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SALT LAKE CITY — Happy Monday! It's time to get the week off to a great start, and we have just the way for you to do that.
Here are a few stories of people in the community going out of their way to help others. Let these stories remind you of all the good in the world and maybe even inspire you to pass along some of this kindness throughout the week.
The KSL.com "Make Your Week" column features uplifting stories sent in from people outside the newsroom. To share the stories that have made your day better, email them in 100 words or less to mdalrymple@ksl.com. Photos and videos are encouraged. Stories may be edited for clarity.
Family raises money to support teachers
Michael B.
“I am a parent and employee in the school boundaries of North Point Elementary in Lehi. Five years ago, parents of a kindergarten student witnessed how much their daughter's teacher was spending out of her own pocket to help with basic classroom needs. As a result, the family worked together to raise money for the teacher. This tradition has grown for the family, school and community, and has become a bigger and bigger event. I can't express enough how grateful I am for the sacrifice and efforts of this one family, especially their two daughters, to make the educational experience so much better for my daughter and all the students I work with at the school. Recently, these two girls and their parents put on this annual event again to support teachers and education. The result was thousands of dollars raised for teachers, students and classrooms. This stands out from anything I've seen at other schools and in a time when there is a lot of discouragement regarding teacher pay in Utah, teacher retention in Utah, classes sizes, etc. I would love to see the efforts that are being made in this community to support education get recognized and celebrated. These two girls and this family are literally making a difference in hundreds of lives.”
Serving with Baby Jay
Jada S.
“Mountain View’s volleyball head coach was an excellent athlete who played volleyball at UVU. She has coached volleyball and taught English at Mountain View for the past several years. In 2016, her 9-month-old baby died from a rare disease. Last year, she started a tradition of honoring Baby Jay’s memory by performing acts of service during the week Baby Jay passed away. Participants can post their service on social media with the hashtag #ServingWithBabyJay to inspire others to serve. I am continually amazed at this mom’s selflessness and courage. Her ability to transform her life’s greatest trial into a positive message of love that benefits others is inspiring. This year, Baby Jay’s Angel Week (the week of service that commemorates the week he passed) is October 14-20. You can also find information on this Instagram page: @servingwithbabyjay.”
Officer extends act of kindness to man in need
"I saw this officer buy a hotdog for the man on the right. Prior to this, the man was diving into a trash barrel in hopes of finding food. The officer saw him in need and went outside. 'Hey dude! Let me get you a dog,' the officer said. I don't know the officer's name, but thanks for extending this friendly act of kindness to less fortunate citizens of Salt Lake City. It was humbling. We need more compassionate people in law enforcement like yourself."
