All News - Page 955 of 1714 - Good News Network
Home Blog Page 955

Husband Plants Field of Flowers for Blind Wife to Smell, So Spectacular it Gets Visitors

By
Terry Turner
-

Japanese Couple screenshot Asahi Shimbun

When his wife lost her eyesight, a farmer planted thousands of fragrant flowers around their home so she find her way back from sadness.

Toshiyuki and Yasuko Kuroki had been married for 30 years, working a herd of 60 cows on a dairy farm in Japan, when Yasuko went blind from complications due to diabetes.

GET A BOUQUET OF GOOD NEWS ANYTIME WITH OUR APP—>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

She began to withdraw from life, no longer talking to people and locking herself away inside their house.

One day, Toshiyuki noticed a shibazakura — a bright, fuchsia-colored flower — growing on the farm. He knew his wife couldn’t enjoy looking at it, but then he though about it’s powerful fragrance and an idea blossomed.

shibazakura cc Kuruman

Toshiyuki began planting the flowers near the house, then across the farm. He transformed his dairy into a giant flower garden. Tourists started showing up during cherry blossom season to tour the pink-blanketed grounds.

 

And his wife began to open up again. The fragrance lured her out of the house, and she began interacting with visitors which led her away from life as a recluse.

That was more than 25 years ago, and the flowers are still blooming on Toshiyuki and Yasuko’s farm. The dairy cattle are all gone and a shed that housed them is now a museum of the flowers and the story behind them.

Flowers CC gtknj

Every March and April when the shibazakura bloom, 7,000 tourists come to visit, to smell the fragrance, see the blanket of pink, and catch a glimpse of a couple now in their 70s and 80s, walking through a garden built by love.

(WATCH the video below from Asahi Shimbun, or READ more at Rocket News)

 

Plant This Beauty in Your Newsfeed… Photos: Asahi Shimbun video; Kuruman, CC; gtknj, CC

Tim Tebow Arranges Night To Remember For 32,000 Special Needs Kids

By
McKinley Corbley
-

The best walk! #NighttoShine

A photo posted by Tim Tebow (@timtebow) on

 

Tim Tebow is known for his talents throwing a football, but now he’s throwing a different kind of ball for everyone to marvel at: the former NFL quarterback funded 200 different prom nights on Valentine’s Day weekend, specially arranged for kids with special needs and disabilities.

Complete with limos, paparazzi, and volunteers on hand for hair and makeup, about 32,000 guests over the age of 16 were given a night to remember.

CHECK OUT: R E S P E C T: Aretha Franklin to Pay For Hotel Rooms For Flint Families Dealing w/ Toxic Water

Hosted by the Tim Tebow Foundation in 48 different states and 7 countries, the Night To Shine proms recruited help from over 70,000 volunteers for the special evening.

Tim even made an appearance at the New York location much to the delight of his guests.

SEE MORE: Inspiring News About Celebrities From Good News Network

“I hope you are having the best night!” Tebow exclaimed in a personal message to the prom attendees. “Why? Because this night is about you! It is a night for you to shine.”

(WATCH the prom video from Inside Edition below…)

Cheer On This Athlete’s Kindness… Share it.

Teens Pool Cash to Surprise Teacher With His First Birthday Cake in Decade

By
Terry Turner
-

This is one teacher who knows his students are paying attention.

When Kyle Simpler mentioned in class the fact that he hadn’t had a birthday cake in 10 years, he thought nothing of it. He never makes a fuss about his birthday–but it turns out his students at Burleson High School would.

The Texas teens pooled their money so they could surprise him with decorations, a cake and presents.

GET GOOD NEWS EVERY DAY WITH OUR APP—>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

Teacher surprised with birthday cake screenshot Hope Hodges and Inside Edition
Image courtesy of Hope Hodges

Several had their cellphones out and recorded the moment when the English teacher walked into his classroom to see it decked out in streamers – with presents and a birthday cake waiting for him on his desk – as the kids sang “Happy Birthday”.

CHECK OUT: Students Crochet Thousands of Plastic Bags Into Sleeping Mats for the Homeless

One of the students said she was shocked when she heard that her favorite teacher doesn’t enjoy any parties or fuss from his family on birthdays. She decided, “We’ve got to change this.”

“It was totally a surprise, I’ll tell you that. I was floored,” Simpler told Inside Edition. “I’ll never forget this.”

(WATCH the video from Inside Edition below)

 

Celebrate These Great Teens by Sharing This…

Businessman Gives $18 Mil to Restore DC’s Lincoln Memorial, His 4th “Patriotic Gift”

By
Terry Turner
-

Lincoln and Rubenstein CC Jason OX4 CC World Economic Forum

Abraham Lincoln might be rising up out of his chair to thank this Washington, D.C. businessman.

Thanks to the billionaire philanthropist David M. Rubenstein, one of America’s most iconic monuments will receive some much-needed repairs.

Rubenstein, who has contributed heavily to the National Park Service and Smithsonian Institution in the past has donated $18.5 million to fund the most extensive renovations to the Lincoln Memorial since it opened in 1922.

GET DAILY UPDATES OF GOOD NEWS WITH OUR NEW APP—>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

Fixing the damage from the 2011 earthquake that rattled the region is number one on the to-do list. The project, expected to be finished in 2019, will also add an elevator to improve accessibility and scrub decades of dirt and grime from the Memorial’s walls. It will also fund renovations in the basement that holds educational programs and displays.

Lincoln Memorial cc Kārlis Dambrāns

“These improvements will hopefully enable more people to better understand and appreciate Abraham Lincoln’s remarkable leadership during one of the most trying periods in American history,” said Rubenstein, co-founder of The Carlyle Group, a Washington, DC-based banking investment group. “I am humbled to be a part of honoring this great man and preserving this iconic memorial for future generations.”

WATCH: Space Shuttle Soars Around DC Monuments in Route to Smithsonian Retirement

Rubenstein is also one of the signers of The Giving Pledge, a group of millionaires and billionaires who’ve promised to donate at least half their wealth to philanthropic causes or charities.

Lincoln Memorial repairs roof walkway
National Park Foundation photo shows repairs that are needed

The Memorial is patterned on a Greek Doric temple, with flowing steps rising to a larger than life, seated statue of Abraham Lincoln, America’s 16th president. His “Gettysburg Address” and “Second Inaugural Address” — among the greatest speeches ever delivered on American soil — are engraved from ceiling to floor on its interior walls. In 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech from the Memorial’s steps.

Lincoln Memorial CC m01229

Rubenstein’s gift, announced on Presidents’ Day in February, is his fourth, and largest, donation, which he calls “patriotic giving” to the National Park Service. He also funded repairs to the Washington Monument, which was cracked during the earthquake.

CHECK OUT: 4 College Kids Changed History By Sitting Down, 56 Years Ago

Also, the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks, launched a $350 million fundraising campaign to raise money for the parks and commemorating the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary. The Foundation has already raised more than $200 million on their own starting in October 2013. The money raised will provide for “transformative investments” to protect special places and “connect more people from all backgrounds to parks”. The campaign will continue through September 2018.

Photos: Jason OX4, CC; World Economic Forum, CC; m01229, CC

Inspire Others to Donate to the Campaign…Share it.

Russian Suicide Rates Finally Down to Levels of a Half Century Ago

By
Terry Turner
-

Kremlin Moscow Russia CC Pavel Kazachkov

After 14 straight years of declines, the number of suicides in Russia has now fallen to its lowest point in more than half a century.

The rate fell to 17 cases of suicide for every 100,000 people in 2015 — the lowest it’s been since 1962.

The results showed a big improvement in even the latest year of 2015 over 2014 – a 6.2% drop.

FIND MORE GOOD HEALTH NEWS WITH OUR APP—>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

A long-running anti-alcohol campaign and improving standard of living are credited for the turnaround.

CHECK OUT: The Idea That Turned Russian Warheads Into American Electricity

Twenty years ago, Russia’s suicide rate was twice what the World Health Organization (WHO) termed a high suicide rate — with 40 suicides per 100,000 people. By 2014, the country had cut the rate by more than half — enough to be considered average by WHO standards.

(READ more at Russia Beyond the Headlines) — Photo: Pavel Kazachkov, CC

Share the Good News in Mental Health…

Two Million Used Pill Bottles From the U.S. Are Saving Lives in Africa

By
Terry Turner
-

Recycling those little, plastic pill bottles that Westerners take for granted is behind a genius plan for helping out millions of people in Africa.

In Malawi, a shortage of bottles means people need to carry loose pills home in their hands or wrapped in paper. Once they arrive home in mud-and-thatch huts, they have to find a way to store them so they stay clean and dry.

GET YOUR DAILY DOSE OF GOOD NEWS WITH OUR APP—>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

The container shortage endangers the health of people who depend on daily doses of medicines to treat everything from high blood pressure to HIV.

An Indiana charity figured out an amazingly simple and highly successful solution to the problem — recycle used bottles in America.

Dick and Diana Stephens had already distributed $200 million in aid to the country through their Malawi Project founded in 2000 – but the issue of pill containers had confounded them for years.

RELATED:  Donated Laptops Are Flying Right Into Laps of African Entrepreneurs

Dick came up with the idea of recycling used bottles in what he called a “Eureka moment” that hit him while he was staring into his medicine cabinet.

He put out a Facebook appeal and pretty soon, he and Diana were getting as many as 200 packages in the mail every day. More than two million used bottles were donated in eight months.

By the end of 2015 two forty-foot trailers left for Malawi. Included in the shipments were over 600,000 pill containers....

Posted by Malawi Project Inc. on Tuesday, January 12, 2016
 

So many deliveries were coming in, they had to suspend the drive over the holidays when the Postal Service worried they wouldn’t be able to keep up the deliveries.

CHECK OUT:  Former Child Brides Win Case in Court: Zimbabwe Bans Child Marriage

The Malawi Project now has more bottles than it can handle — and is not taking more donations — at least until they deliver their stockpile overseas.

But its website lists other groups doing similar work and encourages people to start pill bottle recycling projects like theirs through local churches and their missionary programs.

Share The Inspiring Idea… (Photo: Charles Williams, CC)

Score! Gift of Football Tickets Turns Into Game-Changer For Homeless Man

By
Terry Turner
-

soccer ball stadium CC jarmoluk

When a Liverpool man bought tickets for himself and a homeless guy to go watch their favorite teams score goals, he never imagined the friendly gift would lead to meaningful goals scored off the pitch and a life turned around.

Every day on his way to work in England, Rossico Jenkoski would buy a cup of coffee for the homeless man named Darren.

GET IN THE GOOD NEWS GAME WITH OUR APP—>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

Darren had lost his job and apartment after his girlfriend passed away, and depression took hold. One thing he never lost, though: his enthusiasm for the Everton football club endured, even while he lived on the streets.

Instead of spending money for “stupid things at Christmas” — as Jenkoski put it — he used part of his holiday budget to buy tickets to a match between Everton and his own favorite team, Liverpool–and chose his homeless friend to be his guest.

The simple act of kindness inspired Darren who has since found a job and an apartment.

“I posted this story to show you that a little bit of kindness can go so far and help get someone on the right track again,” Jenkoski (pictured, left) wrote on his Facebook page, below. “I used to drink coffee with Darren on the streets, then I did it at Goodison Park, and now we drink it in his flat.”

Rossico Jenkoski with homeless friend at football pitch-FB

So this is a picture of me (on the left) and Darren (a homeless guy from Liverpool). Every day on my way to work I see...

Posted by Rossico Jenkoski on Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Score One For Kindness! Share This… (Photo: jarmoluk, CC)

Students Design Refugee Coat that Becomes Tent, Sleeping Bag

By
Terry Turner
-

Coat to Tent released Royal College of Art

A group of interior design students have created the ultimate outerwear for refugees — a poncho that converts into a tent or sleeping bag, while safely storing important documents.

The wearable shelter features large, waterproof pockets for carrying vital papers and supplies, and it offers the convenience of an easy folding method to create a warm sleeping bag or, by adding a few kite rods, a personal tent.

TAKE GOOD NEWS WITH YOU ON OUR APP—> Download FREE for Android and iOS

Students at London’s Royal College of Art took part in an intense “hackathon,” working with guidance from Doctors Without Borders to create what they’re calling “wearable habitations.”

Coat to Tent 2 released Royal College of Art

WALL Fashion London paid for factory-ready prototypes of the final design and the students have launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise the money needed to bring their idea to market.

They hope to have their design available to the public in June.

RELATED:  Teen Invents Rain, Fire-proof Sleeping Bag for Homeless, and Offers Jobs

“While our wearable won’t solve the whole problem it addresses a small part of it,’ Dr Harriet Harriss said. “Its conspicuous, provocative design also acts as a kind of spotlight on the crisis, serving as a reminder to us all about the need to continue to press forward in finding an integrated and lasting solution to the problem.”

(WATCH the video below from Reuters) — Photos: Joshua Tam, Royal College of Art

Uphill Battle With Cancer Leads Man to Climb Tallest Peaks–with One Lung

By
Terry Turner
-

After beating cancer two different times, climbing the world’s tallest mountains seemed easy by comparison — even if he does it with just one lung.

Sean Swarner has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro a dozen times and these days, he is inspiring other cancer survivors by leading them up the trails to the summit.

He was twice diagnosed with cancer, at age 13 and again at 16. Swarner remembers sitting on the floor of his shower, 60 pounds overweight and losing his hair from cancer treatments. Doctors had given him just two weeks to live.

STAY ON TOP OF ALL THE GOOD NEWS WITH OUR APP—>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

It was his life’s lowest point, but also its turning point.

Swarner came up with a mantra: “The human condition can sustain itself for roughly three days without water, but no human alive can live for more than 30 seconds without hope.”

He’s never given up hope since that day.

Swarner has climbed the highest mountain on every continent and was the first cancer survivor to summit Mount Everest. The trek into the thin air was made doubly difficult because he had only one lung.

He chronicled his journey from the depths of despair on his shower floor to his symbolic triumph of hope atop Mount Everest in his autobiography, “Keep Climbing: How I Beat Cancer and Reached the top of the World.”

CHECK OUT:  Sons Haul Paralyzed Dad Into Grand Canyon for Trip of Lifetime

He created his own foundation, the  Cancer Climber Association, to show survivors of the disease their continuing potential. Each year, it grants one cancer survivor the opportunity to climb the tallest mountain on the African continent with Swarner as guide.

“Taking people up Kilimanjaro, I see a transformation,” Swarner told TODAY. “It gives them the tools to say, ‘Hey, if I can conquer that mountain, I can do anything.’”

(WATCH the video at Your Erie) — Photo: news video

Share This Peak Performance…

Vet Crawls Into Rescued Dog’s Crate to Show Her How to Eat (WATCH)

By
Terry Turner
-

A veterinarian won over a jittery stray dog — and the hearts of millions of people — after he crawled into the pup’s crate and shared a meal with her.

The little rescue dog that Dr. Andy Mathis would later name “Graycie” was brought into his office about two weeks ago, emaciated and in poor health. The vet was afraid he’d have to put her down, but decided to ask his Facebook followers for advice.

SEE THE WARM AND FUZZY EVERY DAY… WITH OUR GOOD NEWS APP—>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

The dog made improvements but still wouldn’t always eat — until Dr. Mathis started climbing into her crate and having regular breakfasts with her.

Dr. Mathis has been documenting Graycie’s progress on his Facebook and Instagram pages and she’s doing better — perhaps proving breakfast really is the most important meal of anyone’s day.

CHECK OUT: Our Stream of Good News Pets Stories Here

(WATCH  the full video from Dr. Mathis below) — Photo: Dr. Andy Mathis, Instagram

 

Dr. Mathis Facebook video:

When you have no pancakes for breakfast. . . .

 

Posted by Granite Hills Animal Care on Saturday, February 13, 2016

 

Share This With Your Pack…

‘Help Me Lie Down!’ Grandma Wants to Make Snow Angel on 85th Birthday (WATCH)

By
Terry Turner
-

Snow Angel FB Sherry Proper Spangler CC geralt

There’s something about snow that brings out the kid in just about everyone.

Whether it’s cops joining kids in a snowball fight, a 101-year-old woman making snowballs of her own, or this woman making snow angels, the white stuff just seems to turn back the clock.

CHILL OUT WITH OUR GOOD NEWS APP—>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

Sherry Proper Spangler’s daughter recorded this video of her grandmother celebrating birthday number 85 by fanning her arms and legs in the Pennsylvania snow.

Since she posted it to Facebook on January 30, interest has, well, snow-balled. More than a million people have enjoyed the fun.

(WATCH the video below) — Photo: Sherry Proper Spangler, Facebook: geralt, CC

Mom making a snow angel on her 85th birthday!

Posted by Sherry Proper Spangler on Saturday, January 30, 2016

 

Warm Up Your Friends: Share This…

Single Mom Parlays Small Lottery Win into Fund For Homeless Man In the Cold

By
Terry Turner
-

lottery winner helps homeless man screenshot WCVB

A single mother may have won the lottery, but it was a homeless man’s lucky day when she turned a two dollar bet into nearly $15,000 to help the man get back on his feet.

Sofia Andrade spent her last two dollars on an instant lottery ticket and won $200. On her way home with her winnings, she noticed a homeless man at a stop sign.

NEED MORE WINNING STORIES? …GET OUR GOOD NEWS APP—>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

She invited the man, Glenn Williams, for a cup of coffee and he was so grateful he couldn’t stop crying on the drive.

With temperatures forecast to plunge in New Bedford, Massachusetts that night, Andrade found out local shelters were full — so she used her winnings to put Williams up for the night in a hotel.

CHECK OUT: Teen Invents Rain, Fire-proof Sleeping Bag for Homeless, and Offers Jobs

She posted about the encounter on Facebook, and soon other people were pitching in. A barber gave Williams a free haircut, friends donated cold weather gear and a kid even sent the homeless man a Valentine’s card.

Andrade wasn’t done helping Williams. She set up a GoFundMe page hoping to raise $5,000 for the homeless man. In just two days, it’s raised $14,891.

— Photo: WCVB video

SEND Inspiration to Your Friends…

(CORRECTION) First Native American Woman Federal Judge

By
Terry Turner
-

Diane Humetewa cc Activedia and PD US Govt

CORRECTION: Using a February 16, 2016 United Press International article as the main source, we incorrectly dated this story. The Senate confirmation actually took place in May, 2014. Good News Network apologizes for the misinformation but will leave this article posted as background for an “On This Day in History” mention, that we previously published here.

______________________________

A former prosecutor and judge for her Hopi tribe has become the first Native American woman to become a federal judge.

The U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Diane Humetewa to a District Court bench in Arizona on Monday (see correction above). She’s only the third Native American to serve as a federal judge, and the only one currently to be serving.

GET OUR NEW GOOD NEWS APP—>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

The National Congress of American Indians issued a statement saying it hoped her appointment would lead to more highly qualified Native Americans being appointed to judgeships.

There are 21 Native American reservations in Arizona and all felonies on those lands are tried in federal court.

CHECK OUT: Taiwan’s First Woman President Becomes Most Powerful Woman in Chinese Speaking World

“We do not have a bench that reflects the community it serves,” Former U.S. Attorney Paul Charlton told the Arizona Republic. “And now, for the first time in our nation’s history, we’ll have a representative.”

Photo: Activedia, CC; U.S. Govt 

German Shorthaired Pointer Wins Best in Show at Westminster (WATCH)

By
Good News Network
-

2016_best of show Westminster dog winner-German Shorthaired pointer

A German shorthaired pointer named C.J. won Best in Show at the 140th Westminster Kennel Club dog show in New York on Tuesday, besting nearly 3,000 contestants over the two-day competition.

Dogs from all 50 states and around the world were whittled down to just seven final contestants, but the three-year-old pointer “California Journey” took the top prize – an upset for those who favored German shepherd named Rumor.

(WATCH the report below from CBS)

 

Photo credit: Westminster Kennel Club

Teen With Down Syndrome Sinks Game-ending 3-point Shot (WATCH)

By
Good News Network
-

 

When team manager Robert Lewis hit a game-ending 3-point basket for his school on Senior Night, fans from both sides went wild.

Robert, who has Down syndrome, got to suit up and play for the team he had managed throughout high school.

With five seconds left in the game a player passed the ball to Robert who sank the shot, as cheers filled the auditorium.

WATCH: Ohio State Football Team Acts as Loving Family to Boys With Incurable Illness

Watch students rush the basketball court of Franklin Road Academy to congratulate Robert and hoist him into the air in a champion’s embrace.

Community Wants a Statue of the Man Who’s Waved to Them for 50 Years

By
Terry Turner
-

Bunny screenshot WGGB

A man who’s clapped and waved to drivers for a half century may soon be getting his own statue — if neighbors get their way.

Bernard Murray, who everyone in Chicopee, Massachusetts calls “Bunny,” has been waving to people in his neighborhood since the 1960s. Neighbors want to erect a statue of him to make sure he continues to wave for decades to come.

WANT MORE COMMUNITY GOOD NEWS? …GET OUR APP—>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

They’ve even created an online petition — with 4,830 signatures — to “make a bunny statue waving forever.” It’ll be delivered to city leaders when they get 5,000 people to sign online.

“I think it’s the greatest thing in the world,” neighbor Mike Carmody told WGGB/WSHM news. “You could say he’s a pillar of Chicopee.”

(WATCH the video below from WGGB/WSHM) — Photo: News video

Wave This Story In Front Of Your Friends, Share It…

GNN Hit A Major Facebook Milestone This Week

By
Good News Network
-

Thumbs-Up-Owned-by-Good-News-Network

When I was working in the TV news business decades ago, I was told, “Good news doesn’t sell.”

I guess that is true for network program directors, but I keep finding proof to the contrary.

Thousands of people have donated money over the years to support our network—and this week, our Facebook community crossed a milestone, as we passed the half million mark with 500,000 fans.

We are a truly global community too, which is really cool. Lewis Jacob, who was gave us our 500,000th LIKE on Facebook, lives in Zambia and studied clinical neuroscience at University of Oxford. 14,000 of our FB fans live in Pakistan, and the same for Australia— while 39,000 live in India.

Thank you for all of your kindness and support shown to us over to years.

xxoo Geri

1.8 Mil Acres of Beautiful Desert Are Now Protected As Nat’l Monuments

By
Terry Turner
-

 

A giant swath of fragile, desert ecosystems half the size of Connecticut has just received permanent protection — creating a migratory superhighway for endangered animals.

Three new national monuments designated by President Obama will link already protected lands, including Joshua Tree National Park and the Mojave National Preserve which are 100 miles apart, by setting aside an additional 1.8 million acres as safe from development.

WANT GOOD NEWS ALERTS ABOUT THE EARTH? …GET OUR APP—>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

Adjacent to 15 other wilderness tracts protected by Congress, the California areas known as Mojave Trails, Sand to Snow, and Castle Mountains are now protected “in perpetuity.”

mojave night white house

The areas are home to a diverse population of wildlife ranging from mountain lions and bobcats to antelopes and bighorn sheep to golden eagles and desert tortoises. The Sand to Snow Monument also will protect sacred, archaeological and cultural sites, including some 1,700 Native American petroglyphs.

CHECK OUT:  Farmer Returns 700 Acres of California Coast to Native American Tribe

Tying the different areas together will make it easier for wildlife to safely migrate, and plant species to expand into other elevation ranges, especially if they experience climate stress in future decades.

mojave2 White House

“Permanent protection of these desert regions will mean a chance of survival for endangered wildlife and rare plants that need space to migrate and adapt in this era of climate change,” Dan Smuts, California Senior Regional Director of the Wilderness Society said.

WATCH:  Rare Wildflower Superbloom Paints Death Valley in Brilliant Color (VIDEO)

The announcement in February doubles the amount of land or ocean that President Obama has set aside for conservation during his term. His use of the Antiquities Act to designate areas for protection, is consistent with Republican presidents who have created 82 national monuments since 1906 and Democratic presidents who have created 105 monuments, including such wonders as the Grand Canyon.

(READ more at Smithsonian) — Photos: The White House

Sharing This With Your Friends Is A Natural…

10 Meaningful Ways to Carry Out Random Acts of Kindness

By
Brad Aronson
-

Group Celebration

Let’s continue celebrating Random Acts of Kindness Week (Feb. 14–20).

Although few of these ideas are actually random, these 10 acts of kindness will make you and the recipient feel wonderful.

1. Invent a holiday for someone you love. I have “Mia Appreciation Day” for my wife. Your appreciation day can be as simple as picking a date and writing a thank you note each year to read out loud on that day.

2. Think of the people who have made a difference in your life. Take 45 minutes to write those people a letter telling them why they’re wonderful.

CHECK OUT: 5 Side Effects of Kindness on Health

3. Take a few minutes to send postcards to sick children who are fighting serious illnesses and want to receive mail.

4. Send cards to lonely seniors. Love for the Elderly will distribute your mail to seniors in need.

5. Put a dozen paper hearts or smiley faces in a box or on a card. Write something special on each heart about someone close to you. Make someone’s day with this gift.

6. Look for opportunities to share compliments. It takes no time, costs nothing, and will make someone feel awesome. Don’t just think it. Say it.

7. Listen. The greatest gift we can give people is our time. We can put down our phones, lift our heads up from our computers and really listen without interrupting.

LOOK: Spree of 318 Random Acts of Kindness Across Boston

8. Donate items you’re not using to people who need them. (Here’s a list of places to donate things in the US). And, it doesn’t get easier than this – through Give Back Box you can box up household items, games, clothing or other items you no longer need, and Give Back Box provides a prepaid shipping label so you can ship the items to Goodwill at no charge. This is only offered in the US. (Goodwill is a nonprofit that provides job training and jobs.)

9. Follow up. When my friend Mary was diagnosed with cancer, she received overwhelming support. However, as her lengthy treatment progressed, the support waned. Because of that, Mary now finds a reason to send a note or reach out every few weeks when someone she knows has cancer. A divorced friend told me something similar. He said it felt like everyone forgot about him a few months after his divorce, even though it was still tough.

Let’s reach out months after a trauma (disease, divorce, death, etc.). My friends said that even an occasional note makes a big difference, and even if the person sending the note wasn’t a close friend.

This is a great week to send a few notes.

10. Only have a minute? Text or email someone right now, to tell them you’re thinking about them.

Adapted from Brad Aronson’s blog. For Brad’s full list of Random Acts of Kindness, check out 98 Random Acts of Kindness on Brad’s blog.

Harvard Tells College Applicants: Focus on Kindness, Not Overachieving

By
Terry Turner
-

College Students CC Taber Andrew Bain

At least 85 of America’s top colleges are now endorsing the idea of emphasizing community involvement over personal success in their admissions policies.

A new Harvard report is basically saying the best way to succeed for students who are applying to college is to relax, and be nicer to your family and neighbors.

GNN-app-banner-ad-optThe change is one of several reassessments of current admission policies — including de-emphasizing standardized test scores and more attention to home life — contained in a new report from the Harvard Graduate School of Education called “Turning the Tide.”

STAY TUNED TO GOOD NEWS WITH OUR APP—>  Download FREE for Android and iOS

The report focuses on reducing pressure on students applying to college, promoting the common good across communities, and making it easier for students of different races and income levels to compete for a spot at college.

“Too often, today’s culture sends young people messages that emphasize personal success rather than concern for others and the common good,” Richard Weissbourd, Senior Lecturer at the graduate school said.

RELATED:  Affluent Parents Use Their Know-How to Get Needy Kids Into College

The report concludes that it is unhealthy to increase the pressure on students to constantly achieve — blaming that pressure for higher rates of anxiety, depression, and substance abuse among college bound teens.

It makes multiple recommendations to improve the quality of their lives and contributions from students applying to college:

• Decreased emphasis on college AP (advanced placement) classes and ACT and SAT scores. The report even suggests making the tests optional and discouraging students from taking them more than twice
• Encouraging students to take on a local community project or volunteer with a diverse group for a cause they believe in, rather than performing “exotic” volunteer trips overseas
• Encouraging students to forego big name schools for those that are a “best fit” for the individual student
• And placing a high value on a student’s contributions at home — including simple chores that make life easier for the rest of their family

WATCH: Brilliant Idea: Free Housing for Student Volunteers in Senior Home

Some colleges, such as Yale University, have already begun incorporating the report’s findings into their admissions process. Its admissions survey next year will require applicants to explain contributions they have made to their family.

Photo: Taber Andrew Bain, CC

Let Your Friends Study This Story, Share It…

1...954955956...1,714Page 955 of 1,714
© Copyright 1997–2026 GNN, LLC