Weekly Uplifting Stories - March 11th, 2024

It doesn't take much effort to be a kind human being.

There are powerful examples of how a small act of kindness can create a ripple effect of positivity. Look for opportunities to practice kindness in your daily life.

“Being kind means responding to the needs of others—and people can be kind, no matter how old or young we are.” —Fred Rogers

No matter what happens, keep your spirits up and protect your kind heart. 

Let these stories remind you of the power of paying it forward.

• A good Samaritan offers a helping hand to an elderly woman at Atlanta airport
• Senior dogs receive love, warmth, and the happy endings they deserve
• 'Spreading the love' project teaches students geography
• Initiative for a cleaner and greener city is being applauded

Weekly Uplifting Stories - March 11th, 2024

A stranger's selfless act leaves a lasting impression.

Cindy Tutko was heading home to Florida after visiting her family in Louisiana. At the Atlanta airport, she needed to get to Terminal F to catch her connecting flight.

However, with a bad knee, a heavy bag, and no train service, Cindy Tutko was facing the daunting task of navigating the busy airport and reaching her gate on time.

When Michael Wright noticed Cindy limping, he immediately offered to help carry her bag.

Michael escorted Cindy through four airport terminals for nearly an hour! He even ensured that Cindy boarded the plane early.

This act of kindness touched Cindy. Her son, Jamie Tutko tracked down Michael through social media and thanked him in person.  

"It's sad that our society had eroded to the point where I'm on TV and Jamie is on TV and you're here, and — we're flattered, but I didn't do anything." said Michael.

Retiree takes in dogs in their later years to give them the care they deserve.

After losing his beloved dog Wolfgang in 2012, Steve Grieg, a retired accountant from Denver, made it his mission to give senior dogs another chance at life.

He started his adoption journey with a 12-year-old Chihuahua named Eeyore. In the past decade, he has adopted 11 senior dogs. Caring for dogs in their twilight years has helped Steve heal from the loss of Wolfgang.

"It's just been an amazing experience. I did it originally, because I was in pain from a dog that had passed away," he shared. "So I did it to kind of relieve that pain and to give the dog that had passed away to give his life and you know, a meaning. But it's just taken on a whole new life of its own." - Steve Grieg

Head to his Instagram page to catch a glimpse of the adventures of Steve's adorable pack of dogs.

Second graders learn geography through a unique approach.

Students at Most Blessed Sacrament School are receiving Valentine's Day cards from all over the world.

Their teacher Ms. Kuhlman came up with the idea of asking people from all 50 states to send Valentine's Day cards to her class so that the second graders can learn about geography and directions.

Thanks to a post on social media, they have received more than 100 letters from all over the world.

"It's more than learning about the country. It's showing what a bit of kindness in our world today can do. That's really what's happening. They're seeing that people are loving and being kind to them," said the teacher.

The students get to open the cards, read the message, find the state that it's from, and pin it on the map.

They have received cards from as far away as Abu Dhabi, Korea, and the Netherlands.

People have sent gifts along with the cards such as a box of chocolates and puzzles.

This class is planning to keep the tradition going by sending cards to a different state later this year.

This man is turning organic waste into soil.

Neal Brooks collects scraps from local businesses around Phoenix and turns them into soil products.

His initiative drastically cuts the amount of waste that goes into landfills.

Neal's team ensures that the soil retains its nutrients by turning and watering it regularly. He's planning to scale his composting project in the next six months.

The soil goes back to members of the community who can use it for their gardening needs, whether it's growing a field of crops or planting herbs on window sill.

"The cost of fuel and the problems it takes now to build more and more dumps, where we have less and less land. We have less and less water so we really want people to understand that it starts right in their backyard, it starts in your apartment," says Neal.

Have a Great Week Everyone! 

As always, if you have an uplifting story to share, please reach out to us in the comments below, or send us a message on our Instagram page to be featured in a future article. 

Have a great week everyone, and take care of each other! 

Photo by Nancy Guth