Since it’s the holidays, we’re going to take a break from our usual GAAP Flash format and change our focus. This GAAP Flash is going to bring you some good cheer by sharing inspiring stories from this past year. We want to bring a smile to your face and put some warmth in your heart!

Atlee football player with cerebral palsy gets a thrill – an 80-yard touchdown (October 28, 2017) – Erin Kolenich (@EricKolenichRTD)

We’ll begin with my favorite hometown story from 2017. From right here in the Richmond, Virginia area comes an inspiring story about the strength of a football player and the kindness of his peers. Cerebral palsy didn’t keep Sepp Shirey from making the play of a lifetime. The best part about this story is that it wasn’t just his own teammates cheering him on; the opposing team’s players were just as supportive!
“Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness.”- Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Military Couple Helps Care for Pets of Deployed Soldiers (And You Can Too) (November 15, 2017) – McKinley Corbley

If you’re a pet owner, you know how hard it can be to leave your pet when you go on vacation so just imagine what it must be like for those serving in the military. They have to leave their pets behind for months at a time! Some very thoughtful military members have come up with a solution – Capt. Alisa Sieber-Johnson and Lt. Shawn Johnson created an organization to find loving foster families for pets of military members, Dogs on Deployment. Consider volunteering to foster a pet – what a great way to thank the brave men and women who protect our country!

Coworkers chip in to surprise hardworking teen (November 14, 2017) – Jennifer Earl

A 19-year-old is working hard to make a good life for himself after putting his unstable home life in the past. Noah Robinson rode his bike 6 ½ miles to work every day and regardless of the weather, always arrived on time. His kindhearted coworkers thought so highly of Noah that they pooled their money together to buy him a car and even helped him get his driver’s license. Goodwill of this degree is what it’s all about, folks – we need more of this in the world!

Des Moines woman’s dying wish helps feed hundreds of people (November 13, 2017) – KCCI Des Moines

When Sandy McNamar discovered she was terminally ill, she thought of a very generous way to help her community. In lieu of flowers at her funeral, it was Sandy’s wish for everyone to donate food to her church’s food pantry. In a fitting tribute, the donations poured in and the church ended up with a whopping 2,000 lbs. of food! What a kind, altruistic soul Sandy was.

“That best portion of a man’s life, his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love.” – William Wordsworth

This Water Park for People with Disabilities Is the First of Its Kind (June 18, 2017) – Samantha Brodsky

What many of us take for granted might be a huge undertaking for someone with special needs. Water parks are a great way to spend a hot summer day but for some families, it’s a difficult experience because of accessibility issues. Morgan’s Inspiration Island is changing all of that! The first of its kind, the San Antonio, Texas water park provides activities for every ability level and is entirely wheelchair accessible. This opens up a whole new world for families who are excited for the opportunity to fully enjoy the water park experience!

“Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” – Scott Adams

This Traveling Cat Circus Has Helped Save More Than 200 Feline Lives(September 28, 2017) – Hilary Hanson

Even if you’re not a cat person, you’ll agree that Acro Cats is doing good work. They’ve helped save the lives of more than 200 kittens! Founder Samantha Martin adopted all of the cats who now perform in her show and has helped find homes for countless others. My family and I attended this show last year and I was shocked to see that cats really can be trained to do tricks (just not my cat, apparently…unless sleeping for 23 hours a day is considered a trick!) The Acro Cats perform many impressive feats and also roam around the audience, looking for a lap to sleep on or someone to give them a scratch on the chin. My children LOVED this show – we’ve never seen anything like it! And Samantha’s work to save shelter cats’ lives is admirable.

Cop donates kidney to child after seeing Facebook post(October 13, 2017) – Sonia Moghe

When 8-year-old Jackson Arneson needed a kidney transplant and no family members were a match, his mom, Kristi, didn’t give up hope - she posted a plea for help on Facebook. Even though she didn’t know Jackson or his family, Officer Lindsey Bittorf came to the rescue when she contacted Kristi to say that she’d been tested and was a match, and that as a mother herself, couldn’t imagine what Kristi must have been going through. As a police officer, Lindsey said, “I took an oath to serve and protect my community and now my kidney will serve and protect you”. What a hero!

“Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom.” – Theodore Isaac Rubin

When this groom got married, he also exchanged vows with the bride’s sister. Here’s why (October 19, 2017) – Elyse Samuels

Recognizing that family is everything, Will Seaton exchanged marriage vows with his bride, Ashley, and friendship vows with her sister, Hannah, who has Down Syndrome, promising to always look out for her. Will considers Hannah his best friend and wanted to make sure that although he was marrying her sister, Hannah would know that she is important to him as well. I imagine that knowing she can trust Will to take care of Hannah and include her in their lives showed Ashley that Will was definitely “the one”!

Woman goes viral for helping blind Cubs fan catch a cab (June 9, 2017) – Dan Gartland

In an example of a good person noticing someone in need and reflexively stepping up, when Casey Spelman saw a blind man trying to hail a cab after a Cubs game, she stopped to help. It’s a small act of kindness that actually means a great deal. The fact that Casey didn’t think much of what she did shows that she’s driven by selfless compassion, a very admirable quality.

We at GAAP Dynamics wish you peace and happiness during the holiday season and hope that 2018 is a wonderful new year!

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