Here are your Feel Good Friday Stories from Friday, December 16th — brought to you by Altoona First Savings Bank!
A Texas man whose dog ran away years ago has been reunited with her more than a thousand miles away. The last time Kerry Smith saw his dog Jazzy was just before she ran off during July 4th fireworks, 7 years ago. He recently got a call from Orange County, Florida Animal Services — saying they had rescued a dog that had been abandoned in a motel room. They scanned it for a microchip and were able to contact Smith. He flew to Orlando to pick Jazzy up. Smith saying: “My message to everybody is to chip your dog. I knew as soon as she went to a Vet that I would get the call that I would be waiting for for 7 years.”
A Minneapolis Automotive Mechanic School got into the giving spirit and gifted 12 single moms a new car filled with gifts. Each family was chosen through the Wheels for Women program at the Newgate School, an Automotive Mechanic School in Minneapolis. Local Dealerships donated the cars that are now giving these women a host of new opportunities. Tatyana Krebsbach of Stillwater, MN saying: “I’m going to get them into daycare. I’m going to get another job that probably pays better, and we’ll be able to succeed from here on out now. The only thing I needed really was a car.” Destiny Hill of St. Paul, MN saying: “I’m really happy. I’ve been kind of out of a car for a little over a year now. So it’s really exciting. This is going to be able to help me get my kids in some sports.” Tyla Pream, the Wheels for Women Coordinator adding: “To have them come here and see what they’re getting, see the car, see the gifts inside. There’s really no way to describe it, except it’s absolutely incredible.” The program “Wheels for Women” gives a car to a single mother every month and relies on donations.
More than 50 families got a holiday surprise this week thanks to a Chiefs Star and former Pittsburgh Steelers Player. Wide Receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and his foundation paid off almost $10,000 in layaways at Burlington Coat Factory. When he was growing up, JuJu says there were times when he didn’t get a gift — or he had to share one. Fast forward to now — JuJu wants to give back to families who might be struggling. JuJu saying: “I love it so much because being a part of the community is what it’s all about. These people are die hard fans. They support us every Sunday, every game we play in. It’s just nice that I have an opportunity to be a good role model to these kids and give back to the community.” This was the JuJu Foundation’s first event like this in Kansas City.