Good News Monday: Week Eight
Good News Monday is an online bulletin of Rotaract Club Madrid Capital whose purpose is sharing good news from Madrid and elsewhere in these challenging times. We have teamed up to share positivity all over our MDIO and beyond. Here are the highlights of the week between May 18 and 22.
Top three of the week
- Best grandpa ever delivers donuts by drone to grandkids in quarantine
By Good News Network
One-third of a mile down the road, in Saugus, Massachusetts, the family was experiencing “extreme cabin fever” until they received a telephone call with directions for everyone to go out on their deck.
The three boys, all under 5 years old, were very excited. The oldest, Oren, ran out and anxiously waited. In came a drone carrying a box of Munchkins’ Dunkin’ Donut holes, delivered right into Oren’s arms. The special delivery from ‘Papa Kevin’ thrilled the kids and brightened the spirits of the adults, who were happy for the diversion.
- “Bright” waves light up California beaches during confinement
Nature is capable of creating hypnotic spectacles, worthy of being observed at least once in life, such as waves that emit electric blue light when they hit the beach. In recent weeks, bioluminescent phytoplankton has provided a vibrant offshore spectacle amid confinement due to Covid-19. Although this phenomenon repeats every several years in this area,
its surfers and residents have never witnessed such intense light.
“I have been surfing for 20 years around here and have never seen anything like this,” said one veteran surfer.
The microorganisms responsible for this wonderful show are the dinoflagellates (Dinoflagellata), a phytoplankton that lights up after sudden movements of the water, such as waves breaking on the coast or any movement created by an animal, person or object. This is their way of protecting themselves by feeling attacked or in danger. This natural spectacle coincided with lifting restriction measures in the state of California.
- Honouring the heroes
Last week the annual Museum Week celebration took place, this year virtually. And it began by acknowledging our modern heroes. Doctors, cleaning workers, farmers, transporters. All of them, at the height of the great heroes of history.
Recognition and gratitude are little when we talk about those to whom we owe our life and well-being. Thank you.
Humans of New York
“I was just a neighborhood kid. There was no running water in our house. Nor electricity. In the evenings, when I came home from school, I’d sit out near the road. Across the street, there was a hotel where foreigners stayed. I’d watch them play Frisbee. I’d watch them buy African souvenirs from the street vendors. Occasionally one of them would come speak to me. I was an inquisitive child. I liked to ask questions. I think they found me entertaining. One evening an American girl came up to me and started asking me questions. Just small talk: ‘What’s your name?’, and things like that. But then she asked my birthday, and I told her: ‘November 19th.’ ‘No way.’ she replied. ‘That’s my birthday too!’ And after that we became friends. Her name was Talia. She’d come visit me every evening, and bring me chocolate chip cookies. She’d let me play her Game Boy. She’d ask about my family. She’d ask about school. I was the best student in my third grade class, so I’d show her my report cards, and she’d get so excited. She was the first person to take me to the beach. I’d never even seen the ocean before. We had so much fun together. But one evening she told me that she was going back to America. And I began to cry. She bought us matching necklaces from a street vendor, took one final picture, and promised that she’d write me letters. It was a promise that she kept. The first letter arrived a few weeks after she left. And there were many letters after that. She told her parents all about me. They invited me to America to stay with them for a month. They took me to baseball games, and amusement parks, and shopping trips. It was the best time of my life. When I returned to Ghana, they paid for all my school fees. They bought my books and clothes. They paid for my engineering degree. Now I have my own company. The Cassis family turned my life upside down. I was just some random kid they didn’t know, and they gave me a chance for my dreams to come true. I went back to visit them last year. But this time I didn’t need them to pay my way. I was giving a speech at MIT, because I’d been selected as one of their top innovators under the age of 35.”
#quarantinestories
Hero of the week
Name: Yash Shah
Club: Rotaract Club of Ahmedabad Emerald
Brief description
Yash and his mother, Rotarian Manisha Shah, personally rescued an orphan girl from a city away from Ahmedabad and brought her back home safely with all clearance. Due to the Covid-19 lockdown, had been stuck there with no financial means to return to Ahmedabad nor clearance to make the trip.
He and his mother found a way to be able to bring her back home safely and reunite her with her relatives.
What makes you happy?
Being part of this wonderful international organisation gives me an immense pleasure and pride to serve and help the community in whatever ways possible; be it from the smallest to a group effort of a larger contribution and impact. Seeing smiles on the faces of the needy with our smallest help makes me happiest.
What’s one of your hobbies?
Networking is one of my hobbies that consists of travelling and socialising. Due to that, I have made friends from various professional backgrounds internationally – in more than 23 countries.
A fun fact about you?
Due to the protocols connected with me being Zonal Representative, I might come off serious. However, those who know me personally can confirm I am the most fun-loving person who enjoys immense fellowship and a great bond with most of club, zone and district members.
If you could have a microphone that would reach everyone in the world, what what would your message be?
Life is not a race. Each individual has a different potential of self-development. Even in lockdown, people are pursuing productivity – for some it is a cherry on top, for others pressure. It is okay to relax, enjoy your hobbies, relive your memories, enhance family bonds and spend more time with friends and family – which we often lack time for in our busy lives. Life is to enjoy the present and pursue what you love; not do something people expect you to do.
Follow Yash, his club and district on Instagram: @yashshah_98; @rac_emerald; @rotaract_3054
