Giving with Walking Sticks

Giving with Walking Sticks

A 93-year-old veteran is whittling walking sticks to raise money for an Ohio food pantry.

By:  National Desk Staff /WLWT5

When the going gets tough, the tough keep going, or at least that’s what you do when you’re a 93-year-old retired Air Force Colonel—and John Hobson likes to keep busy.

“If he just got put somewhere and told him to sit down, he’d go crazy,” his son Mark Hobson, told WKEF-TV.

In 2020, Hobson occupied himself by handcrafting close to 100 walking sticks, the proceeds of which, he donated to a local Ohio charity outreach group, the Xenia Area Fish Food Pantry.

“He’s just a sweet man who gives a darn about other folks who don’t have [anything],” Mark Hobson said.

To sell his wares, Hobson set up a roadside stand in his front yard. The price was beyond reasonable: $3.00 each, or a food pantry donation.

Not surprisingly, the senior whittling-wonder was sold out in just a few days, having earned about $600.

Wanting to do more, Hobson and his family set up a GoFundMe page which has since raised $9,565 in cash for the Xenia Area Fish Food Pantry. All told, donations from the sale of the walking sticks, the GoFundMe campaign, and additional donations made in Hobson’s name total close to $16,000.

“Thank you for doing a very kind thing to make Grandpa happy and to make a difference for so many in our community,” Hobson’s granddaughter Jenny Denen wrote. “We have been so touched by your kindness and generosity.”

“We have been told by the pantry that a $1 donation generates five pounds of food. That means that we have helped the pantry be able to distribute about 40 tons of food to the Xenia community! What a massive blessing to those in need during this very difficult time.

Staying busy is certainly one factor that keeps Hobson hard at work, but his main motivation is likely more simple. He says knowing that he’s still able to help others in need in a meaningful way just makes him feel good.

Be Kind . Be Grace . Be Generous with your Time

Be PEACE

Providing a Sanctuary for Unwanted Dogs

Providing a Sanctuary for Unwanted Dogs

Welcome to Dog Paradise

Great Big Story / Story Link 

In the mountains of Costa Rica, there is a place where all dogs are welcome. Territorio de Zaguates is an old farm that has been turned into a lush canine sanctuary. With more than 700 adoptable dogs, you’ll be sure to find a best friend here.

Territorio de Zaguates Mission Statement:
Our mission is to provide a home to all the dogs we take care of. We are a temporal shelter for hundreds of doggies seeking a second opportunity, and also a permanent home for others that probably will never find a family.

Beach Peace

Beach Peace

These Israelis Are Forging Peace on the Beach, Bringing Palestinians to the Ocean for Their Very First Visits

By:  VOA News / Good News Network / Story Link

A determined group of Israeli volunteers has been forging bonds of friendship and peace with their Palestinian neighbors—and they have been doing it with a little help from the ocean.

For the last four years, Robby Berman has been rallying his fellow Israelis to bring Palestinian families to the beach.

Despite how these Palestinians live only an hour away from the seaside, most of them have never even seen the ocean because they are unable to travel across the Israeli military border without a permit.

That’s why Berman recruits Israeli volunteers to cross the border, pick up the families in their villages, and bring them back to the beach for a day of fun which many of them will never forget.

 

Rabbi Jonathan Feldman, who is one of the volunteers for the initiative, says that he believes it is his religious duty to facilitate these connections in order to encourage peaceful connections between the two religious groups.

“I think Jewish values are to reach out to other people and have peace with our neighbors—and that’s what we’re striving for,” he told VOA News in the video below. “We say prayers for peace many times every day and the first peace we need is with our neighbors.”

Jumping In to Help Another

Jumping In to Help Another

St. Louis teen’s act of kindness touching hearts across St. Louis 

By:  Kim St. Onge /KMOV4- Story Link

ST. JOHN, Mo. – In the midst of severe weather Tuesday, a St. Louis teen’s efforts to help a man in a wheelchair stuck in the storm’s path is touching hearts across the metro area.

Gregory Beck was leaving Schnucks on St. Charles Rock Road in St. John when the tornado sirens starting going off. 

“Everyone kept telling me the storm is coming and you need to hurry up and get home,” said Beck. 

Beck lost both his legs within the last year. Diabetes also caused him to go legally blind. He can’t drive, so he pushes himself up and down a hill to his home. 

He says drivers were honking and yelling at him as he tried to cross St. Charles Rock Road. He made it to a nearby gas station when a car pulled up. 

“This lady and her son were hollering at me like ‘are you okay?” Beck said. “Very lovely lady driving and her son. Just the greatest people and very concerned about other people, which America needs to start doing more of.”

Seth Phillips, 16, jumped out of the car and began pushing Beck’s wheelchair up the hill to his home. 

“We need to be caring for each other and helping each other out,” said Phillips. 

Beck says without Phillip’s help, it would normally take him about 25 minutes to get up the hill. He has to stop as many as 10 times to rest.

“My hope is that other teenagers will see that it’s the cool thing to do, you know, it’s good to help other people. It doesn’t make you uncool to stop and help someone who needs it,” said Seth’s mom, Amber Gilleylen.

Gilleylen initially recorded video of her son pushing Beck to share with her mom. She posted the video on Facebook and was surprised to see it shared dozens of times. She says she is so proud of her son for wanting to help, noting it’s not our of character for him. 

“His only complaint was ‘it makes me sad that people would rather fly by and honk at a disabled person rather than to lend a hand,” said Gilleylen.

Beck says he’s very thankful for their help and that even the smallest acts of kindness can mean a lot. 

“You don’t have to give them money, just doing a kind act. Instead of shooting somebody, give them a kind act,” said Beck.

Phillips calls Beck his friend and hopes to re-connect soon. 

Bigger than Basketball

Bigger than Basketball

I need to credit my husband for bringing this video to my attention.  One of my standards for a story making it to post here at ThreeLinesAndA Circle.com is that it needs to move me (which usually means I cry).  Grab the tissues – this amazing tribute to a beautiful human will warm your heart.

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