controversial procedure entirely in November 2016.

CHECK OUT: San Francisco Bans Sale of Non-Rescue Animals at Pet Stores

Animal welfare organizations oppose the surgery because it’s a painful procedure that is typically done to save furniture despite many cats displaying physical and mental complications in the years following the operation. Over 20 other countries in the world have already adopted declawing bans because it’s considered animal cruelty.

Some pet owners and projects opposed the bill because they believe that the reasons behind such an act is between an animal caregiver and their veterinarian.

MORE: Domestic Violence Shelters Will Soon Be Renovated to Accommodate Pets

However, studies show that declawed cats have increased chances of being relinquished to shelters – and thus euthanasia – because of behavioral tendencies that follow declawing, such as soiling the carpet and increased aggression. In contrast, some organizations have worried that pet owners would be more likely to relinquish their cats if they were unable to remove the claws for whatever reason.

Fortunately, since New Jersey announced their plans to ban declawing last year, there have reportedly been no spikes in animal shelter intake.

Click To Share The Pawesome News With Your Friends

Hot New Podcast From Good News Network

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Good News Network
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Good News— GNN has begun podcasting!

Although we plan to produce a podcast featuring good news stories beginning next year, our first offering is now on iTunes and Soundcloud, and it’s called, Good Currency.

GNN partner Anthony Samadani, who co-hosts our Facebook LIVE show has just launched Good Currency. Good Currency is a philosophy: The good that you do for yourself—personally, professionally and spiritually—can have a huge impact on countless numbers of people, while creating a guaranteed return on your investment.

Each episode, Anthony will interview amazing and inspiring Entrepreneurs, Celebrities, Influencers and everyday heroes, on their tips and tricks to creating their own Good Currency.

The premiere episode is now LIVE and ready for you to leave a review and subscribe to further episodes.

This week Samadani interviews the inspiring Ash Kumra. Ash is an award-winning entrepreneur, author, public speaker and talk show host. He has been recognized twice by the White House as an entrepreneur making an impact. His current project is Youngry.com – an entrepreneur media company whose mission is to transform every young entrepreneur to be successful. He’s the author of book series “Confessions from an Entrepreneur”, and has interviewed business mavens, entrepreneurs, and celebrities who have achieved their dreams and goals.

In today’s episode, Ash and Anthony talk about Youngry, how to use “momentum” in life, and his debut today on Sony’s new business show, MEET THE DRAPERS, a new reality TV series.

Where to Listen to the debut of Good Currency: SoundCloud — iTunes — and Podbean

Watch 72-Year-old Do Some Funky Yoga Moves For Cancer Awareness

By
Lawrence Kreger
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Some years back, people got the idea to grow their mustaches in November to celebrate Cancer Awareness Month – and that’s exactly what I’m doing in honor of my firefighting friends who have cancer.

According to the Movember Foundation for Cancer Awareness, the rules are pretty simple: no mustache-beard combos such as Van Dykes and other stuff, just traditional mustaches of any kind (pencil, walrus, brush, etc).

I just had started growing my Movember mustache again – been doing it since 2015 – and this year did a yoga dance for a kind of serious fun. (The song is: La Dah, but TheCreatoR)

We should do everything we can to increase awareness of how to prevent and detect cancer and its many manifestations.

(WATCH the video below)

Grow Some Positivity: Click To Share

How an Unassuming Warehouse is Giving Thousands of Books Away For Free: ‘We Encourage Shoplifting’

By
Good News Network
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While it may seem like a normal warehouse on the outside, this Baltimore building is so much more.

Russell Wattenberg is the architect of the visionary idea behind “The Book Thing”: a building that houses over 7,000 books that are free for the taking.

Weekly for the last 17 years, Wattenberg has opened wide the doors of the facility to the community so they could peruse the shelves and take home any books that interested them – and he never charged a penny.

RELATED: Man Invents Glow-in-the-Dark Toilet Seat So You Don’t Need to Turn on Lights

“[It’s] all free. We encourage shoplifters,” Russell told CBS.

In a tragic fire last year, the building and all of its contents burned down, so the community he had been serving in Maryland stepped up to thank the bibliophile and paid some overdue fees.

Thanks to a host of fundraisers and donations,  The Book Thing reopened for the public last month in a celebration of reading.

(WATCH the video below – or View it at CBS News)

Click To Share This Sweet Story With Your Friends – Photo by CBS News

Cop Stops Addicted Homeless Man on the Street and Changes His Life With a Book

By
McKinley Corbley
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Anyone can help turn a life around – even if it’s as simple as giving them a book in the trunk of your car—which is exactly what Deputy Matt Holman did when he met Robert Morris back in February 2016.

Morris was in sorry shape at the time – he had been living in a tent in the woods after he had spiraled into addiction and alcoholism following the death of his mother, father, and sister. Though he has two surviving siblings, he had lost contact with them because of his condition.

When Holman saw Morris walking through the rain late one night, he shined his spotlight on the homeless man and asked if he was okay.

RELATED: How a Lost Purse Got a Heroin Addict on the Path to Recovery

The two ended up walking together for a ways until they sat down in front of a nearby church in Greenville, South Carolina. Morris explained how floodwaters had washed his tent away and he had nowhere to go.

“We sat down and we had a long talk, and he was one of the nicest people I’ve ever met in my life,” Morris said of the officer. When he was asked if he needed anything, he said, ‘Yeah, I need a Bible.’”

Holman explains that he usually carries around several of the Christian tomes in the trunk of his squad car, but on that night in particular, he only had one: his personal Bible that he filled with notes, bookmarks, scribbles, and highlighted passages.

MORE: How to Transform Haunting Memories By Returning to Those Places With Gifts

“I didn’t want to necessarily give it up, but I kind of felt like God was telling me, ‘He needs this more than you do,’” Deputy Holman said. Although he was really attached to that bible, he relinquished it.

Holman then went to buy a hot plate of food for Morris before parting ways. It was not, however, the last time that the officer would hear from him.

CHECK OUT: Rick Steves Sacrifices Nest Egg to House Dozens of Homeless Women and Kids

Six months later, Morris called 911 – not because he had an an emergency, but because he wanted to thank Holman and he had no other way of reaching the deputy.

He left a recorded message at the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office crediting Holman for saving his life.

After their encounter, Morris became inspired to check into an institution, recover from his addiction, and reconnect with his siblings – all because of the deputy’s kindness.

(LISTEN to the moving voicemail below)

Click To Share The Inspiring Story With Your Friends 

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

By
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

By
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

By
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

By
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)

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