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Sacking Homework, County Schools Tell Parents to Read With Their Kids Instead

By
McKinley Corbley
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In this Florida county, kids will no longer be burdened with hours of harrowing homework – instead, they will be encouraged to read with their parents.

That is because Marion County, Florida has issued a “no homework policy” for all 31 elementary schools in the district. The decision will not affect middle or high schools.

The Marion County School District Superintendent Heidi Maier says that the schools issued the policy in light of several studies stating that kids perform better when they are not being forced to do homework. Instead of covering worksheets and textbooks, the students are being asked to read for at least 20 minutes every night.

CHECK OUT: 60 Schools Are Installing Washers and Dryers For Homeless and Troubled Students

The policy does not represent an outright ban, either. Teachers can still assign homework for larger projects at their discretion – but the district refuses to allow tediously large workloads any longer.

School representatives believe that the initiative will give kids more motivation and freedom over their education, especially if they are able to choose their own reading materials.

Any parents who feel that they might have trouble fulfilling the reading request can receive additional support from school programs and resources.

(WATCH the video below)

Click To Share The News With Your Friends (Photo by Berger_Meister, CC)

Watch Adorable Toddler Mistake Batman Statue as Her Father

By
McKinley Corbley
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Some of us might know the feeling of getting cold shouldered when you call someone’s name – but when this toddler was trying to get her father’s attention, he just stood there like a statue.

Although, it might be because it was, in fact, a statue.

But it wasn’t just any statue – it was a statue of Batman.

The mother of the 22-month-old toddler posted a video of the youngster repeatedly trying to get the statue’s attention by calling out “dada”.

RELATED: Cop Apprehends Suspect – All While Dressed as Batman

While some social media users have insisted that she is probably just saying “Batman”, the parents say that the toddler has never even been exposed to Batman before (they’re reportedly more of a Marvel family, rather than DC).

“I’ve never dressed up as Batman. I don’t even have Batman stuff around the house,” says the father. “The only thing I can think of is the huge muscles that resemble mine.”

Considering Bruce Wayne’s checkered parenting past, it is probably a good thing that she doesn’t associate her loving father with the lonesome Dark Knight. But one thing is for sure – you might be as crazy as the Joker if you don’t think that this toddler is the cutest thing ever.

(WATCH the video below)

Holy Parenting, Batman! Click To Share With Your Friends

Vietnam Vet With Dementia Reassured When Colonel Tells Him ‘Your duty is done’

By
McKinley Corbley
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It has been decades since Lawrence Silk fought through three different tours in Vietnam – but due to his dementia, he still wakes up some days and feels like he has to ship out and start fighting once more.

As a means of soothing his troubled mind, however, Lt. Col. Andy LaFrazia stopped by the veteran’s bedside with an important gift.

LaFrazia first heard about the 84-year-old’s troubled predicament when Silk’s daughter Julie Dunn and her husband Kenny posted about her father’s condition on social media.

CHECK OUT: Dying Man’s Last Wish Fulfilled 45 Minutes Before He Passes Away

“He believes he has to return to the war to complete his tour and is very upset that his memory care home will not let him go,” wrote Kenny. “He is currently in hospice care and through his ups and downs, he consistently is haunted by his need to do his duty.”

The couple pleaded for a military official to present their troubled father with some kind of commemoration or certificate that would remind him of his finished service and put his worries to rest.

After being widely shared on Reddit and Facebook, LaFrazia – who coincidentally had served in the same squadron as Silk – volunteered to visit Silk at his care home in Vancouver.

WATCH: Mom With Dementia React to Being Given Robotic Cat

“Today, Lt. Col. LaFrazia presented my dad … with a certificate of appreciation from the US Air Force, a USAF Civil Engineering badge, and challenge coins from the Prime Beef and Red Horse Units,” says Julie.

“He also brought with him a reassuring message that his responsibilities to the USAF and the Vietnam Conflict have been concluded and he never has to worry again about returning.”

Since posting the photos of the exchange on social media, the couple has become inundated with support and appreciation. Though Kenny and Julie don’t know how well the gifts will stave off their father’s dark memories, they are still grateful for the gesture.

“When a loved one loses their memory in the twilight of their life, the most that we can hope to give them is comfort and dignity. We feel truly blessed that a community of strangers came together to help us bring that to him when he needed it the most.”

Click To Share This Sweet Story With Your Friends (Photo by Julie Dunn)

Former White Supremacists are Helping Others to Renounce Their Extremism

By
McKinley Corbley
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These volunteers know what it is like to be fooled into believing racist propaganda – which is exactly why they have now dedicated their lives to assisting other extremists to see the light.

Life After Hate is a nonprofit that employs former neo-Nazis and white supremacists to help others renounce their extremism and hateful lifestyles.

The organization, which was founded in 2011 by other members of the American far right movement, utilizes education, dialogue, and community in order to help extremists realize the root of their hatred.

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

While Life After Hate is based in Chicago, their Exit program has cropped up in several countries around the world, including Germany, Sweden, the UK, and Norway.

“Through personal experience and highly unique skill sets, we have developed a sophisticated understanding about what draws individuals to extremist groups and, equally important, why they leave,” says the organization. “Compassion is the opposite of judgment and we understand the roles compassion and empathy play in healing individuals and communities.”

In addition to providing counseling and community, the organization also assists their clients in more physical ways: helping them find jobs, get tattoo removals – even move houses.

While it is unclear exactly how many former members have experienced such a shift in perspective, the organization says that they have experienced a surge in phone calls and emails in recent months. The trained volunteers, however, are always ready to answer.

CHECK OUT: 95-Year-old Holocaust Survivor Has a Roommate: a 31-Year-old Granddaughter of Nazis

Exit UK states on their website: “We believe one of the most crucial steps is simply talking through and sharing with people, formers stories. Accepting what you have done, what you have believed and coming to terms with that.

“We know many people will never want to talk to people with ‘Far Right’ views as they simply will never understand how people can become involved, but we do and it is from this position we can talk, listen and develop real relationships and offer alternatives, that don’t include violence and hatred.”

Due to a recent cut in federal funding, the nonprofit is currently seeking financing through crowdsourcing and donations. Life After Hate hopes to further their work by utilizing online strategies to dissuade and discourage susceptible individuals from extremist rhetoric on social media. Additionally, they hope to partner with Muslim community representatives in order to combat ISIS-inspired extremism.

Click To Share The News With Your Friends (Photo by Andrew and Hobbes, CC)

Drones Now Protecting African Elephants Thanks to American Businessman’s Funding Prowess

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Good News Network
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Among the many initiatives underway to save the decreasing elephant population, these drones might be the most impressive.

Elephants are notorious for wandering away from protected spaces and national parks in search of newly-grown crops. One hungry mammal can be devastating for a farmer’s crop, leading villagers to throw stones or attack the elephants. Some farmers have even allowed poacher intervention to eliminate the threat of crop damage.

The Air Shepherd drone program, however, has found that the employment of remote-controlled drones has had 100% success rate in effectively herding elephants away from local farms.

The Air Shepherd drones can be flown at night – which is when poachers are the most active – or during the day. In some areas where human-elephant conflict is prevalent, Air Shepherd utilizes quadcopter drones that sound like bees. Since elephants hate bees, one small drone can scare an entire herd of elephants away from villages where people might shoot the animals in order to protect their crops.

WATCH: Elephant Stranded 5 Miles Out to Sea Rescued by Navy

While drones alone are not the answer, the drones can give rangers eyes in the sky by feeding thermal images to operators on the ground. Air Shepherd is currently working with USC’s artificial intelligence department to develop software that will assist in spotting poacher activity so the responsibility does not fall completely on the operator monitoring the screen.

Despite the success of Air Shepherd, however, they lacked valuable funding – until now.

Scott Struthers, a Southern California businessman and co-founder of Sonance, first visited Africa with his biologist father when he was just 15 years old. Decades later, when he brought his own teenage daughter to the magical continent, he was devastated by the severe drop in elephant populations.

RELATED: Man Creates Gardens For Unwanted Bees, Grows Free Food in 30 Abandoned Lots

Because of how this dire situation weighed on his mind, he became especially inspired help organizations like Air Shepherd.

Struthers then founded Elephant Cooperation, a nonprofit organization that supports projects helping to fight elephant extinction. The organization’s other initiatives include building community greenhouses, wells, supporting rangers, and building fencing to minimize human-elephant conflict.

“We aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel when it comes to projects that will help save elephants from extinction,” said Struthers. “We recognize that there are already so many fantastic projects making headway in this area — like the Air Shepherd program. With our contribution, they can continue to make a difference. I think corporations need to take on a bigger role in financing these efforts as individual donations are difficult to sustain.”

WATCH: Two Elephants Come Together in Dramatic Rescue to Save Drowning Calf

“We are very grateful that many African governments are leading the way by allowing our drones to fly,” said Otto Werdmuller Von Elgg, head of the Air Shepherd drone program. “Cooperation and a pro-active stance from these officials are what will ultimately lead to preventing these magnificent creatures from going extinct.”

Currently, Elephant Cooperation is raising money by partnering with Shoes For Crews: a company that provides slip-resistant footwear worldwide. The company recently underwent a rebranding and after CEO, Stuart Jenkins, learned about Elephant Cooperation’s efforts (Scott, Stuart and Scott’s business partner attended college together), he made the decision to donate 400,000 pairs of shoes to the effort.

Together, along with the head of Air Shepherd’s operations, Otto Werdmuller Von Elgg, they will be reselling the footwear in Africa with funds going directly towards supporting drone operations in Botswana. To date, the effort has raised $70,000, with an expectation of at least several hundred thousand more by the end of the year.

“We save lives every day at Shoes for Crews because we make shoes designed specifically to keep hard workers safe on their feet,” said CEO Stuart Jenkins. “While I didn’t expect to be saving the lives of elephants, we are all thrilled that our mission of safety aligns so well with Elephant Cooperation and that we have this opportunity to keep the elephants safe too.”

Click To Share The News With Your Friends (Photo by Jonathan Konuche, Biodiversity and Wildlife Solutions)

Chinese Man Treats 5,000 People to Noodles After Ring is Recovered

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One restaurant patron was so grateful to be reunited with his $45,000 engagement ring, he paid for enough noodles to serve an entire day’s worth of customers.

According to the Chongqing Morning Post, a man whose surname is Wang, had accidentally left his bag – which contained the expensive diamond ring – outside of a sour and spicy noodle store when he stopped in for a ring.

Horrified to find what had happened, he returned to the shop only to find that a little girl had given his bag to the manager at the counter to ensure it didn’t get stolen.

LOOK: Couple’s Breathtaking Engagement Photoshoot Shows it’s Never Too Late For Love

Later that day, Wang returned to the restaurant and said that after proposing with the ring, his girlfriend of one year had accepted.

As a means of celebrating the engagement, he then paid for enough spicy noodles to feed 5,000 customers – about the same amount of customers that the vendor has in a day.

Wang posted a letter on the front of the shop, explaining his gesture by saying: “Chongqing has the woman I love and so many nice people. I feel very honored and happy.”

Click To Share The News With Your Friends (Photo by Notquiteahuman1, CC)

Watch College Football Player Overwhelmed by Scholarship Given for His Kindness

By
McKinley Corbley
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Justin Juenemann has never done a good deed in order to be rewarded – but in light of his constant compassion towards children in need, he was given the surprise of a lifetime last week.

Juenemann is a University of Minnesota student who is a backup kicker for the Gophers football team. Over the course of the last four years, he has never once been put on the field.

Whenever the 23-year-old human resources major is not training or studying, however, he spends his time volunteering at the Masonic Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis.

CHECK OUT: Karma Comes Back Around for Man who Broke Religious Rule to Help Boy

Which is why he was surprised with a full scholarship for his final year at the school.

The football team’s head coach, PJ Fleck, organized a meeting in which one of the kids from the hospital addressed the players.

Kyle Tanner, who is a patient with a rare blood disease, singled out Juenemann as his favorite player – and the person who he sees the most at the hospital.

Fleck then handed Tanner a tee shirt gun and told him to fire it at Juenemann. True to his skills, the player caught the shirt and unraveled it to see the slogan: “Justin, congrats, you have earned a scholarship”.

RELATED: Candy Theft Victim Rewarded With Car Full of Kit Kats For Everyone

His teammates were so excited to see the message, they immediately roared with joy and hoisted Juenemann onto their shoulders.

Juenemann then Facetimed his mother, who let out a shrill scream upon seeing the tee shirt.

“Thank you Coach Fleck, Kyle, and everyone who was involved in setting this up,” said Juenemann in a tweet. “This was truly an experience I will never forget!”

“I’ve never seen anybody serve and give more than that guy, who is not a star player, who hasn’t played, where his face is recognizable,” Fleck said in the video below. “He could easily just not do it and nobody would ever say anything, and all he does is continue to keep his oar in the water, [and] live that holistic life academically, athletically, socially and spiritually.”

(WATCH the video below)

Score Big With Your Friends: Click To Share 

Man Takes Nail to the Heart, Calmly Drives Himself to the Hospital and Lives

By
McKinley Corbley
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Doug Bergeson came roughly 1/16th of an inch away from serious peril – but he still remained pretty calm about the whole situation.

The 52-year-old man from Peshtigo, Wisconsin was building a fireplace frame for a house back in June when his nail gun accidentally fired, sending a three and a half inch nail ricocheting off the building materials and into his chest.

Bergeson said he only felt a slight sting, and nothing worse. Since he couldn’t see anything on his chest, he took his shirt off and only saw an inch of the nail sticking out of his skin.

WATCH: 31-Year-old is Now World’s Best Climber After Scaling El Capitan Without Rope

According to the Associated Press, Bergeson was “annoyed” that he could not get more work done, but he knew that he had to go to the hospital because the nail was twitching along with his heartbeats. He also knew that he should not pull the nail out.

He then cleaned himself up, hopped in his truck, and drove himself to the Bay Area Medical Center 12 miles away. He had parked his truck and walked into the ER when he started to feel pain in his chest. Bergeson then asked a security guard if they could find someone to help while he sat down and rested.

By the time doctors took X-rays of his chest, they found that the nail was indeed embedded in his heart. Not only that, but the nail had landed 1/16th of an inch away from a major artery.

CHECK OUT: Cute Russian 5-yr-olds Escape From Kindergarten To Buy A Sports Car

Doctors then rushed Bergeson off to the Aurora Bay Medical Center by ambulance for treatment.

“I offered to drive myself, but they wouldn’t let me,” Bergeson told AP, chuckling.

Bergeson was only in the hospital for two days before being sent home to recover, but he says that the whole experience is something that will stay with him for a long time to come.

(WATCH the video below)

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Prince Now Has His Own Shade of Purple

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Good News Network
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Rain isn’t the only thing that is purple now.

Prince, who was the musical genius responsible for ”1999”, “Purple Rain”, and “Little Red Corvette”, has just been given his very own shade of purple.

In partnership with the Prince Estate, the Pantone Color Institute has released a new, intense shade of purple named “Love Symbol #2”: the symbol by which the pop icon was identified.

The hue was reportedly inspired by the custom made purple Yamaha keyboard that the singer had made before his tour.

WATCH: Cast of Broadway’s The Color Purple Sing Electrifying Prince Tribute Onstage

“The color purple was synonymous with who Prince was and will always be. This is an incredible way for his legacy to live on forever,” said Troy Carter, entertainment advisor to Prince’s Estate.

Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute said: “We are honored to have worked on the development of Love Symbol #2, a distinctive new purple shade created in memory of Prince, ‘the purple one.’ A musical icon known for his artistic brilliance, Love Symbol #2 is emblematic of Prince’s distinctive style. Long associated with the purple family, Love Symbol #2 enables Prince’s unique purple shade to be consistently replicated and maintain the same iconic status as the man himself.”

The singer passed away in his home recording studio at the age of 57 last year.

In addition to the new shade of purple, Prince has been honored by a digital museum of his legacy, and countless musical tributes. Though Prince left no heirs behind, he also lived a secret humanitarian life that was only truly reviewed after his death.

Adore This Story? Click To Share With Your Girlfriend (Photo by Pantone)

Watch Adorable Otter Jump on Boat to Befriend Dogs

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This little river critter just wanted to hang out with his land-based buddies.

In a series of videos uploaded to YouTube, a persistent river otter can be seen playing with two pups on a dock.

While the otter simply starts out by giving kisses to its puppy pals, it eventually makes its way onto the pier. It then follows the dogs over to the boat that they have boarded so it can poke its head in and say hello.

RELATED VIDEO: Dog Starts Tickling Baby to Stop the Crying, Adorable Gigglefest Ensues

Finally, after getting its fill of playtime, the otter hops back down the pier and into the water.

One of the men present for the adorable event can be heard exclaiming: “I’ve never seen anything like that before!”

Regardless, we can probably all agree that it is the cutest thing that we have ever seen before.

(WATCH the video below)

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Schwarzenegger Steps Up For Anti-hate Group: ‘Our Voices Are Louder and Stronger’

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Photo by Nate Mandos, CC

In the wake of the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia this week, former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has stood in defiance against racism by donating thousands of dollars to an anti-hate organization on Sunday.

The movie star and bodybuilder published a powerful statement on Facebook concerning the donation:

“While these so-called “white nationalists” are lucky to live in a country that defends their right to voice their awful, incorrect, hateful opinions, the rest of us must use our voices and resources to condemn hate and teach tolerance at every opportunity,” wrote Schwarzenegger.

CHECK OUT: Clean Water Pours Into Flint as Rapper The Game Sends $1 Million

“My message to them is simple: you will not win. Our voices are louder and stronger. There is no white America – there is only the United States of America. You were not born with these hateful views – you can change, grow, and evolve, and I suggest you start immediately.”

“Today, I’m sending $100,000 to an anti-hate organization I’ve worked with for decades – the Simon Wiesenthal Center, named after the great Nazi hunter who I was lucky to call a friend.”

“I have spoken to its founder, Rabbi Marvin Hier, and I know that my contribution can help advance the Center’s mission of expanding tolerance through education and fighting hate all over America – in the streets and online. My dream is that all of you will join me in helping your favorite anti-hate organizations in any way you can.”

Click To Share The News With Your Friends (Photo by Nate Mandos, CC)

UPDATE: After Cop Buys His Stolen Job Interview Outfit, Youth Lands Position

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Good News Network
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This cop knew he had to give a troubled 18-year-old a second chance after he was allegedly caught stealing an outfit for a job interview – and now, they are seeing the fruits of his compassion.

The youth was originally caught stealing a dress shirt, tie, and socks from a Toronto Walmart last week. When Const. Niran Jeyanesan was called to the scene, the young man explained that he had stolen the outfit because he had a job interview coming up and he did not have the money to buy it.

Additionally, he explained that he was trying to turn his life around and earn money for his family after his father had fallen ill.

CHECK OUT: Jail Inmates Rush to Save Fallen Officer, Rather Than Escaping

Jeyanesan, who says that he is a firm believer in second chances, bought the outfit for the young man, agreed not to charge him for theft, and wished him luck on the interview.

Then, on Friday night, Jeyanesan got a call from the 18-year-old excitedly saying that he had landed the position

“He confirmed that he had got the job. I’m just happy,” Jeyanesan told the Toronto Star. “Happy that this person actually went and did what he said he was going to do and followed through with it and that he was determined to get that position, and he did. That’s all him. So the second chance truly works.”

(WATCH the video below)

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Newlyweds Track Down Wedding Crashers Who Were Life of the Party

By
McKinley Corbley
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This couple may not look much like Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn, but they certainly have a knack for crashing weddings.

The dynamic duo showed up at the reception of Karen and Michael Tufo and proceeded to become the life of the party; dancing for every song, posing for every photo, and just being a lot of fun in general.

Though the newlyweds and the bridesmaids were unable to put their finger on who the bombastic partygoers were, they were too distracted by the festivities to try and figure it out.

CHECK OUT: 4-Year-old Can’t Contain Emotions When He Hears Stepmom Give Special Message During Wedding Vows

They were later surprised – and delighted – to find a card in their stack of wedding presents that confirmed their suspicions.

The card had a dollar bill taped to the inside, along with a polaroid of the mystery couple, saying: “1) Congratulations! 2) Sorry for crashing your wedding! 3) Best of luck!”

Karen later posted a photo of the card on social media, saying that it was the best gift she could have asked for, and that she wanted to find the couple so she could shake their hands and buy them a drink.

RELATED: Uber Driver Saves Stranded Couple On the Way to Their Wedding – And Goes the Extra Mile

The New Jersey couple was later revealed to be Carly Wolfson and Ritchie Berry: two youngsters who had actually agreed to crash a wedding as their first date.

“I messaged her on Facebook apologizing, like I’m so sorry,” Wolfson told WMMT. “She was like don’t be sorry, best gift ever.”

Ms. Tufo has since befriended the two youths and demanded that she be invited to their own wedding – assuming they ever get married.

(WATCH the video below)

Say “I Do”: Click To Share (Photo by La Moda Photography)

Determined Mother Tracks Down Stolen Car Carrying Son’s Ashes

By
McKinley Corbley
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When Shelly Brown saw that her SUV had been stolen out of her driveway last week, she was heartbroken.

But it wasn’t really because her car was gone; it was because there had been a vial of her son’s ashes hanging from the rearview mirror.

The ashes, she said, were all she really had left of her son.

The Del City, Oklahoma mother wasn’t separated from the ashes for long, however – a week later, she saw the exact model of her car drive past her in the streets. When her instincts told her to follow it, she tracked it down to where the Honda SUV had stopped in a parking lot.

CHECK OUT: Barefoot Woman Chases Dog Thief For Half Hour to Rescue Stolen Pup

She was shocked to find that the car was indeed her stolen vehicle.

Though there was some damage to the steering wheel, all of her possessions were still there and intact – including her son’s ashes.

Though police have not yet identified the thief, Brown has had the car towed back to her driveway where it is now safe and sound.

(WATCH the video below)

Drive This Story Over To Your Friends: Click To Share – Photo by KOCO

How a Swimming Pool for Neighborhood Kids Helped Heal a Man After Wife’s Death

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Keith Davison got so tired of his solitude following the death of his wife, he decided to do something about it – and things have been going swimmingly ever since.

The 94-year-old retired judge had been married to his wife Evy for 66 years until she passed away from cancer last year.

After dealing with the grief and the silence of his house, he decided to build a pool in his backyard.

RELATED: Craftsman Donates Tools (and Himself) to New Tool-Lending Library

But not for himself – he built it for the neighborhood kids to enjoy.

The pool, which is measured at 32 feet long and 9 feet deep, has become a community fixture of fun since he opened it in July.

“It’s him spreading joy throughout our neighborhood for these kids,” a neighborhood mom told KARE-11 News.

(WATCH the inspiring video below)

Float This Story To Her Friends: Click To Share – Photo by KSDK

Pregnant Lion Saved from Syrian Zoo Gives Birth Just Hours After Rescue

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This proud mamma lion may have been destined to bring her newborn cub into a war zone – but now, after traveling for over 375 miles, she and her child are safe.

Dana is one of five lions who were rescued from a zoo in Aleppo earlier this week. For the last several years, the city has been a battlefield for the Syrian civil war, and the lions were considered lucky to be alive.

Thanks to the animal charity and rescue organization Four Paws, the animals were airlifted from Syria to the Al Ma’wa for Nature and Wildlife sanctuary in northern Jordan.

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

Just hours after landing at her new home, Dana gave birth to her cub.

“Our team on site was very concerned about whether the lioness would accept the cub or kill it, as this is what lions sometimes do when they are under enormous stress,” said the Four Paws UK Facebook page. “But luckily that wasn’t the case. She cleaned the cub and nursed it. This is a true sign that she feels safe at Al Ma’wa.”

Since a previous ultrasound showed that Dana was destined to give birth to two cubs, wildlife specialists are eagerly awaiting the arrival of a second lion. The gender of the first is still unknown.

(WATCH the video below)

Click To Share This Pawesome Story With Your Friends (Photo by Photo by Ahu Savan An)

Stylist Spends 13 Hours With Depressed Teen, Repairing Her Matted Hair For School Photos

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Depression can manifest itself in a multitude of ways – and for this 16-year-old high schooler, it was demonstrated in how she could not even bring herself to brush her hair.

So with her school photos due around the corner, the teen approached Kayley Olsson, a young hairdresser from Waterloo, Iowa, and asked if she could shave off all of her matted, tangled hair.

“She got to the point where she felt so down and so worthless, she couldn’t even brush her hair, she told me she only got up to use the restroom,” wrote Olsson. “When she walked in, she told us just cut it all off, I can’t deal with the pain of combing it out, she called herself worthless for it.

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

“It honestly broke my heart and we tried everything we could to keep this child’s hair for her!”

Olsson spent thirteen collective hours combing, cutting, and repairing the youth’s hair. Then, by the end of the session, the teen had an incredibly glamorous head of shining locks.

“At the end of the day I want this to be a lesson to people. MENTAL HEALTH is a thing, it affects people all around the world and of all ages! PARENTS take it serious, don’t just push your kids off and tell them to get over something they legitimately can’t. A CHILD should NEVER feel so worthless to not even want to brush their hair.”

“Her last words to me [were]: ‘I will actually smile for my school’s pictures today, you made me feel like me again’.”

Click To Share This Inspiring Story With Your Friends (Photos by Kayley Olsson)

Prisoners Change Their Lives, Becoming Expert Braille Transcribers for Blind Students

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Good News Network
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Just because these inmates are behind bars doesn’t mean that they can’t make a positive difference in the world, or do something so meaningful that it will change their own lives forever.

Roughly 23 prisoners at the Scotland Correctional Institution in Laurinburg, North Carolina have been trained and are now dedicating their remaining prison time to transcribing books into braille for blind students and adults.

The braille books are actually requested by teachers and crisis centers in Wyoming, Connecticut, Colorado, and North Carolina. They require a team of six translators to complete because many of the books are educational texts on science, math, and music.

CHECK OUT: Jail Inmates Rush to Save Fallen Officer, Rather Than Escaping

According to WFMY, it can take anywhere from 8 to 12 months to learn regular braille – and it can take years to become adept at transcribing music. The correctional institution’s Braille Transcribing Plant says that because braille translators are always in high demand, prisoners have just a 0-3% recidivism rate after being released—and the success rate holds true across the dozens of institutions with such programs in the US.

“They enjoy what they’re doing. To know that they’re responsible for that child having a book in the classroom,” said plant manager Cynthia Stubbs in an interview with WFMY News. “They’re just dedicated, they really are.”

The translating plant is just one of many initiatives of Correctional Enterprise, an organization dedicated to providing life skills that become rehabilitative opportunities for inmates. In 2016 alone, the Braille Transcribing Plant translated over 1,000 books for blind citizens.

The inmates know the value of what they are doing, too. “It is kind of ironic that I do find myself now in a position where I can give back. I can really benefit myself and others.”

(WATCH a video below about a similar program in Georgia – and see another at WFMY)

Click To Share The News With Your Friends – Photo by WFMY

Stranger’s Diligence Leads to Emotional Reunion With Lost Ring of Woman’s Mother

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After 40 years of being buried in the brush of a local quarry, a class ring was returned to its rightful owner in an emotional reunion – thanks to the diligent sleuthing of a stranger.

Nancy Kennedy first found the ring at a swimming hole in Hopewell, New Jersey last week. All she knew about the ring, which had been engulfed by a tree root, was that it came from St. Hubert’s Catholic High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and had initials inscribed on the inside.

When Kennedy contacted the school and asked if they could investigate the potential owner of the ring, the effort proved unfruitful.

CHECK OUT: Daughter Gets Dad’s Long Lost Message in a Bottle 50 Years Later

She then took to Facebook with a picture of the ring and a plea for help in finding its rightful owner.

A few hundred shares later, the post was spotted by Andrea Forrester.

“Andrea Forrester contacted me when she realized it was her mother’s, Julia Patricia Walsh—St. Hubert’s Class of 1949,” says Kennedy, a former journalist. “After her marriage, she went by the name Patricia Cariola, and sadly, she died in 1987.”

Walsh had lost the ring over 40 years ago, and Forrester – who was just a child at the time – could not believe that someone had found the piece of jewelry.

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

“Andrea is so grateful to have this memento of her mother,” wrote Kennedy. “As a young girl, Andrea remembers it being in her mother’s jewelry box, and she’d try it on when her mother allowed her to play with her jewelry.”

“My mother and I were best friends,” said Forrester. “It’s been 30 years this past March and I miss her every day.”

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Widower is Showered With Affection After Sending His Dating Profile into the Ocean

By
McKinley Corbley
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Craig Sullivan has been struggling to find love since his wife lost her battle with cancer 18 months ago – but he deplores the idea of online dating apps.

Instead of struggling with OKCupid, he was inspired by a British rock song to put his dating profile in a bottle.

The 49-year-old Scottish widower has sent dozens of messages in bottles into the ocean in hopes that the right person would find one and respond. Though he originally planned to cast off hundreds of bottles, he was told to stop polluting UK waters.

CHECK OUT: Dying Writer Pens Heartfelt Plea For Someone to Marry Her Husband

His messages have, however, returned dozens of replies from places as far as Brazil, Turkey, the USA, South Africa, Portugal, China, and Japan.

“It’s been an amazingly broad and deeply emotional clutch of messages that have come my way,” says Sullivan.

The single father first got the idea for the unconventional dating plan after he read an op-ed about a dying children’s author asking other women to “date her husband” in hopes that he would find love after her passing.

As Sullivan contemplated how he could do something similar, the song “Message in a Bottle” by The Police started playing on his radio – and everything clicked into place.

RELATED:  Daughter Gets Dad’s Long Lost Message in a Bottle 50 Years Later

He wrote about his mission in a blog, where Sullivan has expressed his shock – and gratitude – over how much attention he has received from the bottles.

“I’ve been contacted by 137 people from different websites, newspapers, TV shows and radio stations interested in the story,” wrote Sullivan. “I simply couldn’t get back to everyone.”

“As for those ladies who wrote to me, I just wanted to reassure you that I will reply to every one of your supportive, insightful and detailed messages — it may take me a couple of days to catch up with everything.”

If you live in London and you are interested in chatting with this inspiring widower, he describes himself as a “reasonably attractive” man who adores traveling, gardening, and spending time with his daughter, two cats, and two dogs.

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