Hello! We hope you, and your family, friends, and colleagues are doing well. For the 29th consecutive week, the Ball State University Center for Peace & Conflict Studies (www.bsu.edu/peacecenter) has compiled a list of acts of kindness and peace. The initiative began as a response to COVID-19 and the racism pandemic but has broadened to include any act of compassion or service to others. Please share these stories. If you have stories of positive acts people/organizations are taking and you would like to share them, please email them to Brandon Miller at peacecenter@bsu.edu. All the stories starting from week 1 are available online. Additionally, you can follow the Peace Center on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) at bsu4peace.
Canadian Man Drives Over 1000 Miles to Transport a Stranded American Family to Alaska
It was a cold, snowy day in Canada. Lynn Marchessault was driving toward Alaska with her two children in a pickup truck and pulling a large trailer. They were on en route to join her husband at a military base, where he currently serves. But Marchessault was not used to the perilous road conditions she was facing on her journey and, despite upgrading to studded snow tires, she was concerned about her family’s safety. Her husband, unable to leave his based due to COVID-19 restrictions, issued a plea online while Marchessault stopped at a highway lodge intended to house seasonal workers. Fortunately for the family, their plea was noted by a Canadian ranger, Gary Bath, who was accustomed to navigating the snowy conditions. He also knew that the family, due to pandemic-related restrictions on American travelers, had a short time to complete the journey before experiencing legal ramifications. Despite facing a 1000 mile trek, Bath and his wife, Selena, departed with a car loaded with provisions. Many miles later, they reached the family. Selena turned around and drove their vehicle back home while Bath took over as the family’s chauffeur, driving them safely and uneventfully to their destination in Alaska. Bath then benefited from some goodwill as well. Word of his compassionate actions had spread among his fellow rangers. In the process, people donated money so that he could take a flight back home without incurring personal expense. The family expressed their gratitude for the selfless act: “We are forever grateful to Gary and I’m thankful to his wife for bringing him up and loaning him out.”
Source: CBC - https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/yukon-alaska-highway-stranded-family-bath-winter-1.5813003?fbclid=IwAR0E8RGY5LjpUOeVQGfumlWBy7LXXFjBOqI5DzE7Bo5DQxgP_CCnqIYmBB8
Chicago Couple Cancels Wedding and Uses Catering Deposit to Feed People Suffering from Severe Mental Illness
Emily Bugg and Billy Lewis, like many couples before them, had to reimagine their wedding plans to fit with COVID-19 safety restrictions. First, the Chicago residents scaled down their 150+ person wedding to 50 people, then they changed the date, and, when cases skyrocketed again, they canceled altogether, opting instead to get married at city hall. Unfortunately, their catering deposit was nonrefundable - and it was substantial: $5000. So Bugg, who coordinates the outreach efforts at Thresholds, a nonprofit dedicated to helping Chicago residents with severe mental illness, put her skills and her connections to good use. They decided to coordinate with their caterer to provide Thanksgiving meals to Thresholds’ clients using their catering deposit. Both the caterer and the CEO of Thresholds were enthusiastic about the idea, and together the team devised a safe way to distribute the meals to clients in need by creating boxed Thanksgiving feasts. Mark Ishaug, CEO of Thresholds, said this type of altruistism is inspiration and tends to inspire “copycat activities.” “Other people start asking themselves, ‘What can I do for other at Thanksgiving?’ There’s been so much anger and fear this past year...and then we have something like this from Emily and Billy, which is just about humanity and kindness.” Although the couple had been looking forward to their big celebration, Bugg says what they accomplished together was even more meaningful: “So many people have told me this was a beautiful way to start our married life together.”
Source: The Washington Post - https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2020/11/25/this-couple-cancelled-their-big-wedding-instead-gave-thanksgiving-dinners-needy/
Moving Company Provides Free Services to Victims of Domestic Violence
College Hunks Hauling, a moving company with locations throughout the US and Canada, recently launched a program to provide free moving services to people fleeing situations of domestic violence. Since their launch this year, they have completed over 100 free moves. And this comes at a time where people at risk of domestic violence are trapped in their homes due to the coronavirus pandemic. Co-founder of College Hunks, Nick Friedman, said, “As a purpose driven, socially-conscious organization, we’re always looking for ways to positive impact our communities - in this case, particularly for those who feel powerless in unhealthy home situations… I definitely think our Free Moves for Survivors of Domestic Violence program sheds light on a really important issue that is not often talked about.” College Hunks has provided other forms of relief during the coronavirus pandemic by using their trucks for the transportation of PPE and testing supplies, as well as for relocating hospital beds and transporting water for healthcare workers. For every paying job the company completes, they donate two nutritious meals to Feeding Children Everywhere. Since beginning that program the company has donated over 1 million meals.
Source: Good News Network - https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/moving-company-helps-victims-leave-abusive-homes-at-no-cost/