So many "coincidences" this week! Someone emailed me this morning saying, "You should put a photo of Glacier National Park in Montana on your page." I did, too (see it here), because I’m in Montana today for the first time ever! After visiting friends in Billings, we go to Vancouver on business. (We’ll be holding a Meet-and-Greet next Tuesday at 5pm if you’re interested in having some tea or wine with us.) Yesterday, a fan in Vancouver sent a story that coincidentally features a Montana man! (See #10 below.) By the way, because of the Canada trip, the newsletter will skip a week, so look for the next one in 12-14 days. Visit my website any day you need a good-news fix! ~ Geri
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Top 10 Good News Stories of the Week
- Solar Family Car Pioneered in Holland
Students at the University of Eindhoven in the Netherlands say they have created the world’s first solar-paneled family sedan. The futuristic looking car seats four and can drive 370 miles before needing to recharge (600km).
- Moving Tribute for Fallen Firefighter’s Widow Driving From Arizona
Atop every overpass for 500 miles Sean Misner, one of the 19 firefighters killed in Arizona, was paid a moving tribute as his wife drove by with his ashes on her way home to Santa Ynez Valley, California. Local firefighters stood erect atop pump trucks, and hook-and-ladder trucks, saluting their fallen brother.
- Danish Woman Runs 366 Marathons in a Year After MS Diagnosis
After Annette Fredskov was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and perhaps wanting to create an unbreakable bond with her own body to ward off the expected degeneration of nerve cells, she began an incredible streak of marathon running that has landed her in the media worldwide. At 41, the Danish woman ran 26.2 miles every single day for the last year, and a double marathon on day #365.
- Without Arms, NASCAR Engineer Does What People Say He Can’t
NASCAR’s top racing company, Hendrick Motorsports, gave engineer Richie Parker a shot with a 10-week internship, mostly because of his can-do attitude. Born without arms, Parker was so good at his job that he was hired and has been an integral part of the NASCAR team for more than eight years.
- Peru To Provide Free Solar Power To 2 Million Of Its Poorest Residents
Peru has initiated a new solar panel program that will provide electricity to more than 2 million of its poorest residents. Currently, only 66% of Peru’s 24 million people has access to electricity. The National Photovoltaic Household Electrification Program aims to make sure 95% are connected.
- 55 Customers ‘Pay It Forward’ for Next Car in Donut Line
A gesture by a customer at Heav’nly Donuts in Amesbury, Massachusetts triggered a chain reaction on Saturday that led to a lot of smiles. The staff began counting at around the seventh car as the driver paid for the order of the customer behind them, after getting theirs free.
- Fishermen Dive to Rescue Endangered Whale From Entanglement
Virginia fishermen, Captain Pat Foster and Mate Adrian Colaprete, single-handedly rescued an endangered Northern Right Whale. They caught sight of the creature 50 miles off the coast last weekend. Pat noticed the whale swimming erratically in the distance and decided to investigate. The whale was in serious danger, entangled in some sort of fishing ropes or trap line. (Video)
- Spreading the Message of Nonviolence to Inner City Kids: A CNN Hero After Lisa Fitzpatrick found her street blocked by police tape when someone her daughter knew had been killed, she knew she had to do something." She quit her job, downsized her life and created the APEX Youth Center (Always Pursuing Excellence). Since 2010, more than 460 children and youth have come for the free pizza and fun, and in the process learned conflict resolution skills.
- 13 Uses for Cucumbers That Will Amaze You
Cucumbers are very easy to grow and make for a delicious treat. But did you know they can prevent hangovers, or clean the kitchen sink? Here is a list of tips and tricks that you can use with cucumbers. (Real Farmacy)
- Paralyzed Montana Man Makes Fly Rods to be One With the Universe
A man named Tom Morgan is making some of the most expensive and sought-after fly fishing rods in the world, which he does despite having been paralyzed from the neck down for the past 17 years. He’s revered for what he calls thought rods, where the instrument functions as an extension of the mind, delivering the fly where you imagine it will go, not where a series of clumsy physical muscle movements try to direct it. (ESPN)
Video of the Week: Vietnam Fan Chasing Bus of Favorite English Team Gets Surprise When They Stop
A young fan of a London football team that was in Vietnam for an international match showed such spunk by running after the tour bus that the team wanted to meet him. Vu Xuan Tien, 20, wore an Arsenal team jersey and smiled and waved as he dodged traffic and obstacles along a 5-mile stretch in Hanoi. Finally the team decided to stop and let him climb aboard. (Watch the hearty welcome)
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Inspiration Point
"Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
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