When the summer heat gets high, nothing cools you off faster than a nice, tall glass of lemonade. Two elementary school girls from Washington capitalized on this fact, but they used their profit to benefit local first responders.
According to KREM-2 News, Ruby Schneider took the $387 donation to Spokane County Fire District 4 after school on Sept. 14. Schneider and an unnamed classmate, both of whom are natives of Colbert, Washington, spent most of the summer selling lemonade and saving the money they earned from the stand.
Schneider told the news source that she was saddened by the news of the firefighter deaths in the West Coast wildfires, and she wanted to give the money to help her local firefighters.
The Spokane County Fire District 4 plans to use the money to benefit the Volunteer Association of Firefighters, a local nonprofit that conducts community outreach events.
"This has happened before and with a lemonade stand, you have to sell a lot of lemonade to make that much money so we're pretty impressed with them," Spokane County Fire Public Information Officer Megan Hill told KREM-2 News.
Schneider said she has plans to reopen her stand next summer and would be glad to give the money to the firefighters again.
At 89 years old, most people spend their birthdays quietly, surrounded by family and friends. Al "Abby" Ramirez chose to do things a little differently. The former World War II Navy machine gunner and Korean War Army veteran took his 104th skydive from 13,000 feet in the air.
According to the Lompoc Record, Ramirez spent time as an airborne school instructor at Fort Campbell on the Tennessee-Kentucky border before he retired from military service. When Ramirez heard about the four Marines and the Navy sailor who were killed in the Chattanooga, Tennessee, shooting on July 16, he was devastated. He dedicated his birthday jump to the fallen heroes' memories and to the memory of Robin Ballachey, a former skydiving instructor with whom Ramirez was friends.
"Obviously, there was lots of sky diving during World War II, so it's kind of significant that he used his sky dive to jump out and dedicate it to Robin [Ballachey] and the four Marines that died in Tennessee, especially with him being 89," David Hughes, owner of Sky Dive Santa Barbara, told the Lompoc Record. "It's kind of cool what he did."
Ramirez said this latest jump would be his last, but close friends told the news source that he was known for changing his mind.
When the World Trade Center Towers were attacked on Sept. 11, 2001, many first responders rushed to help. Stephen Siller, a New York firefighter, was one of those first responders. Siller ran from the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to Ground Zero to offer his assistance. The residents of Ellensburg, Washington, honored Siller's commitment to service on Sept. 13 at the Tunnel to Tower 5K. KIMA-TV reported that the event was started by a local high school student who has since moved on to college.
The race's legacy endures, however, thanks to the commitment of volunteers. Dozens of locals and first responders participated in the event. The firefighters who took part in the race did so while wearing 45 pounds of fire gear and carrying American flags.
"It's extremely rewarding that the community has embraced [the race] and that the firefighters and first responders have as well," event organizer Elise Herman told KIMA-TV.
The first responders who participated told the news source that it was rewarding to have the opportunity to show gratitude for fellow first responders who laid their lives down in service to others.
The city plans to continue holding the race for as long as people are interested.
First responders have a reputation for being prepared to save lives at a moment's notice. Los Angeles rookie firefighter Cody Campbell proved this at his wedding on Sept. 10. Campbell was listening to his father, a retired fire captain, give a toast at the reception when he heard cries of distress from the back of the room. One of the wedding attendees had begun to choke on the food. Campbell told ABC News that he did not hesitate. He simply reverted to his training and rushed to the aid of the guest who was choking.
Campbell calmly performed the Heimlich maneuver while stunned guests looked on. After several repetitions, the piece of meat that was choking the victim was dislodged and the party resumed. Kelly Campbell, the first responder's new wife, was proud of her husband's quick reaction.
"Saving someone's life right in front of me on my wedding day … it's something we'll have forever," Kelly told KABC-TV.
Some guests believed the incident was an act meant as a joke because of Campbell's profession, but the newlyweds assured ABC News that it was no performance. Campbell's alertness and cool-headed approach really saved someone's life.
When California native John Kerr was 19 years old, he was drafted to serve his country in the Vietnam War. Like many of the veterans from that era, Kerr experienced symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and had difficulty reintegrating with civilian society. However, when Kerr was in Vietnam, he tried wine for the first time. While he was underage at the time, Kerr became a connoisseur of wine.
Upon his return to the U.S., Kerr pursued winemaking as a hobby to distract himself from the PTSD. The Lompoc Record reported that Kerr has worked as a winemaker for such wineries as Foley Estates Vineyard and Winery and Byron Winery in California. The Vietnam veteran decided to share his passion with other veterans. Kerr told the news source that veterans are often distrusting of civilians and other nonmilitary personnel, so he felt it was his duty as a veteran to help others like him.
That is why he created the John W. Kerr II Veteran's Scholarship for former servicemembers or their children who are interested in studying winemaking. Since its founding three years ago, the scholarship has given $3,000 to future winemakers. The scholarship is set up to continue even after Kerr passes away, but the veteran does not want any special recognition for his generosity.
"It's another way of giving back," he told The Lompoc Record.
Deployment is part of every servicemember's contract. It does not always mean that he or she will be placed in danger, but it does mean that the servicemember will be apart from his or her family for a time. Though deployment is undoubtedly a challenge, there are steps you can take to make the time easier for your family.
1. Communicate
This is the most effective way to make deployment less stressful for you and your family. They will likely want to know where you will be stationed, how they can communicate with you and how long you will be gone. Be sure to stay as informed as possible so you can share unclassified information with your loved ones. The more they know, the less they have to worry about.
2. Plan
Will you need to sell things before you leave? Should your family move to a smaller house while you are overseas? These are just a couple of the questions you should consider before you leave. You will also need to set up a convenient time to talk with your loved ones while you are gone. Planning can help take some of the stress out of your deployment.
3. Prepare your finances
You do not want to leave your loved ones with a frustrating financial situation. Alert your financial institutions of your deployment. Also, plan out a monthly budget and discuss a bill payment schedule. Some financial institutions and loan providers offer leniency for military servicemembers, so be sure to inquire about them.
4. Arrange for child care or elder care
If you have children, it is smart to arrange child care before you leave for deployment. This is especially important if your spouse will be working while you are gone. It can save your spouse hassle later on. Additionally, if you have elderly loved ones whom you look after, you will need to plan for their care during your deployment.
5. Have an emergency plan
Just like life, deployment can be unpredictable. Having an emergency plan in place can alleviate stress when situations like illness, injury, loss of communication and others are tossed at you.
6. Make memories
The weeks before deployment are likely going to be busy and hectic, but take some time to de-stress. Have a few family meals and take a short trip you have been planning for a while. The memories will help your loved ones when they start to miss you, and they will likely carry you through some of the lonely moments in your deployment. Check for places that offer military discounts so you can save money while you enjoy yourself.
While deployment will most likely be difficult for you and your family and could present you with unforeseen challenges, the above steps are just a few of the many that can help make it less stressful. Preparation and planning for life's unpredictability and having a plan can make deployment a little easier for you and your loved ones.
While thousands rushed out of the Twin Towers on 9/11, first responders were bravely going in. In honor of the men and women who gave their lives in the attempt to save those in the buildings, the first responders of Charlotte, North Carolina, banded together for the 5th Annual Charlotte Firefighters 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb.
Over 500 firefighters, police officers and emergency medical workers climbed 110 flights of stairs. Each flight represented a floor of the World Trade Center Towers. The first responders took donations for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.
WBTV.com reported that each event participant was given a picture of a first responder who gave his or her life on 9/11. Before the event began, the participants rang a bell and spoke the name of the person in their picture. They then pinned the pictures of the fallen heroes to their uniforms to wear during the climb.
The 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb took place in the Duke Energy Center stairwell and included participants from the surrounding states and some from as far as New York. This year's event even included a participant who was 72 years old.
When servicemembers enter life after service, it can be a frustrating time of adjustment. Veterans who are used to strict regimens and busy schedules may find it difficult to adjust to a civilian lifestyle. In fact, Jacksonville.com reported that 42 percent of veterans have difficulty with the switch.
Former servicemembers may seek military-esque programs to which they can commit their time and still feel like they are serving their communities. Many crave service programs where they can experience the camaraderie and structure of the service. The Mission Continues is an organization that was founded to give veterans that exact opportunity.
"[Mission Continues] helps veterans reconnect and have a sense of purpose in the community as well as helps them reconnect on a social level," Laura L'Esperance, a spokeswoman for the organization, told Jacksonville.com.
Veterans are grouped in "Service Platoons" and sent to work with local nonprofits or community service organizations. They may assist with projects like building houses, cleaning up roadsides or mentoring youth.
With 5,000 veteran members across the country, The Mission Continues is growing in popularly. Participants range in age from their early 20s to late 70s. The program has completed 169 missions nationwide so far and hopes to complete many more.
Despite rainy weather, the Smyrna Rotary Club of Smyrna, Tennessee, held its 13th annual Wings of Freedom Fish Fry on Sept. 12. According to Daily Journal News, the proceeds from the event were donated to local chapters of the Boys and Girls Club, Habitat for Humanity and Meals on Wheels. With over 1,500 attendees, the Smyrna Rotary Club surpassed its fundraising goals.
"It gets larger every year, we raised $100,000 last year, and this year our goal was $110,000," Mike Waller, head organizer for the Smyrna Rotary Club's annual fish fry, told Daily Journal News. "And the best part of it is, we turn around and give it back to the community."
Since the first Wings of Freedom Fish Fry was held the day after 9/11, the event has always had a patriotic theme. This year's fish fry was focused on Vietnam veterans. April marked the 40th anniversary of the Vietnam War's end, so it was only fitting to honor veterans of that war. The veterans who attended the event told the news source that they felt excluded when they returned from combat, and they were grateful to finally have their service recognized.
The Smyrna Rotary Club plans to hold the Wings of Freedom Fish Fry again next year but has not released a date.
Most people use their days off for relaxation, but one man in Lutz, Florida, uses his day off to clean the headstones of veterans. Andrew Lumish, a Lutz native, spends the one day a week he has off from his carpet cleaning job to give back to the former servicemembers in his community. Lumish's job gives him access to plenty of cleaning supplies that he uses to remove the dirt and grime from granite, marble and other headstone materials. He has even researched methods that will prevent damage to the stones.
"It's something that I feel I should do to give them the proper respect for fighting for our country," Lumish told ABC Action News. "And they may not [have] any family still living. These aren't just stones sitting in a cemetery in Florida. These are real people. I think about their lives."
As a self-proclaimed history buff, Lumish admits that he sometimes does research on the names of veterans who fought in the Civil War to find out more about the people whose stones he is cleaning.
Lumish has been doing the cleaning anonymously for two-and-a-half years, according to ABC Action News, and he plans to continue as long as cemeteries will allow him.