ReportWire

Tag: everyday hero

  • Angela Davis leads Polk County Toys for Tots with focus and a big heart

    [ad_1]

    POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Polk County’s Toys for Tots director is spending up to 70 hours a week this time of the year to make sure many kids in need have a great Christmas.

    Angela Davis took over the volunteer position several years ago after former director David Waller passed away.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Angela Davis runs Polk County’s Toys for Tots organization.

    •  The program will provide gifts to 15,000 less fortunate children in Polk. 

    •  Davis took over Polk Toys for Tots when former director Dave Waller passed away. 


    Davis had been a volunteer for the organization when Waller called her as she was preparing to play a round of golf.

    He told her to put away her clubs and to come see him in the hospital. When she got to the hospital, he told her about the brain tumor that would soon claim his life. He asked her to take over the Polk Toys for Tots program.

    “How can you say no?” she said. “Look at what this program does. The impact it makes. How could you say no?”

    Davis took the bull by the horns and got aggressive with fundraising and organizing. The program operates out of a huge warehouse in Auburndale. Toys for Tots will provide presents to more than 15,000 children from low-income families this year.

    “All right, guys. That one’s full already. Goodness. You are good,” said Davis to some volunteers on a recent morning as they were filling up boxes with stuffed animals. “They are preparing stuffed animals that we will give out to all children between two and seven,” she said.

    Each child gets a set of gifts based on the application that is filled out by their parent or guardian.  

    David grabbed one of the “shopping lists” and headed out to the tables filled with gifts based on categories. Her list was for a boy.

    “He’s nine years old. This is appropriate for a child eight plus,” she said as she held up a board game. “And based on what the child told me, this might be a good match for this young guy.”

    Literacy is a year-round effort by Toys for Tots, so children will also get a book with their gifts.

    Dozens of volunteer shoppers gather up gifts based on the lists and place them into black garbage bags with a label. That way, if a child is with their parent or guardian when they pick up the gifts, the child hopefully won’t be aware that the bag is full of gifts for them.

    Davis said she is hyper-focused on every detail of Toys for Tots. Her family tells her she becomes a little OCD.

    “You must be into the details. We are trying to serve these families,” said Davis. “We don’t want to make a mistake. We want to give these kids something special on one of the best days of the year. So of course, I have to be OCD.”

    However, she can have a softer side when approaching her work, getting emotional as she talked about the kids.

    “You know, they say there is something about the impact of doing something for a stranger and the impact it makes on you,” she said. “And I have all these wonderful people who have come in to help me make a change in a child’s life.”

    [ad_2]

    Rick Elmhorst

    Source link

  • Carole Adamczyk leads the MacDill Puppy Raisers group

    [ad_1]

    TAMPA, Fla. — A Hillsborough County woman is involved in a several great causes including raising and training service dogs. Carole Adamczyk is the group leader for MacDill Puppy Raisers. 

    On a recent evening Adamczyk and about a dozen other volunteers from the group were at a Lowe’s parking lot in Brandon training the future service dogs. Part of the training was to get the dogs to stay still at their handler’s side.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Carole Adamczyk leads the MacDill Puppy Raisers group

    •  Group members raise labrador service dogs for Dogs Inc

    •  Adamczyk leads group training sessions twice per month

    • Adamczyk has raised about a dozen of the service dogs in her home 
    • HELP PROVIDE LIFE-SAVING DOGS TO PEOPLE WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES: dogs inc.


    “If your dog gets up during it, just put him back in his sit again. It’s okay,” said Adamczyk.

    The dogs are all Labradors, and the organization Dogs Inc. will place them with the person who needs a service dog. That could range from a blind or sight impaired person or a veteran with PTSD.

    Adamczyk facilities the real world training twice a month. That includes taking the dogs inside the Lowe’s store to get them used to unfamiliar places with lots of people.

    Dogs can get excited about a new person coming up to them, but they are taught to stay very calm.

    “They have been practicing this for a while, so they know not to lunge when somebody approaches them,” said Adamczyk.

    Adamczyk has raised about a dozen dogs in her home including her current dog, Chloe. She demonstrated how she trained Chloe at her kitchen counter using treats and a paw pad.

    “I’m training her to stay on my left-hand side because that’s where we want them as they continue to grow,” she said.

    Adamczyk also takes Chloe for long training walks in her neighborhood using a special collar. The training is a rewarding experience when she sees her dogs make progress. “And the first time they get it, you are overjoyed. It’s wonderful.”

    The best part of the experience is when the dog is ready to be placed in a home.

    “That day that you meet that person is wonderful. When they tell you they saved their life, it’s amazing,” she said.

    [ad_2]

    Rick Elmhorst

    Source link

  • Child cancer survivor starts nonprofit

    [ad_1]

    DURHAM, N.C. — Harper Harrell knows first-hand the importance of having a place to stay near the hospital while enduring extended treatment. She was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia when she was 8 years old and had to undergo two years of treatment. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Harper Harrell started her own nonprofit called “Harper’s Home” to help house families with children enduring extended treatment for life-threatening illnesses for free near Duke Children’s Hospital and Health Center

    • Harrell was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia when she was 8 years old and had to undergo two years of treatment

    • The goal is to build eight homes on their property that’s just a couple of miles away from the hospital, but they are currently renting two homes while they wait for the city to approve their permits to start building 

    • Studies show more than half the kids in extended treatment at Duke Children’s Hospital come from over 50 miles away
    • Kids sometimes need to get to the ER within 30 minutes if they spike a fever and if not, their condition could become deadly


    “When I was in treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia at Duke Children’s Hospital, we met so many families who didn’t have a place to stay,” Harrell said.

    Fortunately for Harrell and her family they didn’t live far from Duke Children’s Hospital and Health Center and never worried about housing during her stay in the hospital. But she knows that’s not the case for everyone. 

    “They were living out of suitcases and hotels, and there was really no place for them to go,” Harrell said.

    That’s why she started her own nonprofit called “Harper’s Home.” The goal of Harper’s Home is to build eight homes in close proximity to the hospital for families with children fighting life-threatening illnesses to stay free of charge. 

    “Being able to stay here and having a roof over their head and not having to worry about it while a child is in treatment,” Harrell said.

    Currently, they are renting two homes three miles away from the hospital as they wait for the city to approve their permits to start building homes on their property. Harper’s mother, Heather Hindin, said renting these homes were only possible because of the giving community.

    “The way I see it is that we, Durham, the city, have kind of a responsibility as the place where Duke Children’s lives to open our arms and embrace the people who are coming here scared, uncertain,” Hindin said.

    Studies show more than half the kids in extended treatment at Duke Children’s Hospital come from over 50 miles away. Those same kids sometimes need to get to the emergency room within 30 minutes if they spike a fever and if not, their condition could become deadly. 

    “When we talk about being two miles or three miles from Duke Children’s, it’s not just convenient. It is in fact, a critical part of treatment,” Hindin said.

    It’s Harrell’s goal to make the lives of families a little bit easier, one home at a time.

    “Everybody deserves an equal opportunity to be able to get to their local world-class hospital or travel to a world-class hospital,” Harrell said.

    If you’d like to help Harrell grow her vision and help a family in need, you can donate at the Harper’s Home website.

     

    [ad_2]

    Kennedy Chase

    Source link

  • ‘Dignity Drive‘ helps shelters across Mecklenburg County

    [ad_1]

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A North Carolina woman is using her time and money to help tackle homelessness in her community.

    Tracy Grant bought and collected more than 200 pairs of underwear for the homeless women in Mecklenburg County. She laid them out at the Salvation Army Center of Hope in Charlotte as part of their “Dignity Drive” while explaining why she chose these items.

    What You Need To Know

    • Tracy Grant donates hundreds of pairs of underwear, socks and hygiene products to homeless shelters

    • The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte says these items are often forgotten and can provide a sense of dignity to those looking to get back on their feet

    • After seeing the need, Grant is making this a quarterly drive

    • You can drop off donations at the Salvation Army Center of Hope at 534 Spratt Street in Charlotte


    “We don’t think about it, but underwear is essential to women for one thing. It’s part of good health, part of good hygiene,” Grant said.

    She said, it’s not something most people think to donate, but can make a big difference. “I think having clean underwear is just what helps boost their self-confidence, and no one should have to go without,” Grant said.

    Along with underwear, Tracy has dozens of individually packaged hygiene products, including sanitary napkins and body wipes.

    It’s not just the women’s shelter. Grant also dropped off over 250 dozen pairs of socks at the Roof Above Howard Levine Men’s Shelter just weeks prior. It’s another item that’s rarely donated, Grant said, but one that’s important.

    “Some people like to sleep in socks, and your feet are one of the most important things on your body. So we need to take care of our feet,” Grant said.

    She explained these things could help people feel dignified while they find housing and eventually a job and a home.

    “I’ve had a lot of people I know that have had success,” Grant said. “So I know it works. It just takes time. It just takes patience. It just takes giving. It just takes conversations, and it just takes grace.”

    The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte Area commander Major Andrew Wiley says he sees the change through these acts of kindness.

    “We’ve just in the last two weeks had two of our residents who have secured jobs,” he said. “Nobody’s thinking about the things that we’re seeing here today. And so this is incredibly exciting for me to see an individual who saw a need and was willing to step up and do something about it, and a need that many times is forgotten.”

    After realizing the great need in the community, Grant has decided to make her “Dignity Drive” a quarterly one to help shelters across Mecklenburg County.

    “We can all be a servant. We can all give back, whether it’s your time, whether it’s your resources. No matter what it is, I think that we all have something to give to someone else,” Grant said.

    Grant’s next donation collection will be in November. If you’d like to help, you can drop off donations at the Salvation Army Center of Hope at 534 Spratt Street in Charlotte.

    [ad_2]

    Britni McDonald

    Source link

  • Nurse Karla Pedersen recognized for her volunteer work

    [ad_1]

    PALM HARBOR, Fla. — A Pinellas County nurse’s sense of compassion makes her great at her job at HCA Florida Northside Hospital.

    It’s also the reason the hospital recognized Karla Pedersen for her volunteer work away from the hospital.

    What You Need To Know

    • Karla Pedersen works weekend overnights at HCA Florida Northside hospital in Pinellas County

    • The hospital recognized her for donating the most volunteer hours to the community

    • Pedersen grooms and walks horses and other animals at the A.R.K. in Palm Harbor

    • The organization provides animal therapy to special needs children


    Pedersen works weekend overnights in the neuro ICU at the hospital. She mostly cares for stroke and brain injury patients.

    “We get them where they are at the worst moment of their lives,” she said. “I’ve had bad moments in my life and I’m able to give back some of the compassion that’s been given to me.”

    The hospital recently recognized Pedersen for her volunteer work. She had donated the most hours to the community of any staff member.

    Pedersen volunteers a couple of mornings a week at the A.R.K-Animals Reaching Kids outreach at Live Oaks Bible Church in Palm Harbor. The organization has horses, donkeys, miniature horses and even a cow. They provide animal therapy for special needs children.

    She spends most of her time grooming animals, like a horse named Gabel.

    “We groom all the large animals the same way,” she said. “It keeps them healthy. It keeps them clean.” 

    The grooming also keeps them calm.

    “Some of these special needs kids, when they see a large animal, it makes them nervous, so we need to teach these guys to be calm.”

    Pederson usually comes to A.R.K. early in the morning after she has worked all night at the hospital. It’s a great stress reliever.

    “But then I come here on Monday mornings and it’s my decompress time,” said Pederson, who added that her decompression time includes taking the horses for a walk along a wooded trail.

    She started volunteering at A.R.K. as a project for her homeschooled teenage son.

    “It’s something that I do with my teenager. It gives us common ground. It gives us a place to do something that gives us something that we both enjoy.”

    [ad_2]

    Rick Elmhorst

    Source link

  • Performing arts teacher donates kidney to assistant principal

    [ad_1]

    FUQUAY-VARINA, N.C. — A Wake County assistant principal now has a new kidney, all thanks to one of the teachers at his school.

    What You Need To Know

    • Assistant Principal Ernest Devane has suffered from kidney disease for a couple of years and was in need of a kidney transplant

    • Kristin Lundberg, a teacher at the same school, matched with Devane and was able to be a donor

    • The surgery was a success, and both are now recovering


    Ernest Devane, the assistant principal at Fuquay-Varina Middle School, received a kidney last month from Kristin Lundberg, the school’s performing arts teacher.

    Devane has suffered from kidney disease for the last couple of years and was looking for a donor.

    Lundberg decided to test to see if she was a match and, luckily, she was. 

    “I was blessed to have a person with a kidney match, my kidney, a direct match, right down the hall from me,” Devane said. 

    “It’s all just kind of meant to be,” said Lundberg, who also shares a birthday with Devane. 

    The successful surgery took place at the end of September. They are both recovering well. 

    [ad_2]

    Amy Elliott

    Source link

  • Julie Taylor loves to serve others in her hometown of Mulberry

    [ad_1]

    MULBERRY, Fla. — A Mulberry woman has become a beloved figure in her city. Julie Taylor is involved in many good causes in Mulberry.

    On a recent evening, Taylor was at the Studio 37 community center in Mulberry, making sure the volunteers at the Save Our Youth program had everything set up for the children who were coming for the after-school program also known as SOY.

    “What about the sign-in sheets? Are all of those checked?” said Taylor to the volunteers. The snacks for the children included juice packs, and chips were ready too.

    “So, we are just getting set up so when they come in they can just sit out here. So, when the bell rings they won’t have to worry about it. Just go right on in,” she said. The children got their snacks outside while they sat on chairs under the former bank building’s drive-through area.

    Taylor started the SOY program years ago so children could get some extra academic help and wholesome activities.

    “We want our young people to be good citizens. We also want our young people to be educated,” said Taylor. “That’s one of the main goals, that they get a good quality education. If you have a good education, there is nothing that can stop you from doing what you want to do.”

    Taylor said she has many faithful volunteers for the program. “We could not have a good SOY program without the children and the parents. They want to learn, and that’s the main thing.”

    Taylor is also known for giving monthly community updates to city commissioners at their meeting.

    “Well, Ms. Taylor is our ace in the hole,” said Commissioner Neil Devine. “She’s very politically active, and she really doesn’t know it. Ms. Taylor is known everywhere in the city of Mulberry.”

    Taylor is also president of the Concerned Citizens of Mulberry organization. It helps run community cultural events and big back to school events to provide children with school supplies.

    Taylor loves her city. “Everybody knows everybody,” she said. “I went to school here. Go to church here. We go to Walmart together. Everybody knows everybody. It’s a small town, but it does great things. And the people here love each other.”

    [ad_2]

    Rick Elmhorst

    Source link

  • Triad dental hygienist finds passion volunteering overseas

    [ad_1]

    GREENSBORO, N.C. – Sarah Cline has combined her dentistry skills with her passion for volunteering to help people in need as far away as Africa.

    What You Need To Know

    • Sarah Cline has volunteered her dentistry skills to help those in Mississippi, Africa and the Triad 

    • Cline went to Togo in West Africa and did a week’s worth of volunteer work 

    • She cared for some patients who had never seen a dentist

    • The experience has changed her life in wanting to help those who are in need


    A dental hygienist, Cline helped out recently at the Servant Center, a nonprofit in Greensboro that was holding its Triad Stand Down event. It’s a way for veterans in the community to get free haircuts and dental, vision and hearing checkups.

    Her volunteering spirit began with a trip overseas.

    “I went to Togo in West Africa, which is a small little skinny country beside Ghana. And we did a week’s worth of like dental mission work. So we went out to multiple like feeding centers, schools,” Cline said.

    For a week she treated hundreds of people, children and adults, who had never seen a dentist.

    “You think you’re going over there to help, but they’re actually helping you in a different place in life,” Cline said.

    She said the experience changed her, inspiring her to go back a second time.

    “You see like how they’ve grown and everything. And it’s just a huge change. Like the first year you see them. They’ve never had a toothbrush or toothpaste. I mean they use like branches off a tree there,” Cline said.

    That experience inspired her to bring that same service back home.

    “Both my parents are veterans, so it resonates with me. They served our country, so many times so I think they should have access to those things,” Cline said.

    A Mississippi native, Cline helped at free clinics in her home state and now in Africa and the Triad, making sure no one is left behind.

    “Back in Mississippi, we had a free clinic in Jackson. So, on Saturdays I was on the board. So, I would go just about two Saturdays a month, and we would clean and take care of people who were homeless or fresh out of prison,” she said.

    Cline said her goal is the same wherever she’s helping out – to give people a reason to smile.

    “I love being able to help people that are in need of it because it’s really important,” Cline said. “Everyone needs it. So everyone deserves a chance to get things looked at and checked.”

    [ad_2]

    Ashley Van Havere

    Source link

  • ‘Living with a purpose’: Ohioan starts nonprofit to help prevent youth violence

    [ad_1]

    COLUMBUS, Ohio — To help combat a rise in youth violence, one former gang member is using his experience to help steer some of the community’s most vulnerable toward a safer path.

    What You Need To Know

    • The nonprofit Ours Brothers Keepers provides support and resources to at-risk youth in Columbus to help prevent violence

    • The organization was founded by a former member of the Short North Posse gang after his release from prison as a way to give back and steer some of the community’s most vulnerable down a safer path

    • The nonprofit provides participants between the ages of 7 and 24 a variety of services like food, shelter, mentoring and an opportunity to learn life skills

    “This is a dream come true,” said Wesley Moore. “It’s like getting the lottery.”

    Wesley said he founded the nonprofit Ours Brothers Keepers to provide support and resources he never had while growing up.

    “I know how it feels to be at risk,” he said. “I know how it feels to not have a home, not have a kitchen table. So this is something that I try to provide for every youth who is going through the same similar story.”

    Wesley said that he and his brother Markey were raised surrounded by drugs and violence in Columbus.

    “You didn’t think nothing over it,” he said. “You didn’t think nothing was wrong with it. You know, most people, when we came out the house hungry and stuff, it was, ‘Here get some drugs.’”

    As he got older, Wesley joined the local gang.

    “So you start growing up, you see people,” he said. “That’s what you think; that’s what you’re supposed to do.”

    At age 18, a federal grand jury indicted Wesley and more than 40 other original members of the Short North Posse.

    He served 15 years in prison.

    “I pointed the fingers at everybody, like man, I can’t believe they got me put in jail,” Wesley said. “And so, like, after five years, I was like, I realized I put myself in here. I start realizing I made the choice. I made the decision.”

    He said he used the time while incarcerated to educate himself and said the experience gave him the vision for the nonprofit.

    “I don’t run from my past,” Wesley said. “It’s what God put me through. Had me walk this way to understand who I am today. So I’m thankful for it.”

    He said he drove trucks for 10 years after his release to earn the money to buy the East Columbus properties where his vision would turn into reality.

    “A lot of these kids are so in survival mode to where we break them in to show love or support,” Wesley said.

    Ours Brothers Keepers officially became a nonprofit organization five years ago to provide services missing in the community. He said they have received some financial support from the Columbus Mayor’s Office and the Franklin County Office on Aging, but most of what they provide is paid from their own pockets, earned through a construction company the brothers also operate.  

    “We don’t know nothing too much about grants and stuff,” Wesley said.

    Instead, he said they stretch a shoestring budget to provide for those between the ages of seven and 24 who show up daily, referred to the program through court systems, parents, social media and word of mouth.

    “My grandmother used to make a big, giant pot of spaghetti and feed 100 people, so I know we can make whatever little bit of money we had to make sure 65 youth stay safe and violence free,” he said.

    Besides mentoring kids and teens, the nonprofit provides several support services, such as food, clothes, skills training, temporary and transitional housing, and a community engagement center with a computer lab.

    At 15-years-old, David Price Jr. is one teen helping build some of the transitional housing through his participation in the program.

    “Teach us how to, like, save our money, teach us how to trade, put up drywall and keeping us safe,” he said.

    They are also learning how to earn an income. The kids are paid $15 an hour for their work helping bring Markey’s plans to life.

    “I always said, once I get older, I want to own homes and get in construction, so I’d never be homeless,” Markey said.

    The young adults are also paid for their work helping seniors in the community with their lawn care. The maintenance is free for the seniors and a way to provide the kids a sense of purpose.

    The young adults are also paid for their work helping seniors in the community with their lawn care. (Spectrum News 1/Jenna Jordan)

    “Put the guns down, pick up a check,” Wesley said. “Now the kids are like, ‘I don’t want no guns, I’m trying to get some money.’”

    Wesley said participants may not have weapons, which is one way the nonprofit is having a positive impact on community violence.

    “The violence will really go down and stay down, because the kids know they got an opportunity to make some money to be able to feed their family,” Wesley said. “A lot of that $300 go a long way at their house.”

    He said some of the most violent youth in the city are involved with Ours Brothers Keepers, including members of the Kia Boys, teaching them to own up to their bad choices and take responsibility.

    “I can honestly say, they ain’t stolen a car in two years,” Wesley said. “And the cars that were stolen that they did, I made sure they paid back the victims.”

    Wesley said his goal is to provide 100 kids, like Semaj Burgess, a place to go and something to do year-round.

    “Taught me just how to be a better person, how to better myself,” Burgess said while pushing a lawnmower.

    This is the 14-year-old’s second year in the program, and he is proud of his growth, learning the importance of brotherhood and community.

    “During school, like, I’m not gonna lie, I was getting into a lot of trouble,” Burgess said. “Just not knowing how to communicate with people. Or how to like treat people.”

    He said his parents’ love that he is getting something out of the experience and being productive.

    “They’re telling me how much I been changing since I been coming here, at least,” Burgess said. “Hearing that coming from my parents, it just means something more.”

    He now has a new focus on the future and the path to get there.

    “I have a purpose in life that’s way bigger than just fighting,” he said.

    Wesley hopes to continue living his dream by having a positive impact and making the community safer for everyone.

    “And I think that’s very important cause that’s our motto: living with a purpose,” he said.

    [ad_2]

    Jenna Jordan

    Source link

  • Triad man raises money, awareness about heart disease

    [ad_1]

    GREENSBORO, N.C. — People gathered this weekend to raise awareness and money to fight cardiovascular disease, which the America Heart Association says is the leading cause of death in the United States.

    The Triad Heart Walk was held at Triad Park in Kernersville on Saturday. It’s one of six Heart Walks held across the state each year.

    Greg Stump served as the chairperson of this year’s walk and said his community connections helped to recruit companies and organizations to take part in the walk and raise money.

    Stump is a vice president with the Budd Group, a facilities services company. His company is a sponsor, and employees take part in the walk.

    “I cannot count the number of times that we’ve had employees that have had to be taken into care because of high blood pressure or what became later learned is a heart attack. And, it’s a need for our employees to be able to know where they can get health care and how having health care can prevent the heart diseases that the American Heart Association is focused on working with,” he said.  

    It’s not just a professional endeavor for Stump. It’s personal.

    His mother suffered a stroke in 2009.

    “The prognosis was not good,” Stump said.

    She spent eight weeks in a hospital, but Stump said his dad got her the care she needed. 

    “After about three and a half months or so, she walked out of the rehab center and returned home and of course, she is still with us today,” he said. Stump said she has even written a book about her experience with having a stroke.

    “The research and work that’s done by the Heart Association was a part of her recovery and understanding how to prevent this from happening again,” he said.

    Stump said his family started participating in Heart Walks about 15 years ago. The importance of heart health hit the family again, however, when two of his wife’s cousins died in recent years in their early 60s.

    “It was really a wake-up call for us to think about how, you know, we can do all the right things, but we just don’t know if we haven’t gone and sought the right medical care,” Stump said. 

    Now, he’s trying to do all he can to educate and protect his team and others.

    “One thing that we want to do is not only be working to provide healthy lifestyles for our employees but also bring people together as a community.

    Stump said people who signed up for the Heart Walk had access to a video teaching CPR skills. That training and education is a big part of the American Heart Association’s efforts.

    The organization says CPR can double or triple the chances of survival. 

    Stump has also been involved in a campaign called “Doctor, it’s been too long.”

    The message is simple: if you feel bad, you need to go to the doctor. If not, you don’t know what you’re dealing with.

    [ad_2]

    Justin Quesinberry

    Source link

  • 13-year-old Chloe Walker has a passion for volunteer work

    [ad_1]

    POLK COUNTY, Fla. — A Polk County middle school student is serving her community in more than one way. Thirteen-year-old Chloe Walker volunteers at an organization making sure school children don’t go hungry. She is also helping children of all abilities get a chance to learn how to dance.

    What You Need To Know

    • Chloe Walker has trained and performed as a dancer for years

    • Walker likes to volunteer at Dancing for a Difference in Brandon with special needs students

    • She also volunteers with the kidsPACK organization in Polk County

    • Walker attends Stambaugh Middle School in Auburndale


    On a recent evening, Walker was at the Dancing for a Difference studio in Brandon. She was helping founder and director Sara Battaglia with a group of special needs children. Walker has spent years in dancing classes and performing dance.

    “I like dancing because I feel like I can express myself whether I am speaking of just doing it through movements. It’s really helped me grow into the person I am today,” she said.

    Walker has a great time volunteering with the special needs students.

    “I like working with kids with special abilities, so they know they aren’t left out and they are no different from any other kid,” she said.

    Chloe and her mother, Holly Walker, started something called Chloe’s Creative Movers Fund. It provides a dance scholarship for a child who can’t afford classes.

    “The person we sponsor is anonymous, so I don’t know who it is,” said Walker. “But it is so good to know I am making a change and an impact in my community.”

    Chloe Walker has also been a volunteer for several years with kidsPACK in Polk County. It provides take-home meals to thousands of low-income children. This year she got people to donate nearly 900 Pop-Tarts to kidsPACK.

    “I see of lot of myself in Chloe,” said Battaglia. “She has a lot of the same heart and mission that I had at her age. I always wanted to give back.”

    Walker attends Stambaugh Middle School in Auburndale. She was recently crowned National United Junior Miss 2025-26.

    [ad_2]

    Rick Elmhorst

    Source link

  • Denver7 Everyday Hero provides thousands of tennis racquets to Colorado kids

    [ad_1]

    DENVER – When you give a kid a racquet, you give them more than a chance to hit a ball – you give them a shot at belonging. For more than 17 years, Tom Talmadge has been making sure cost isn’t a barrier to that opportunity.

    Talmadge co-founded Racquets for All in 2008 with the help of the Colorado Youth Tennis Foundation. What began as a way for tennis players to put their old racquets to good use has grown into a statewide effort that has collected and redistributed more than 12,500 racquets and nearly 100,000 tennis balls to kids and schools across Colorado.

    Jordan Ward

    “We gather racquets and clothes from other tennis players that don’t want them anymore, and then I restring them or rewrap the grips and bring them out here for kids who can’t afford them,” Talmadge said.

    Unlike large nonprofits with paid staff and overhead, Racquets for All is entirely volunteer-driven. Storage space has never been an issue, thanks to Talmadge’s generosity. His basement has doubled as the sorting hub for donated gear since day one, saving the program thousands of dollars.

    “When we first started, we were trying to figure out what to do in terms of storage of racquets,” said Rachel Morley with Racquets for All. “Tom offered up his basement. And his basement has been our storage facility since the start.”

    Kristy Harris with USTA Colorado said the program answers a question she hears often from former players: “Who could I give my used racquets to? They’re still in really good shape. I’d love to make sure they go to someone who could really use it.”

    For families, the cost of tennis gear is often the biggest obstacle to getting kids involved.

    raquets 3.png

    Jordan Ward

    “One of the biggest barriers in sports is access to equipment,” said Anne Ginnold, a guest teacher at the Steven Nash Tennis Academy. “If you go to a club, it’s expensive. And a lot of kids and families can’t afford it.”

    That’s where Talmadge steps in. Not only does he restring, regrip, and prepare racquets himself, but he also delivers them, sometimes driving two hours each way to hand-deliver gear to schools in places like Pueblo and Fort Morgan.

    To date, thousands of kids have picked up a racquet through the program, some going on to play in high school, college, and beyond. “It’s amazing to hear the stories of kids who pick up a racquet through Racquets for All and make it a sport that they choose to play in high school, college, and beyond,” Morley said.

    For many in Colorado’s tennis community, Talmadge’s impact goes far beyond the game. “It matters and he sees how it matters, way beyond tennis,” Harris said. “Racquets for All absolutely would not be the program it is today without Tom.”

    Denver7 features a different Everyday Hero each week. To nominate a hero in your life, click here.

    [ad_2]

    Richard Butler

    Source link

  • ‘It calms me down’: Dog therapy helps those with memory loss diseases

    [ad_1]

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A North Carolina woman and dog lover discovered how helpful therapy pets can be for those suffering from memory loss completely by accident. 

    Joan Wright first found this form of therapy when it helped her father. She said he had a larger-than-life personality until showing signs of dementia. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Dog therapy is shown to improve mood and facilitate social interaction among dementia patients, according to Alzheimer’s Association

    • The CEO of N.C. memory loss center says pet therapy provides connection and engagement that helps patients’ quality of life

    • Dogs used in dog therapy go through intensive behavioral training to prepare them to respond safely in unfamiliar settings like a medical office

    • You can coordinate a dog therapy visit by visiting this website 


    “One day I noticed that when he was with his Cavalier King Charles [Spaniel] dog on his lap, he was a lot calmer and that calmed me down. And I would sit down, and we would have dog talk because that’s what he would be able to talk about,” Wright said.

    She takes her two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Oliver and Brodie, into Memory & Movement Charlotte for a special visit. Staff members rush to greet these furry friends.

    “One doesn’t want the other to get any more attention,” Wright said.

    These playful pups are here specifically for people like Laurie Purvis. She was just diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease this year.

    “Finding out I had Alzheimer’s just like absolutely blew my mind. I was so upset,” Purvis said. But she says interacting with a dog helps her to relax.

    “It calms me down to sit there and pet the dog,” Purvis said.

    It’s something her sister and now caregiver, Kathleen Purvis, says helps her too.

    “My dog, you know, curls in and makes me feel better when I’m scared to death about all of this,” she said.

    People with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are known to lose their memories and have trouble communicating. But dog therapy is showing promise in making them feel calm and connected. Those stories are why Wright does this work.

    The CEO of Memory & Movement Charlotte, Janet LeClair, said this kind of connection is more important than you’d think.

    “Even with pet therapy, there is a strong element of socialization. And so feeling that connection to people, to engagement is probably the most important thing for people and for their quality of life,” LeClair said.

    “It’s not about sort of curing the disease. It’s about creating moments of joy when they’re around a dog,” Wright said.

    Wright said Oliver and Brodie are professionals. They go through intensive behavioral training to prepare them to respond safely in unfamiliar settings, like a medical office. She said if you or someone who know wants to have a dog therapy visit, you can click here.

    [ad_2]

    Spectrum News Staff

    Source link

  • Foster parents Aaron and Jolene Slavik adopt five children

    [ad_1]

    PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — A Pasco County couple has adopted five children over the past three years. Jolene and Aaron Slavik adopted the children after taking in dozens of foster children. 

    The first child the couple adopted was a boy who they had taken in as a foster child.

    The adoption was finalized in 2022. That boy is now 14-years-old. Then, they adopted three young siblings in 2023. Finally, they adopted a little girl in 2024.

    “Then I said there is no more room in the inn, and we are done,” Aaron said with a smile and a laugh.

    What You Need To Know

    • Aaron and Jolene Slavik have been foster parents to dozens of children

    • Their two biological children encouraged the foster home idea

    • The couple decided to start adopting foster children several years ago

    • The Slaviks stay very busy caring for the special needs of their five adopted children


    The couple has a very busy schedule keeping up with the special needs of the children. The children have various physical and other issues that require trips to specialists. Aaron says he keeps up with all the appointments by using an online calendar.

    “I haven’t been bored in seven years. I don’t remember what that’s like anymore,” said Aaron.

    The Slaviks try to keep a very structured environment in their home. That includes special exercises for the children.

    “We do occupational therapy with our children to help regulate their system,” said Jolene. “We have learned through our OT (occupational therapist) to do different exercises that get all their large motor skills going to regulate their systems. Because if the children are dysregulated when they go to school today their brain is not going to be set to learn,” she said.

    The Slaviks have pictures of many of their former foster children on a wall along the stairs leading to the second floor. One of the reasons they chose to adopt was because of the heartbreak of the foster children leaving their home.

    “All of our foster kids we considered ours as well, said Aaron. “And we loved them like they were ours. We never went on a vacation without them.”

    Jolene said it was a special moment when adoptions were finalized. “Once you are told they are yours it’s like your heart just explodes.”

    The couple’s two biological children were 11 and 14-years-old when they started fostering children. They encouraged their parents to take in foster children and then to adopt.

    “And because they came to us and asked us, it became a family ministry for us,” said Jolene. The biological children are now adults. “Our daughter does their hair, and our son comes and brings them to the park or brings them to Disney.”

    “We have looked at this like it was a higher calling for us,” said Aaron. “It was something I never planned on. I planned on two kids and being done. But it’s kind of that old phrase,” he said. “Man makes plans and God laughs.”

    [ad_2]

    Rick Elmhorst

    Source link

  • Denver7 Everyday Hero carries on a family legacy of volunteering at Rose Medical Center

    [ad_1]

    DENVER — At HCA HealthOne Rose Medical Center, volunteers are often the first faces patients see when they walk in the door. Their work goes beyond directions and paperwork – they bring calm, comfort, and compassion to people navigating some of life’s most vulnerable moments.

    Few embody that spirit better than Joann Dawe, a volunteer at Rose for nearly 25 years – and the third generation in her family to serve the hospital.

    “Rose truly is a special place,” said Casey Guber, president and CEO of Rose Medical Center. “Volunteering and giving back to the community is core to who we are.”

    Joann Dawe

    Dawe’s connection to Rose began at birth. She is one of the hospital’s earliest “Rose Babies,” born there in 1950. Her mother, Naomi, and grandmother, Nellie, were both longtime volunteers. Dawe’s daughter and three grandchildren were also born at Rose, continuing a family tradition.

    That history became deeply personal for Dawe in 2001, when her mother passed away. “I started volunteering here in 2001 after my mother passed away,” Dawe said. “My mom was taking care of the books, and the volunteer coordinator didn’t know anybody else who could do that, so I would come in once a month, even while I was working full time.”

    What began as stepping in to help became a lifelong calling. Today, Dawe divides her time between the hospital’s main information desk and the human resources department. At the desk, she greets and directs patients and families, often walking them personally to appointments. In HR, she organizes files, prepares orientation packets, and assists with flu clinics and special projects.

    “She’s my go-to volunteer,” said Megan Brotherson, volunteer coordinator and director of rehab services. “She works both at the front desk and in human resources, and she trains our new volunteers. She’s extremely patient, always smiling, and even when five people are waiting at once, she stays calm and makes sure everyone feels cared for.”

    dawe 2.png

    Richard Butler

    Colleagues say Dawe’s impact is immeasurable – freeing up staff to focus on patient care while ensuring visitors never feel lost or alone. She also takes on small but meaningful tasks, like delivering menorahs to every department during Hanukkah, helping Rose celebrate its community roots.

    “Joann’s wonderful,” Guber said. “She’s an integral part of our team. Seeing her give back in the ways she does really just comes full circle.”

    For Dawe, the motivation is simple – giving back to the community where she was born and raised.

    “It’s just something that I do because it makes me feel good, and I know that it’s helping the hospital,” she said. “If you’re looking for a way to help others, volunteering is one of the best things you can do.”

    Denver7 features a different Everyday Hero each week. To nominate a hero in your life, click here.

    [ad_2]

    Richard Butler

    Source link

  • Horace West leads Haines City youth football programs for decades

    [ad_1]

    HAINES CITY, Fla. — Youth league football is a big deal in the Polk County community of Haines City.

    There is one name that is synonymous with that. It is Horace West. The former mayor of Haines City has dedicated decades to making sure young athletes get a chance to play the sport they love.

    West is now affiliated with the Haines City Vipers, a youth football program he started. West got his start in local youth football by starting the Haines City Rattlers in 1991.

    Over the years, he has started about 20 other football programs in other local communities. He also started a youth football conference with dozens of teams.

    These days, West is more of an advisor rather than a coach.

    “I’m old enough to be everybody’s dad or grandfather, so I just give them advice,” said West.

    West has helped to mentor several players who ended up playing in the NFL. That includes Los Angeles Chargers’ safety Derwin James. For West, the goal of football is bigger than just athletics.

    “Because we are trying to teach young boys how to be young men. So that’s the key,” he said.

    West’s coaches put their players through tough practices and hope for success in games. But respect is more important.

    “The coaches talk to them like drill sergeants, but they understand they can’t use profanity, touch them in any harsh way or anything like that,” West said.

    West said he wants to make sure that the football program has longevity. So, he is always looking for new community members to get involved.

    “My philosophy is that you have to recreate yourself. You have to reinvent yourself every so many years,” he said. “Because if you don’t, the program dies with the people who ran it.”

    [ad_2]

    Rick Elmhorst

    Source link

  • Sean Sweat runs Lake Hollingsworth with flags to honor veterans

    [ad_1]

    LAKELAND, Fla. — A Lakeland man is a beloved familiar sight around Lake Hollingsworth. Sean Sweat stands out for a patriotic reason.

    What You Need To Know

    • Sean Sweat is a firefighter and Army veteran

    • He has been running around Lake Hollingsworth in Lakeland with a flag for 15 years to honor veterans

    • Sweat starting running with the flag to honor his old platoon leader who was killed by an IED in Afghanistan

    • Would you like to nominate an Everyday Hero? Click here.


    For the past 15 years, Sweat has been running around the lake with a big American flag. Sometimes he also runs with the flags for the various branches of the military. He does it to honor veterans.

    Sweat said he starting his flag runs around Lake Hollingsworth to honor his old platoon leader, Capt. Josh Byers, who was killed by an (improvised explosive device) IED in Afghanistan.

    “The freedoms we have in this country, people take for granted. They don’t realize the price that is paid,” he said.

    Sweat will be making his way around Lake Hollingsworth on Memorial Day. But he will have to walk instead of run because he is recovering from hip replacement surgery.

    He is determined to keep up his tradition despite the temporary physical setback.

    “It goes back to my time in the service. Especially with my old platoon sergeant,” he said. “He would always tell us, ‘You know, if you can still feel pain, you can still move. Which means you can still finish the mission.’”

    Sweat says he mostly gets very positive responses to the flags as he runs.

    “I’ve had some people hanging out of the windows screaming. Some of the college students and I actually have some of the locals. I’ve had people hang out of their cars waving at me,” he said.

    Sometimes folks walking around the lake strike up a conversation with Sweat. That’s what Shanti Waite did. She is especially enthusiastic about honoring veterans because she has three female cousins serving in the military.

    “Anytime I see anyone willing to serve the country, show that dedication and patriotism and acknowledge. It is always something that I honor and respect,” she said.

    Sweat has also developed friendships with people who admire what he does. That includes retired Navy Cmdr. Charles Waldron, who would salute Sweat from his house across the street from the lake as Sweat ran by.

    [ad_2]

    Rick Elmhorst

    Source link

  • Charlotte doula supports moms in the community

    [ad_1]

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kajarra Caldwell is picking up food, books and other necessities at a pantry at the Ada Jenkins Center in Davidson, North Carolina for a pregnant client. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Research shows moms-to-be have better birth outcomes when they have doulas
    • A professional doula provides support before, during and after birth

    • Kajarra Caldwell is a doula and a senior perinatal community health partner for CityBlock Health

    • She goes above and beyond to help low income women as they navigate motherhood


    “Before I come to pantries, I always ask members a little more about themselves. I like to surprise them with the simple things such as books. She loves books, so she’s going to be amazed when she sees the books,” Caldwell said.  

    Caldwell works as a doula and Senior Perinatal Community Health Partner for CityBlock Health. She says this role aligns with her passion. “Just wanting to help people. I’ve been helping people since I was a youngster,” Caldwell said. 

    She helps pregnant women in several ways, both virtually or in person, before, during and after birth to meet the needs of women. This includes attending appointments, educating them about the birthing process, lactation and postpartum depression, and helping with their nutrition. 

    “It’s important that moms are eating nutritionally during their pregnancy. Sometimes members are high risk, so they can’t work, so it puts pressure on the families that we serve because we cater to low-income families, and this is just a blessing to them,” Caldwell said. 

    She says low-income mothers are a group that needs more support from everyone.  

    “I think that we need to start paying attention to our mothers or our pregnant individuals or women that just had a baby and ask them, ‘What do you need? How can I better assist you?’” Caldwell said. 

    The client she’s picking up and dropping off food for today doesn’t have transportation. Caldwell assists in any area necessary because addressing their most basic needs is important.  

    “The first time I went to her, she literally had nothing,” Caldwell said. “They deserve to be able to eat what they like and what they want.”  

    After spending a decade working in mental health, she felt called to this work because she saw the impacts of when a pregnant woman wasn’t able to feed her baby and ran out of formula. 

    “She called a system that she thought she could call when she needed help for the formula and the system came and they took her baby,” Caldwell said. “It made me think, what could I have done in that situation to help the member?”

    So she made a promise to never see that happen again and fulfills that goal in her role. 

    [ad_2]

    Melody Greene

    Source link

  • Manatee sheriff’s victim advocate helps family impacted by a murder

    [ad_1]

    TAMPA, Fla. — A Manatee County Sheriff’s Office crime victim advocate has gone above and beyond to help a little girl whose mother was murdered. It’s a situation that touched Maria Mireles because she is a mother herself.

    What You Need To Know

    • Maria Mireles is a senior victim advocate for the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office

    • Mireles took a special interest in little Kayla after Kayla’s mother was murdered

    • She has helped to arrange for school supplies and transportation, among other things

    • Would you like to suggest an Everyday Hero? Click here


    Senior victim advocate Mireles responded to the murder scene in June 2020. Delmy Teyul-Ba’s estranged boyfriend had killed her. And Mireles saw a deputy carry Teyul-Ba’s infant daughter, Kayla, from the home covered in blood.

    “Well, it broke my heart,” said Mireles.

    Mireles had her own daughter that was almost exactly Kayla’s age at the time. So, her mother instinct kicked in. “Oh yeah, immediately. Immediately that kicks in as you want to get her and help her and see what she needs,” she said.

    She decided to be a part of Kayla’s life after that. Kayla’s grandmother moved from Guatemala to help raise Kayla. Mireles helped with school supplies and helped with making sure Kayla had transportation to school. She was also a part of birthday parties for Kayla.

    Mireles and the grandmother have become friends. In fact, the grandmother is so grateful for all of Mireles’ help, she has feelings for her like a mother figure.

    Mireles says other victim advocates at the sheriff’s office think of themselves as aunts to Kayla. They sometimes develop a bond with the people they help.

    “You know, being in the field we are in, you can’t disconnect completely. You have to. You have to learn. You can’t just turn off your emotions,” she said.

    Because of her commitment to serving the residents of Manatee County, the sheriff’s office named Mireles its employee of the month in January.

    [ad_2]

    Rick Elmhorst

    Source link

  • Polk school crossing guard Patricia Johnson loves students, and they love her

    [ad_1]

    AUBURNDALE, Fla. — A Polk County woman has become a beloved figure for her work as a school crossing guard.

    Patricia Johnson spent decades as a hospice caregiver. After she retired, someone suggested she might like being a crossing guard, and she decided to go for it.

    What You Need To Know

    • Patricia Johnson worked as a hospice caregiver for decades. 

    • She decided to become a crossing guard after retiring about a year ago. She works near Caldwell Elementary School.

    • She brings donuts for the children every couple of weeks and tells them and passing drivers that she loves them.

    • Nominate an Everyday Hero | Viewers’ Choice Award


    “OK. And good morning to you sweetheart,” Johnson said to a driver as they were passing by her crosswalk at Diary Road and Senate Street near Caldwell Elementary School. Johnson makes sure that drivers know she is on duty and is glad they are driving slowly.

    Johnson goes above and beyond to be friendly to the drivers and to the children she is there to protect. She tells them that she loves them.

    One way she shows that love, is by bringing them donuts a couple of times a month.

    “One apiece. One apiece. Get the napkin,” she tells students as they make their way to the back of her SUV to get their treat. She hugs many of them as they come her way.

    Johnson sometimes brings pizzas for the children. She figures it’s her way of giving back.

    “We love her so much. We love you so much,” said Caldwell Elementary principal Kathryn Ashmore as Johnson gave her a hug as they stood on the sidewalk.

    “I love people. I can’t help that. God loves me. So why can’t I love people? Ain’t nothing wrong with that is there? Is it? I didn’t think so,” Johnson said about the loving way she treats the students and drivers.

    [ad_2]

    Rick Elmhorst

    Source link