Inspirational Stories of the Week!

Holler to everyone reading this (that'd probably be just you Brett)!

Everyone loves a little inspiration, right? I recently came across two heart hugging stories guaranteed to bring a smile to your day, and one a tear too (sorry, but it's an amazing story)! Ooooh ... I just now decided to add one more that I heard about in July -- consider it an extra ray of sunshine to your day...hah!

Runner Gets Homeless on Right Track -- CNN April 11, 2008
Great story about a marathoner who decided to stop running past the homeless people she saw on her everyday run, and start giving them something rewarding and healthy to look forward to -- RUNNING! :)
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/04/02/heroes.mahlum/

El Sistema: Changing Lives through Music -- 60 Minutes April 13, 2008
The Simon Bolivar National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela strives to save hundreds of thousands of childrens lives by training them in classical music. LA Phil's 2009 conductor, Gustavo Dudamel, is a graduate of this program...LA Phil Conductor and he's only 27! [Meanwhile, the US Government continues to cut funding for our schools' music programs ... go us!]
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/11/60minutes/main4009335.shtml

Navy Seal Paid Ultimate Price to Save His Buddies -- CNN April 9, 2008
Navy Seal Michael Monsoor was awarded the Medal of Honor by the White House last week. While serving in Iraq, a live grenade bounced off the chest of Monsoor -- he covered the grenade with his body and saved the lives of two of his colleagues.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/04/08/seal.medal/index.html
http://www.navy.mil/moh/Monsoor/ Navy's official site for Monsoor

The Olevalos Project
I heard about this project through Woo's Nike coworker Ashley. Her friends (still in college at University of Michigan) took a trip to Tanzania and were so touched and inspired by one woman's generosity toward orphaned children that they went home and raised enough money and garnered enough support to build a more functional home for the women and her children.
http://www.theolevolosproject.org/index.html