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 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.As 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. The 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 3^rd, she completed the adoption of all six boys! 

“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?