achievement ambition appreciation believe believe in yourself caring character charity class and grace commitment common ground compassion confidence courage courtesy dedication determination devotion do your part drive encouragement excellence foresight forgiveness friendship generosity giving back gratitude hard work helping others honesty hope humility ingenuity inspiration integrity laughter leadership learning listening live life live your dreams love loyalty making a difference motivation opportunity optimism overcoming patience peace perseverance persistence Practice preparation purpose reaching out respect responsibility right choices rising above sacrifice sharing soul sportsmanship spread your wings stewardship strength teaching by example team work true beauty trust unity vision volunteering

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Your Inspirational Stories

Would you care for some help?

I'm still a teenager, and when a boy walked into the cafeteria for lunch time, I noticed he had a broken leg. This boy was kind of an outcast, and so most of the seats were filled. Then I noticed that they were all filled. I felt bad, so I offered my chair for him. When he sat down, he had his tray with him and ate his meal. When he had to dump his tray he dropped it and everyone started laughi... READ STORY
Value: CARING

From homeless to Graduate School, Average Student to Honors

My name is Loreen Theveny. In 1996 I became homeless for a brief time. I had been on disability insurance for two years and in the two months following my last check, I no longer had housing. I was admitted to a shelter, where I resided for two months. I was able to place my name on several federal subsidized housing lists as well as re-enroll in junior college. I am a first generation college ... READ STORY
Value: DETERMINATION

Back On The Water Again

At the age of nineteen, I went from hard of hearing to deaf in an instant. I was water skiing on my bare feet and caught a toe in the wake. I hit the water in a not-so-graceful cartwheel. When I climbed into the boat, I just figured that I had water in my ears and that my remaining hearing would come back. It didn't. As fate would have it, I attended a university that fall and was placed i... READ STORY
Value: LIVE LIFE

Mac's Plight

Mac’s Plight or Cowie Capers by Herb Hedeen An unbelievably true story The summers are hot in Grand Junction, Colorado. My friend, Howard McConnell, known to all his friends, as Mac, needed a haircut. He went to his favorite barber on Main Street. Now Mac was the kindest man you would ever meet. He was everyone’s friend. Mac would do anything for anyone without question. He didn’t have an... READ STORY
Value: HUMILITY

There is no easier, cheaper, or lazier way to fight poverty than BetterHumanRace.com.

"Poverty refers to the condition of not having the means to afford basic human needs such as clean water, nutrition, health care, clothing and shelter" - Wikipedia There is no easier, cheaper, or lazier way to fight poverty than BetterHumanRace.com. Here’s how: Social Media + Social Good = Stream of Social Consciousness BetterHumanRace.com uses web services you use every day, like Google... READ STORY
Value: CHARITY

Little Boy of Yesterday Makes Changes for A Better Community

Little boy of yesterday grew up to be a senior.Helping those needing food, clothing, hugs, smiles,and a word of encouragement. Puts on free events for the community. Provides food for those in a network that he serves. Took a homeless guy from sleeping under vacant houses in the cold & helped him to get into a homeless shelter were he is being trained to become a better person, to make a better... READ STORY
Value: COMPASSION

True Beauty at Gunderson.

Last Year at Gunderson's Senior/Junior Prom. We had our prom King and Queen be be these two Special Ed students. It was the best thing to see when they were nominated both jumped up and high fived everyone they could and they stood there on stage and everyone was cheering for them. Later on the next night at Prom was when they were announced Prom King and Queen! Unfortunately, I wasn't there to... READ STORY

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Value: TRUE BEAUTY

I BELIEVE IN YOU.

I am young and a writer. I have no money and no published books. I work nonstop, trying to get up the nerve to finish the story. I have great ideas and plot lines,but I could never get up the nerve to write a book through, only about a page or two. Then, I would tell myself that it was stupid and never would be good enough to publish. I trashed it all. I tried to motivate myself, telling myself... READ STORY
Value:

A Random Act of Kindness

My Wife and I recently travelled from Lasalle, Ontario, Canada to Harsen's Island, Michigan. We were travelling East on I-94 in the construction zone approaching 8 Mile Rd. The traffic was down to a crawl, when a blue Dodge pick up truck approached along side and an older gentleman driving asked us if we'd like to avoid the traffic and follow him to save time. I'm sure he had noticed our Ontar... READ STORY
Value: GENEROSITY

On Ambition

It is an odd thing, to think you might have peaked in your life; to contemplate however briefly, that the very best, most productive years might be behind you. Odder still, is the acknowledgement that you simply do not operate from the same appetites that once propelled you. It feels strange to discover that just as physical passion has observably waned, so too has desire to prove something a... READ STORY
Value: AMBITION

I Am My Father's Legacy

I am my father’s legacy. I shudder at the thought. Though all my life I’ve tried to do What my daddy said I ought. He set for me high standards And didn’t let me slack. Whenever I veered off the trail, My dad, he brought me back. Dad was ever constant with me– Even when he wasn’t there. His presence felt, the lessons learned, Foundation laid with care… Alone, amid decisions, My fat... READ STORY
Value: INTEGRITY

Trevor

There and back for cancer... an activist to encourage Canadians to support a cure for cancer.

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Value: APPRECIATION

A Canadian Hero

Submitted by the kids at Terry Fox Elementary

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Value: DRIVE

Poor Aim

I like to walk in the early morning with my dog. On this glorious Saturday morning I was enjoying the quiet morning and beautiful weather and loving life while my dog Jett and I made our rounds. At one home I passed, I noticed a newspaper that was lying near the curb instead of near the doorstep. Thinking I would make someone else's life a little easier I picked up the paper and gently t... READ STORY
Value: INTEGRITY

Altruistic Donation

I donated a kidney in July of 2002. My mother had passed away in 1999, and then the horror of 9/11 happened. I was grieving and felt so angry and helpless. I discovered that people can actually donate just for the act itself - an altruistic donation. I didn't know who the recipient was going to be, and still don't know. I get an update each summer from my coordinator and the recipient is doing ... READ STORY
Value: GENEROSITY

How much is enough?

I left corporate America a little before things fell apart. I felt I needed a break. To think. My kids were almost grown-up, adults. I'd been working for so long. I'd done well. I knew that I could use my time to really make a difference. I took a break. Right before things feel apart. I'd saved up some money, and when my dear grandmother departed at 102 years of age, she left each of us some ... READ STORY
Value: OPPORTUNITY

Every Dog Has It's Day

It was a Friday morning, and I was on my way to the local high school to go for a run. There was traffic that morning, which was strange for such a small town. I realized that cars had begun to slow down to stare at a dog that was sitting in the middle of the road. The cars never pulled over, or seemed to really care about the small animal. But I chose to pull over. The old, small dog came... READ STORY
Value: INTEGRITY

Mircle Worker

I was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in March of 2009. I had a 20-hour brain surgery to remove two brain tumors and lost my short term memory. I had to quit my job, and had no income coming in. I was so very scared about how I was going to support myself;I was worried that I would become homeless. At my treatment center, their social worker Sandy, got my SSD started and helped get me fina... READ STORY
Value: MAKING A DIFFERENCE

My Son's Spirit

We often do not realize how monumental the briefest moments in our children's lives truly are and how much they reveal about their true character. I am sharing this story in honor of my 7 year old son who is so often my guiding light. I received the following email message from the mother of a child at my son's elementary school. "Today, when my son and I went to pick up my daughter at school... READ STORY
Value: CARING

It Came Through His Throat

I know the 4th of July is well past. Over. Caput, as they say. Early on I'd wanted to write about maybe the parade, a barbecue, fireworks, face-painting possibly. While those are all fun topics, they left me wanting. Maybe it's my age. Or the era. Or, or, or. Something else kept coming up. Yes, the idea of freedom. Yes, that's it; freedom's value doesn't end on the 5th of July. It re... READ STORY
Value: OVERCOMING