Signs of LightExtraordinary, positive changes are happening all around the world and are often overlooked. Come in and get inspired as we showcase the uplifting news stories you might have otherwise missed.The Story of a Sign- September 27, 2008 With a stroke of the pen, a stranger transforms the afternoon for another man in this emotionally stirring film by Alonso Alvarez Barreda. The winner of the short film online competition at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, Story of a Sign has since become a regular feature of Mexico's national television programming.http://charityfocus.org/php-bin/qad.php?n=280 The Genius of Little Things- September 26, 2008 Tara Donovan who won a MacArthur Foundation "genius" award last Tuesday, has drawn attention over the last decade for her ability to transform huge quantities of prosaic manufactured materials -- Styrofoam cups, pencils, tar paper -- into sculptural installations that suggest the wonders of nature. The New York Times present some of her intriguing work here.http://charityfocus.org/php-bin/qad.php?n=1143 What Makes A Hero- September 25, 2008 Patrick Burke had never wanted to follow in the footsteps of his firefighter dad and brother, but he jumped into an icy lake to rescue a 9-year-old and her father, whose all-terrain vehicle crashed through ice. "I'm not that type of heroic person," said Burke. "If you had heard that girl's voice . . . it was my daughter's voice." Experts say it makes sense that everyday heroes don't stop and think about whether to help, given the character traits they tend to share. Those who put themselves...http://charityfocus.org/php-bin/qad.php?n=1557 I Am The Other- September 24, 2008 Born half Bolivian, half Italian and bred in Switzerland, Denise Zabalaga possesses a unique sensitivity towards "otherness" and an ability to transcend many of the projections of fear and mistrust so commonly associated with strangers. Six months after Septemeber 11, her travels as a photographer and photojournalist took her, a lone woman, to territories of the Middle East and Afghanistan normally considered hostile or dangerous. With a combination of determination, fearlessness and an...http://charityfocus.org/php-bin/qad.php?n=724 The Boys of Baraka- September 23, 2008 How would the futures of four 12-year old boys change if you extracted them from their poor Baltimore neighborhood and sent them to a school 10,000 miles away in the African wilderness The film, "The Boys of Baraka" documents this experiment, following the boys journeys in discovering the fertility of their hopes and dreams, even amidst poverty.http://charityfocus.org/php-bin/qad.php?n=3487 Adventure Playgrounds- September 21, 2008 There's an unusual park in Berkeley, California. Looking at it, "playground" probably wouldn't be your first thought. "Junkyard" is more like it. And well, that would be accurate. Berkeley's Adventure Playground is one of a handful of playgrounds in the United States based on a concept that grew in popularity after World War II. During the Nazi occupation of Denmark, the landscape architect C. Th. Sorensen created a new playground with whatever junk was available. It turned out, that's exactly..http://charityfocus.org/php-bin/qad.php?n=283 Father & Son Heroes- September 20, 2008 The story of Dick and Rick Hoyt is an inspirational love story, based on the philosophy "you can!" Although Rick was born with cerebral palsy, his parents were determined to treat him just like their other boys, despite medical professionals who counseled them otherwise. Consequently, Rick grew up engaging and intelligent; and when he was 12 years old even found his voice with the help of the 'Hope Machine', a computer system that enabled him to talk. In high school father and son ran their...http://charityfocus.org/php-bin/qad.php?n=1231 |