CPR app saves high school basketball player
Xavier Jones, a high school basketball player in La Verne, Calif., went into cardiac arrest during a recent practice. Fortunately, one of his coaches, Eric Cooper, the day before had purchased a $1.99 app for his iPhone called PhoneAid, which provides instructions on CPR. Cooper had previously been trained in CPR, but the app refreshed his memory as he used it to guide him through the process. He kept Jones breathing until paramedics arrived. “I’m just thankful and happy to be here,” said Jones, who is recovering in a hospital.
Cancelled nuptials a blessing to soup kitchen
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When Robin Rogers, a professor at New York’s Queens College, and her fiancé, George Overholser, called off their nuptials, she didn’t want their $3,500 reception deposit to go to waste. So Rogers organized a $100-per-person fundraiser for the Greenpoint Reformed Church’s soup kitchen, transforming her canceled wedding into a $10,000 donation to the hungry. “I feel great,” said Rogers. “When something doesn’t work out, it’s sad, but I’m really glad we got something good out of it.” The Rev. Ann Kansfield of the Greenpoint Reformed Church endorsed that spirit. “This comes at a crucial time for us,” Kansfield said. “This is a great example of someone turning mourning into dancing.”
Charlotte's generous Santas
For the fourth straight year, a crew of “Secret Santas” has roamed the streets of Charlotte, N.C., handing out $100 bills to anyone who appears in need. The anonymous donors were accompanied this year by volunteers from the Charlotte police and fire departments. “It’s about the pure joy you’re able to give people,” one Charlotte businessman said. The Santas descended on a local thrift store, dispensing bills to shoppers and the store’s cashier. Many recipients cried. Foster parent Donna Green, who was recently laid off, said, “God bless you,” as she hugged a Santa.
