For the 53rd and 54th consecutive weeks, the Center for Peace & Conflict Studies 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.
Week 53
7-Year-Old Swims Against a Strong Current to Save his Family
We’ve brought stories of pint-sized do-gooders to you before, but the heroic actions of Chase, 7, are in a class of their own. Over Memorial Day weekend, Chase went on a boating excursion with his dad (Steven) and younger sister (Abigail, 4). While they were out of the boat swimming, the family got caught in a strong current and were swept away from the boat. The strength of the current forced the family apart. Steven realized that he would not be able to stay with both of his kids. “I told them I loved them because I wasn’t sure what’s going to happen,” Steven said. He asked Chase to try swimming to shore – and that’s exactly what Chase did. It was slow going: the current was strong and Chase had to stop swimming to take breaks or to doggy paddle. An hour later, he made it to shore where he ran to the nearest house for help. The homeowners called for assistance and soon rescuers from three local agencies were dispatched. Another hour later, Steven and Abigail were found floating, unharmed, over a mile away from their abandoned boat. Thanks to Chase’s bravery and his amazing physical feat, the family was reunited soon after.
Source: The Good News Network - https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/chase-poust-7-year-old-swims-an-hour-to-rescue-his-dad-and-little-sister/
High School Teacher Gives his Shoes to a Student Who is Barred From Attending his Own Graduation for Wearing the Wrong Kind of Footwear
Daverius Peters, 18, was all set to attend one of the most important ceremonies of his life – his high school graduation. However he quickly hit a snag when he arrived to the convention center where the event was being held. A school representative set on enforcing the dress code turned Peters away. He was compliant in all but one respect. He had the white dress shirt, the tie, and dark dress pants. But his shoes, which were made of black leather, were athletic shoes; the dress code required black dress shoes. “I was in shock,” Peters said. “I felt humiliated. I just wanted to walk across the state to get my diploma.” He had begun to panic when he saw John Butler, an educator and mentor aSt the school, with whom he had a good relationship. Butler thought the situation was absurd: “There was nothing eccentric about his shoes.” Despite Butler’s attempt to persuade the gatekeeper with reason, “she insisted on not letting [the] young man in…” Without skipping a beat, Butler took off his own shoes and handed them to Peters. Although Butler is a size 11 and Peters wore a size 9, Peters was ecstatic. A few minutes later, he was shuffling across the stage in the oversized loafers to accept his diploma. Peters’ parents were frustrated at the lack of sensitivity displayed by the woman who refused their son entry, but everyone involved, including school administrators, had positive things to say about Butler. Each of them said it was in character for Butler to act so charitably. Jima Smith, Peters’s mother, said “He gave the shoes off his own feet to my child… That says a lot about what type of man he is.”
Source: The Washington Post - https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2021/06/01/graduation-dress-shoes-student/?utm_campaign=wp_the_optimist&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_optimist&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F3305ebd%2F60b780f09d2fdae3026b3925%2F5e4d74439bbc0f462514be64%2F11%2F48%2F60b780f09d2fdae3026b3925
Wilberforce University Waives All Student Debt for the Classes of 2020 and 2021
The pandemic has been hard on everyone, and it has made obtaining a college education – already an expensive endeavor – even more of a financial strain. Last week, Wilberforce University – a historically Black university in Ohio – held a combined commencement ceremony for its 2020 and 2021 classes. During his address to the students, the university president, Elfred Anthony Pinkard, made a surprising announcement. “We wish to give you a fresh start. Therefore, the Wilberforce University Board of Trustees has authorized me to forgive any debt. Your accounts have been cleared.” The audience burst into joyful celebration. Students and parents alike cheered; some sat agape in stunned silence. In total, the university forgave nearly $400,000 in student debt. “Because were are in awe of your strengths and perseverance; because you have made your family and yourselves proud…; because you represent the best of your generation, we wish to give you a fresh start,” Pinkard said.
Source: The Washington Post - https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/06/02/hbcu-wilberforce-student-debt/?utm_campaign=wp_the_optimist&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_optimist&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F3343a1e%2F60bcc7029d2fdae30271e1fc%2F5e4d74439bbc0f462514be64%2F24%2F48%2F60bcc7029d2fdae30271e1fc
Week 54
Military Veteran Donates 36-Acres to Build a Retreat for Veterans Struggling with Addiction and Homelessness
Marty Weber and his partner, Jeff Poissant, had been together for 30 years when Jeff passed away from cancer. The pair had co-owned a business, had served in the U.S. Army, and both loved nature. After Jeff passed, Marty wanted to honor their union and he thought of a profound way to do so. Military veterans are disproportionately affected by homelessness, addiction, mental illness, and vocational obstacles. As military veterans, both Marty and Jeff had experienced some of these challenges firsthand. Marty decided to honor Jeff by helping to address some of those challenges. To make that happen, he donated a 36-acre patch of rural land bordering New Jersey’s Pinelands National Reserve to be used as a rehabilitation, mental health, and addiction retreat named Jeff’s Camp. Two homeless outreach organizations in the area will be helping to create the center. Eventually the property will house an 8,000 square foot facility that features a thrift store, sober living residence, and programs providing rehabilitation and vocational training. These will all be nestled in a serene, wooded setting. Although Marty’s gesture is generous by any measure, he turned down a $3 million offer for the property in order to make Jeff’s Camp a reality.
Source: Good News Network - https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/veteran-donates-36-acres-of-land-homeless-retreat/
On a Kayaking Expedition to Raise Money for Charity, Two Adventure-Activists End up Rescuing a Pair of Rare Eagles
Klaudia Kis and Richard Varga were on a kayaking expedition, paddling up the Danube River to Germany’s Black Forest, to raise money for charity. Varga was using the trip to raise money for BátorTábor Foundation, an organization that provides therapy for kids with cancer. Kis was supporting the Tiszai PET Kupa project, which had already removed several tons of plastic bottles from the Tisza river. The expedition would take the pair 1770 miles upstream on the Danube from the Black Sea, near Romania, to Donaueschingen, a city in Germany’s Black Forest. Along the way, though, the two performed another selfless act. Two rare white-tailed eagles were clasped together in the Danube River and were at risk of drowning. Kis and Varga used a rope to free the eagles humanely from their perilous situation before continuing their journey. In all, the expedition was set to take three months. Although the pair originally hoped to reach their destination by June 1st, they were still paddling as of June 9th. You can follow their progress on Instagram.
Source: Good News Network - https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/quick-thinking-kayakers-save-pair-of-rare-eagles-from-drowning-in-danube-river/
8-Year-Old Boy Sells Pokemon Cards to Pay for a Lifesaving Procedure for his Dog
Bryson Kliemann, 8, of Lebanon, Virginia, loves his Pokemon cards. For most of his life – the past four years – he has been collecting the cards. In that time, he has collected hundreds. As much as he loves that collection though, he loves his dog, Bruce, more. And Bruce had gotten sick. The family had gotten Bruce as a companion for Bryson, but at only 4-months-old, Bruce was diagnosed with parvo after he had become alarmingly lethargic. Bryson’s mother, Kimberly Woodruff, explained that the veterinary bill would cost at least $650 for the initial treatment, plus more for follow-up treatments. Woodruff, who is studying to become a phlebotomist, said, “Our income is very limited… My husband is the only one who works, since I’m in school.” Bryson overhead Woodruff and her husband talking about the vet bill, which they were unable to afford. Soon after, while Woodruff was away, she received a picture of Bryson from her husband. In the picture, Bryson was sitting at the edge of their driveway at a table with a homemade sign: “Pokemon 4 Sale.” Woodruff was touched but did not want Bryson to have to sell his cards. Hoping her neighborhood might be willing to help, she shared the picture on a local social media group. Word traveled far and fast. Neighbors began lining up at Bryson’s makeshift kiosk to drop off money. Many did not even ask for a card in exchange for their donation. Other neighbors came by to drop off their own Pokemon cards. In two days, Bryson raised approximately $400. Then others got involved. The owner of Lonesome Pine Brewing Co. and three dogs of his own, Brenton Mosely, hosted a three-day fundraising event – “Brews for Bruce” – that raised $450. Across the country in Seattle, an employee at the Pokemon Co. sent Bryson a package filled with rare cards. “I couldn’t believe it,” Bryson said. “I was so, so, so, so excited!” With the outpouring of support from kind people across the country, the family raised far more than they needed to treat Bruce’s condition. To pay it forward, they are using the remainder to help other families pay their vet bills.
Source: Good News Network - https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2021/06/07/puppy-parvo-vet-bill-pokemon/?utm_campaign=wp_the_optimist&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_optimist&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F3360716%2F60c0bb7b9d2fdae3027652af%2F5e4d74439bbc0f462514be64%2F16%2F48%2F60c0bb7b9d2fdae3027652af