Cheery News for Hard Times

I am certainly no "Chicken Soup for the Soul" girl but like most folks I am always looking for some uplift in these dark times. (I know I am just the latest in a long line of humans to think that, existance has always been a bit of a challenge.) There was some uplift in the NYT today. In the National section there was a story about the Maine Troop Greeters. These folks work out of the Bangor International Airport which apparently is where all the troop planes stop because of its easternmost locale and really long runways. This group, organized in 1991, greets the troops on their way to war, trying to say thank you and make the layover pleasant with free food and prepaid cell phones so soldiers can call home one last time. I loved this story because it is an example of hands on volunteerism that makes a personal difference.

It reminded me of another story I read a few weeks back about a high school trumpet player who, when she found out that local troops receiving military funerals only had a recorded version of "Taps", taught herself the song and proceeded to volunteer to play live at every local funeral. At the time of the article she had played at over 50 within a 100 mile radius. I wished I had saved the article info so I could cite her specifically.

To these folks I say "good on ya" and "thanks".