Good People Doing Good Things — Everyday People

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, Good people doing good things, Social commentary

I didn’t have to look far before finding some good people this week …

We’ve all heard of the huge bushfires that are engulfing Australia and the loss of wildlife.  Last I heard, it was estimated that some one billion animals had died.  Owen Colley, a 6-year-old from Hingham, Massachusetts, was upset to learn about the Australian bushfires two weeks ago, his mom Caitlin Colley said. He asked if any animals had been hurt in the fire and his mom said yes.

Quiet, he left the room and drew a picture of a kangaroo, a koala and a dingo in the rain. The picture represented his wish for Australia, a wish for rain and wildfire relief, his mom said.

“It was really the first time Owen had made a wish for something other than Lego or something other than himself. We asked him if he wanted to help and … together we came up with this. We could make some clay koalas and give them in response to donations from friends and family.”

Owen-Colley Owen started making little gray koalas out of clay and his parents set up a way for people to donate to Wildlife Rescue South Coast, a wildlife rescue group in New South Wales. The Colley family is sending one of Owen’s koalas to each person who donates $50 or more. So far, he’s made about 55 clay koalas.clay-koalasAs of last Thursday, Owen has raised more than $100,000 for the rescue group in just a few weeks, his mom said. It started with $1,000 in donations via Venmo in an Instagram post, which was their fundraising goal. It got so big that the family launched a GoFundMe campaign.

A little thing by a little guy with a big heart.

Rayden Jones is a pizza delivery driver for Happy’s Pizza in Port Huron, Michigan.  One day last week, he was delivering some pizzas to a local school, and when he returned to his car … it was gone!  His means of earning a living … gone!

Turns out, a woman with a mental condition had stolen Rayden’s car and gone for a joy ride.  Shortly, a man named Kevin Lindke was driving home from work when he saw a swerving car take the wrong ramp onto a freeway. Lindke dialed 911 as he followed the car and described the situation to police dispatchers.

The woman who stole the automobile eventually smashed into another vehicle before abandoning the totally-wrecked car on the side of the road. She took off running with Lindke in hot pursuit.  After catching up to her, Lindke convinced her to stay and wait for police.

The next morning, in a follow up call with the police, Kevin learned who the car belonged to.  As it happened, Kevin was preparing to sell his minivan … but instead, he gave it to Rayden!  Take a look …

Again … a small thing to Kevin maybe, but a huge thing for Rayden.

Jessica Benzakein entered the foster care program when she was twelve years old and remained in the system until she turned 18 and was no longer eligible.

Benzakein spent many holidays as a young woman wishing for a family—so when she finally had a house of her own in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, she decided to open her heart and home to foster kids and siblings who were enduring the same struggles she had as a child.  About five years ago, she took in six boys — siblings Will, 17, Carter, 14, Sidney, 13, and Buddy, 8, and brothers Kendrich, 6, and T.J., 4. Jessica-kidsThe boys instantly became close with Benzakein’s biological children, Eli, 14, and Brenna, 9, whom she shares with her ex-husband, and they became one big (really big) happy family.

But, with the uncertainties of the foster care system, and Will nearing the age where he would be taken off the foster care rolls, Jessica decided to make certain the children would never be separated, would always have a ‘forever home’, and on Friday, January 3rd, she completed the adoption of all six boys! Jessica-kids-2

“Everybody tells me how lucky these kids are and what a good thing I did. But … I’m going to cry … they grounded me. I went through my 20s thinking I didn’t really need a family. But I did.”

Okay, folks, I had another ‘good people’, but I am short on time tonight, as I’m running behind on the next stage of mine and Jeff’s project, which I need to send him later today.  There’s always next Wednesday!  Meanwhile, remember to be one of those good people, okay?

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18 thoughts on “Good People Doing Good Things — Everyday People”

  1. Wonderful ‘good people’ stories. I want to elaborate a bit on what little Owen is doing to raise funds for Australia…

    Many people in Australia are in total shock and the cost of the fires in the billions of dollars. If anyone reading this today (Thursday 23 Jan, 2020) is not already using the ‘Ecosia’ Browser (works on top of Google Chrome) to plant trees as they browse, please go and download it from ‘Google Play.’

    Today, all browsing profits will go to planting trees in Australia. It doesn’t cost you a thing, but it will give corporate profits to a good cause.

    You can continue to use Ecosia too… It is continually using its profits for reforesting projects, with nearly 82 million trees planted so far.

    https://blog.ecosia.org/trees-for-australia/

    Liked by 3 people

  2. We really, really need to focus on the Good People, as the less than good ones are dominating the news at present…they whose names will not be mentioned here!! Owen Colley and his parents, Simon and Caitlin, are Koala Heroes. I read about the January 11th GoFundMe project that the parents set up for Owen’s koalas a few days later in the local news. Hingham is about 66 1/2 miles northeast of where I live and about 37 miles from where Benjamin lives, so the story captured our attention. Here is an update on this magnificent fundraiser : By January 20th there was $250,000 raised and as of yesterday there was over $265,000 raised!! Sadly, but as could be expected, the overwhelming response caused the parents to end giving the sculpted koala figurines as of the end of January 19th. But…the fundraising has continued and many good people continue to donate anyway! As the project took flight, Caitlin was having trouble locating the clay that was being used to make the tiny koalas after having purchased all the nearby stock. The Sculpey Company, makers of the clay product being used, sent more clay to the Colley family! It is also notable that friends of the family joined in to help speed production by having koala-making parties. That’s a lot of Good People Doing A Good Thing! Your other Good People are also bright candles of hope that goodness and kindness will prevail. Thank-you!

    Liked by 3 people

    • I thought of you when I came across the story of young Owen Colley and wondered if perchance you had heard of him. Drat! I wanted one of those koalas, too! Thanks much for the update on their fundraising … that is awesome! What you said at the start of your comment is so very right … we need to focus more on the good people, for the other kind are getting plenty of attention already … sigh. And yet, I cannot do that, for I must shine a bright light in the corners and reveal all the filth and slime that would otherwise lie hidden. Admittedly, though, I do enjoy these Wednesday posts!

      Liked by 2 people

    • I’m so glad that you enjoy these ‘good people’ posts, but also glad you’re keeping busy with other things besides WordPress … I spend entirely too much time on this blog … 12-14 hours a day, counting the research I do … and it takes a toll.

      Liked by 2 people

  5. WordPress is really giving me the finger these days. Again, I cannot “like” this — but I do — as I do all of your heart-warming stories about good people ding good things. Thanks and thanks again!

    Liked by 4 people

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