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Good News Stories

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SeawaySensFan
Hoags
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1Good News Stories Empty Good News Stories Tue Sep 21, 2010 11:48 am

SensGirl11

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I just read this story and it definitely touched my heart. I thought it would be nice to have a thread here about Good News stories from around the world. There is so much bad in the world these days, it's refreshing to have good things to read about and see that there are indeed a lot of good people in the world.

What better story to start with than this one. This is one amazing kid, and the overwhelming response is equally amazing.

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Good News Stories BlakeMcGinness248 Good News Stories Invisible
Blake McGinness, 9, shows off some of the toys he will be selling this coming Saturday at a yard sale at his Kingston home. McGinness is trying to raise enough money to buy his father a headstone.
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What do you think of Blake's idea?

KINGSTON, Ont. - Blake McGinness' dad is getting a headstone and the family is thanking pretty much all of Canada for that.
After the nine-year-old boy's plan to sell his toys at a yard sale this weekend to buy a headstone for his father, Rick Lees, was reported by QMI Agency Monday, there was an outpouring of generosity — from both across Canada and overseas.

The story was featured on Toronto radio talk station CFRB Monday morning. A Toronto clothier, Tom Mihalic, owner of Tom's Place, heard the story and called in, offering to pay for the headstone, although he had never met the family.

Michael Levitt, president of Benjamin's Landmark Monuments in Toronto, heard that call while driving to work and immediately phoned the station, offering to build it.

By 11 a.m., he had talked to Mihalic, a friend of his, McGinness' mom, Linda, and the cemetery where Rick is buried to find out their technical requirements for a monument and said he was proud to be able to help.

"My own dad died when I was nine years old," he said.






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Good News Stories 15412831

"It touched a nerve and I am in a position to help. We will be creating a beautiful memorial for Richard with input from the family.

“I know they must be overwhelmed with the public response and it is great to see so many people stepping up to help a little boy in need."

Overwhelmed doesn't begin to describe the family's response to the story, which generated hundreds of e-mails from around the world and interview requests from across Canada as the story percolated through dozens of media outlets.

"I simply can't believe it," said Linda, a single mother who works at a downtown hair salon.

At least nine companies — including one in Texas — offered to supply headstones yesterday, free of charge.
McGinness said Levitt was the first to contact her and she was immensely grateful for his offer.

"I don't know if I can keep standing up today."

Although the cost of the monument is covered, she said her son will carry on with his planned sale Saturday and will give the money to charity.

Yesterday, she went to the Royal Bank and set up an education trust for the young boy for the donations people were offering from around the world.

The fund can't be touched until he goes to college.

The RBC trust fund is in the name of Blake McGinness and people can contribute at any RBC branch, transit number 02402, account number 5030473.

"I just can't get over this," Linda McGinness said.

"This really shows there is good in the world. I am so, so grateful that I don't have the words to express it."
It was reported Monday how Blake McGinness plans to hold a garage sale at his house at 675 Montreal St. this Saturday morning. He was going to use the money raised selling his toys and sports equipment to buy a headstone for his father, who is buried an unmarked grave in Wilmer Cemetery.

Rick Lees died suddenly in March 2009 of a stomach aneurysm and after the estate was settled, there was no money left for a grave marker. His son visits his dad's grave regularly, and always leaves toys and little mementoes at the plot.

Blake recently decided he wanted his dad to have a headstone and he would sell all his toys if that's what it would take.

The poignant story was picked up by Sun Media newspapers across Canada and ran in a free subway newspaper in Toronto read by tens of thousands of commuters.

Within minutes of the story appearing on websites just after midnight Monday, e-mails started coming in from people wanting to give money, toys and businesses offering tombstones to the Blake.

By the time the sun came up, that trickle had turned into a raging torrent.

The story hit Twitter and Facebook and by midday the Kingston Whig-Standard, the Sun Media newspaper which broke the story, received more than 500 e-mails from people across North America and from Canadian soldiers as far away as Afghanistan, pledging support and wanting to know how they could help.

The story was grabbed by radio stations as far away as Vancouver and Yellowknife, and program directors were soon e-mailing the newspaper wanting contact information for the family, as so many listeners had called following the story wanting to know how they could help.

Many of those touched by the story had lost parents at a young age themselves; many had children around Blake's age and commended the boy for his effort.

An equal number, from Bay Street brokers to big-city police officers to hardened residents of New York City, just said they had tears running down their face as they read Blake's story and the short letter the young man published in The Whig on the anniversary of his father’s death, telling his dad how much he missed him and how he always says good-night to him before he goes to bed each evening and how he hopes his father can hear him.

"A young boy should not have to deal with adult issues. Where can I send a cheque?" asked one reader.

"I had tears in my eyes as I read this story and I want to know what I can do to help this amazing boy," said another.

"As the father of a nine-year-old boy, I can't imagine letting this boy sell his toys, no matter how noble the cause," said another. "My family doesn't live much better than paycheque to paycheque, but I am going to do whatever I can do to help."

Rocker Tom Cochrane's wife and manager got in touch with the newspaper wanting to FedEx memorabilia for Blake to put in the sale; so did sports stars who wanted to remain anonymous.

A number of people e-mailed from business and government addresses and said they were collecting money for Blake, his determination had touched them so much.

Collectors of stuffed animals across North America saw the picture of Blake holding up one of his plush toys from the movie Ice Age and said they were willing to pay far more than the memento was worth to help his cause.

At the family's neat Montreal St. house, with Blake's toys piled on the dining room table, both he and his mother were speechless Monday morning, and the offers of help had only just begun coming in, along with people who began knocking on the door before 9 a.m. to drop off donations.

"I just can't believe this is happening," said Linda.
When her husband died, she asked friends not to send flowers but to pledge money for a college fund for young Blake and she says any money that is not needed for the headstone will be used for that.
Her cellphone did not stop ringing and she struggled to find a work e-mail address that people could use to contact her.

"I don't have a computer at home," said the single mother.

"Buying food and clothes comes before a computer."

Blake, who had already done one phone interview with a radio station Monday morning, seemed a little stunned by the response himself, although the articulate young man politely said 'thank you' to one man who came to the door and put a bill in his hand while apologizing for not being in town this Saturday for the sale.

"It's pretty amazing," he marvelled.

2Good News Stories Empty Re: Good News Stories Tue Sep 21, 2010 12:14 pm

PTFlea

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The exposure this kid is getting, he's not only gonna pay for the headstone, he's gonna be holla rich.

3Good News Stories Empty Re: Good News Stories Tue Sep 21, 2010 12:37 pm

SensGirl11

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He's definitely not going to be paying for his education either. I think it's awesome that he's still going to sell his toys and give the money to charity.

4Good News Stories Empty Re: Good News Stories Tue Sep 21, 2010 12:51 pm

Hoags

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Stories like this make me smile.

My wife actually blocked some of the mainstream sites (like Yahoo ) due to constant negative (and even morbid) stories they post on the front page.

Just for shock value alone I presume.

5Good News Stories Empty Re: Good News Stories Tue Sep 21, 2010 1:19 pm

SensGirl11

SensGirl11
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Hoags wrote:Stories like this make me smile.

My wife actually blocked some of the mainstream sites (like Yahoo ) due to constant negative (and even morbid) stories they post on the front page.

Just for shock value alone I presume.

I think it's important for us all to read happier stories, everything is negative these days, 1st page news is always bad news.

6Good News Stories Empty Re: Good News Stories Thu Nov 25, 2010 3:39 pm

SensGirl11

SensGirl11
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Here's another good news story for this thread. Pretty amazing! I can't believe they survived their ordeal.
Teens found after 50 days lost at sea

By QMI Agency


Three boys adrift on a small craft in the Pacific Ocean who went missing off the atoll of Atafu in October were found alive after spending 50 days at sea.

The boys, all three from the Tokelau Islands of New Zealand, went missing in a small aluminum boat after an annual sporting event on Oct. 5, the BBC reported.

A New Zealand fishing boat rescued them Wednesday.
Samu Perez and Filo Filo, both 15, and Edward Nasau, 14, were presumed dead after the New Zealand air force conducted unsuccessful searches.

The family of one of the boys had already held a memorial for their loved one, the BBC reported.

But on Wednesday afternoon, the crew of a tuna boat on the water northeast of Fiji spotted a small boat on the open water. As they drew closer, they realized there were people inside it, the vessel's first mate Tai Fredricsen told the BBC.

The boys had had a small supply of coconuts on board, but they ran out after two days.

"They had a period when they were only drinking fresh water, which they were capturing during the night in a tarpaulin," Fredricsen said.

"They also told me that two weeks prior to us rescuing them, they were able to catch a sea bird, which was very lucky for them."

Fredricsen said, considering their ordeal, the boys were in surprisingly good shape.

"They've got a lot of gusto, a lot of strong mental spirit," he said.

"Physically, they were in a bad way, but mentally they are very strong.

7Good News Stories Empty Re: Good News Stories Thu Nov 25, 2010 5:50 pm

PTFlea

PTFlea
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They survived on rain water alone? Crazy.

8Good News Stories Empty Re: Good News Stories Wed Dec 17, 2014 1:02 pm

SeawaySensFan

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Franchise Player
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I got tired of looking for the "right" thread but I think this is close.

Historic day.

...the United States plans to re-open its embassy in Havana and significantly ease restrictions on travel and commerce within the next several weeks and months.


9Good News Stories Empty Re: Good News Stories Wed Dec 17, 2014 1:11 pm

LeCaptain

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Just when tensions are pretty high between Russia and the USA...

I assume there's 1 million behind doors plots going on within the CIA as we speak.

10Good News Stories Empty Re: Good News Stories Thu Dec 18, 2014 11:17 am

SeawaySensFan

SeawaySensFan
Franchise Player
Franchise Player

More good news:

http://www.standard-freeholder.com/2014/12/17/ailing-howe-to-make-public-appearance-with-gretzky

The Star Phoenix reports Howe’s family says the legendary Hockey Hall of Famer is recovering well and will be healthy enough to travel to Saskatoon from Texas.

11Good News Stories Empty Re: Good News Stories Thu Dec 18, 2014 11:21 am

PTFlea

PTFlea
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Co-Founder

Amazing that the embargo just ended like that.

12Good News Stories Empty Re: Good News Stories Thu Dec 18, 2014 11:23 am

SeawaySensFan

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SpezDispensed wrote:Amazing that the embargo just ended like that.

There was a spy swap first. Show of good faith from both sides decades in the making, I guess.

13Good News Stories Empty Re: Good News Stories Thu Dec 18, 2014 11:29 am

wprager

wprager
Administrator
Administrator

SeawaySensFan wrote:
SpezDispensed wrote:Amazing that the embargo just ended like that.

There was a spy swap first. Show of good faith from both sides decades in the making, I guess.

Don't forget the added revenues from import duties on cigars and rum.


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14Good News Stories Empty Re: Good News Stories Thu Dec 18, 2014 11:32 am

PTFlea

PTFlea
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SeawaySensFan wrote:
SpezDispensed wrote:Amazing that the embargo just ended like that.

There was a spy swap first. Show of good faith from both sides decades in the making, I guess.

Yeah, that was amusing.

15Good News Stories Empty Re: Good News Stories Fri Apr 21, 2017 5:46 pm

Flo The Action

Flo The Action
Franchise Player
Franchise Player

This isn't really news but it's good! I just finished my last exam. So short of receiving my diploma I guess I just finished university!
4 and a half freaking years! Didn't think it would take this long! Or I'd be this old!
As they say better late than never!!!

Now to get my Donkey a job... Sarcasm
First some beers and a win tonight would be nice to celebrate!

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