Good People Doing Good Things — Small Things Matter Too!

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

This week I have just a whole lot of people doing those small good things to help others, to make life just a wee bit brighter for some.  Most of us will never have the opportunity, the wherewithal to do the big things, like flying to Ukraine to help people find homes, or feeding an entire community, but we can do little things to help someone, to make a life a little easier.

LeRon Britt is a mail carrier in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.  Terri Halliday is a disabled U.S. military veteran with only one leg, who lives on Britt’s daily route, and … well, I’ll let Ms. Halliday tell you in her own words what happened after her home alert system indicated movement outside her front door …

“I began watching on my phone, and I saw a mail delivery truck. The next thing I know, I see him coming up my steps with a snow shovel.  He shoveled all the steps and cleared off my front deck. I was shocked but grateful.”

A little thing, probably took him no more than 5 minutes, but it made a huge difference in one woman’s life!

The latest estimate is that more than 3.5 million refugees have fled from Ukraine … most are women and children.  The country that has received most of these refugees is Poland, naturally, since it is the nearest country.  The Polish people are stepping up to the plate in many ways, but this one caught my eye a few days ago.

Strangers are donating everything from diapers to strollers to help refugee mothers cope and take care of their children.  Here are a few pictures from the platform at the Przemyśl train station …

Polish citizens left shopping carts filled with diapers at the Przemyśl train station platform.

Strollers for refugees and their babies fleeing the conflict from neighboring Ukraine.

Small mountains of clothing, shoes, jackets and outerwear fill cardboard boxes just outside of the Przemyśl train station at a refugee relocation center.

Car seats and carriers line the wall of the Przemyśl train station.

Diapers, baby wipes and food items fill a room inside the Przemyśl train station.

And help isn’t just available in the form of physical supplies — some people have been holding up signs, offering rides to different places across Europe and volunteers are helping refugees find a place to stay — be it a school gymnasium or families who have offered to take in women and children.

Jackie Mihal of Panama City, Florida, runs a shelter … Salty Cats of St. Andrews Rescue Group … from her home.  Earlier this month, as a wildfire was rapidly approaching, she was faced with having to rescue some 86 cats and one bunny.  How could just one person rescue all those animals, some of which are feral, others have health problems, and with a limited number of cages?

Enter three strangers …

Brian Salmon, Scott Morris, and Scott Trunzo just happened to be in the area and jumped in to help.  I don’t know how they did it, but all 87 animals were evacuated to safety and have since returned home.  Thumbs up to these three guys … and to Ms. Mihal for all that she does!

Mike Nance is a garbage truck driver in Norwalk, Connecticut.  He was on his route on February 17th (which just happens to be National Acts of Kindness Day) when he spotted a woman walking around, talking to herself, seemingly troubled.  Where some people might have rolled their eyes and gotten on with the business of the day, Mr. Nance felt the urge to see if he could somehow help the woman.

He spoke with her for a time, found she had many troubles, gave her what little cash he had with him at the time, and gave her a big hug … a hug that caught the attention of Dave Kuban and Carlos Gonzales who were just opening their restaurant, Dave and Charlie’s Hometown Deli, for the day’s business.  Moved by the hospitality they were witnessing, Dave and Carlos found their own way to assist the woman.

“After we saw him do that, we made her a little breakfast and brought it over to her. It’s a domino effect.”

And in hopes of keeping that domino effect going, Dave & Carlos snapped some photos of the moment between Mike and the woman and shared them in a local Facebook group.  Says Mike, the guy who started it all …

“I’m a garbage man. We’re about the community. I’m about the community. I love Norwalk. I’m from Norwalk. I was born here. So whatever I can do to help, that’s what I’m going to do.  I try to be the best person I can be every day.  There’s a lot of good people out here in the world.”

Remember that, my friends … “There’s a lot of good people out here in the world.”  It’s far too easy to forget in these days of social and political turmoil, of war and ever-decreasing natural resources, but yeah … there ARE an awful lot of people who will stop what they’re doing, even go out of their way, to help someone in need.

35 thoughts on “Good People Doing Good Things — Small Things Matter Too!”

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  4. This wonderful post makes me think of how the world might be considerably different if we change the perspective of story telling. I work with children. In any group of kids there are a bunch of kids who say or do harsh things to other kids. Often in a conflict, I find myself distracted by the “aggressor” (I put it in quotes because no child is fundamentally aggressive.. it’s just in that moment they were that) and calming the “victim”. I don’t really pay attention to the kids who step up and offer help to both parties. Who bring water to the hurt, who offer compassion to the one who is angry and hurtful. I know this doesn’t directly relate to Ukraine but some times we learn tangentially 🙂

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    • It sounds to me that you really enjoy your work with kids and can relate to them quite well! Yes, I think that, while any child can sometimes be cruel, most children are kind and empathetic by nature. As they grow up and see what the world is like, they sometimes become less so, but there are always good people we can find if we just look around. Thank you for dropping by and for your comment!

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  6. Another uplifting share Jill.
    We both have a moan about Humanity, but when it comes down to it, most folk want to do well.
    Consider tv images in the aftermath of earthquakes or floods, many of those first responders are ordinary folk.

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    • Sigh … yes, humans are complex creatures, aren’t they? Why anybody would think it’s okay to kill massive numbers of civilians is beyond me. I’m glad you enjoyed the ‘good people’, though … it reminds us that not everyone is like Putin & Trump! xx

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  9. These good people are wonderful examples of humanity at its best! “That’s what kindness is. It’s not doing something for someone else because they can’t, but because you can.” – Andrew Iskander. WHAK!! Thank-you!

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  14. With so much negativity flying around it is nice to read about people doing good. It is a reminder that, for the most part, humans are filled with kindness and goodwill. Thank you for the uplifting post.

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    • You are so right, and I’m glad you enjoyed the good people this week. I post these every Wednesday, for we do all need a reminder sometimes in these dark days that good people are still out there, just quietly going about the business of helping, too busy to loudly toot their own horns!

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