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9 good thing that happened around the world this week

DH Calgary Staff
DH Calgary Staff
|
Dec 19 2017, 11:27 am
9 good thing that happened around the world this week

Every time we try to catch up on the news, negative stories constantly seem to dominate the headlines. There’s a reason why we say some things “restore our faith in humanity” – it’s because we rarely get exposed to the wealth of good things happening around us everyday.

That’s why every week, we bring you a roundup of some of the biggest news stories about good things that happened around the world to help brighten your day.

This week, we are taking a look at how people across Canada are joining together to help those who have lost everything in the Fort McMurray fires.

1. 5-year-old sets up lemonade stand to raise money for Fort McMurray families

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Five-year-old Alexander Tuck of Toronto was busy selling lemonade outside a shopping centre last Saturday. However, he wont be keeping the money. All proceeds of his lemonade sales were donated to the people of Fort McMurray impacted by the wildfire. Tuck was able to raise $2,500 for the Red Cross and all donations will be matched by the federal government. 

2. Syrian refugees pitch in to help families fleeing Fort McMurray fires

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Rita Khenchet arrived in Calgary a few months ago after fleeing her war-torn homeland of Syria. After seeing the footage of the Fort McMurray fires, Khenchet was determined to help. She created a post on a Facebook group asking Syrians in Canada to try to help families fleeing the fire in any way they could. “(Canadians) gave us everything. And now it’s time to return the favour,” Khenchet wrote in the post.

Another Syrian saw Khenchet’s post, translated it to English, and shared it on the Syrian Refugee Support Group’s Facebook page. Since then, donations for Fort McMurray families have been pouring in from Syrian refugees across Canada. 

“It’s amazing. You have to understand how little these guys have… But they understand the idea of an entire city losing their home. That’s something they can easily relate to. They went through that,” Saima Jamal, co-founder of the Syrian Refugee Support Group told the Calgary Herald. 

3. Friends and family throw surprise wedding for Fort McMurray couple

Carlos and Carol Moran were excited for their upcoming wedding on May 14. The Fort McMurray couple had everything ready for the big day, but last week they lost all of their possessions as the wildfire engulfed their home. They fled to Edmonton to stay with friends.  They thought there was no chance of recreating what was supposed to be their perfect day. But the Moran’s loved ones did not let that happen. They worked together to plan a wedding in the backyard belonging to some close friends of the couple. Word got out of the Moran’s story and donations for their wedding began to pour in. Everything came together and they were married in a beautiful backyard ceremony last week.

4. Fort McMurray family reunited with lost puppy

The Greene family was in a rush to leave their home after the mandatory fire evacuation was announced in Fort McMurray last week. They had to leave their puppy, Max, behind. In a desperate attempt to find Max, they posted his description on Facebook hoping that someone would be able to rescue their dog.

Marty Frost stayed behind in Fort McMurray to help rescue crews. He started to look for pets that had been left in the city. He came across the Greene’s Facebook post about Max and began to search for the dog in their neighbourhood of Abasand. The fire had caused a lot of destruction in Abasand, making the search difficult. But Frost kept looking and was able to find Max. He contacted the family immediately to let them know the good news. Despite losing their home and possessions, the Greenes are just grateful for getting their beloved four-legged family member back. 

  • Read more on CBC

5. Bride invites kids to reception after her wedding gets cancelled

Yiru Sun had everything ready to go for her wedding on Saturday. Unfortunately, things did not work out with her husband-to-be and the wedding got cancelled. The $8,000 deposit on the upscale New York City venue was non-refundable, so Yiru decided she was still going to put it to good use.

She turned her would-be reception into a Mother’s Day luncheon. Yiru teamed up with the local Salvation Army and together they invited 60 kids and their family members to the event. “I cannot be the princess of my wedding day, but I can give the kids a fairy tale,” Yiru told The New York Post. 

6. School yearbook features picture of student and his service dog

14-year-old Seph Ware probably has the coolest picture in his school’s yearbook. Ware, who has muscular dystrophy, is accompanied to classes every day with his service dog and best friend, Presley. In this year’s yearbook photo, Ware’s picture is right beside Presley’s.“(The school) must have felt like she’s been here enough and is such a part of the school that she deserved a picture,” Ware told CNN. 

  • Read more on CNN

7. Pilot flies Fort McMurray animals to shelter

Image: Keith Mann

Image: Keith Mann

As residents of Fort McMurray were forced to evacuate their homes last week, many also had no choice but to leave their beloved pets behind. But Keith Mann, a pilot working for Suncor Energy, is determined to reunite people with their pets by flying the animals out to cities where evacuees have relocated. Mann has permitted all kinds of animals including cats, dogs, rabbits, and chinchillas, on his flight to ensure they are safely transported to their owners. “We’re all animal lovers here. We knew it was important for owners to re-connect with them,” Mann told Metro Calgary. 

8. Restaurant customers leave generous Mother’s Day tip for waitress

Image: Facebook Asleigh West

Image: Facebook Ashleigh West

Ashleigh West is a young mother who works as a part-time waitress at a restaurant in North Carolina. When a few diners came in for a meal last week, West mentioned to them that she works while her young son is at home sleeping. The customers were moved by her story and tipped her $101.79 on top of their bill. They also left a note saying ‘Happy Mother’s Day’. West was overcome by the kindness of random strangers and said she ‘almost cried’ when she saw the tip.

9. Disabled kitten gets new set of lego wheels

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A disabled kitten with no back legs was abandoned by its owner in Massapequa, New York. Veterinary staff at a local clinic found the kitten and nick-named him Mac N’Cheez. They also designed new back legs for Mac N’Cheez using Lego. The kitten is recovering well and can now roll around in style. 

DH Calgary StaffDH Calgary Staff
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