Feel Good Friday is a sampling of the positive news stories of people helping to restore lives during these challenging times.
Staying current with news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) is an important part of thoughtful citizenship, but it’s also a little draining. So here are a few positive news snippets for your weekend…
Kids Devise a Creative Way To Play with Isolated Seniors
The social distancing requirement of the pandemic has made isolation even tougher for nursing home residents, but many families and friends have been coming up with creative ways to stay in touch. At the Winfield Senior Living Community, visiting kids played tic-tac-toe with residents through the facility window. Because visitors are not permitted in the facility, they used tape as the tic-tac-toe board on the window, with the kids and residents marking their Xs and Os on opposite sides of the glass.
Mailman Delivers Essentials to the Needy
Kyle West, a United States Postal worker, has been delivering more than mail during the pandemic; he has been completing grocery errands for vulnerable neighbors on his route. It began when he received an unusual request for toilet paper from an elderly man on his route. Concerned for the man’s well-being, West picked some up at the store and delivered it the next day. That gave West the idea to offer help with grocery delivery service to anyone who needed it, especially elderly or disabled people. Neighbors leave West a shopping list and money in their mailbox.
Tom Moore, a 99-year-old from Bedfordshire, England, is raising money for the country’s public health care system by doing laps around his garden — with his walker! The World War II Vet, who turns 100 this month, set a goal of £1,000 (US$1,250), but when enthusiastic donors caught wind of the effort, Captain Moore ended up raising £18 million (US$22,525,500) for the National Health Service.
To help lonely seniors through the quarantine requirements of the coronavirus, Canadian high schoolers created a hotline that plays pre-recorded messages to lift their spirits. Students from the Ever Active Schools recreational leadership program run by the Calgary Board of Education created the Joy4All project, which provides a “selection of jokes, stories, guided meditations, and educational messages” at 1-877-JOY-4ALL.