The week's good news: Dec. 1, 2022

1. Volunteers in Greenville, South Carolina, make 10,000 sandwiches to give away

It was a National Sandwich Day to remember in Greenville, South Carolina. More than 200 volunteers came together on Nov. 3 to prepare 10,000 sandwiches for local food banks, homeless shelters, and schools. They completed the task in just six hours, with volunteers using more than one ton of pimento cheese, plus bacon and tomatoes, for the sandwiches. Feed and Seed and Visit Greenville SC partnered for the giveaway, inspired by Eugenia Duke, the founder of Duke's Mayonnaise in Greenville. It's a city legend that one day in 1919, Duke made 10,000 sandwiches to sell to soldiers and their families, and they wanted to reenact this in 2022 — except this time, the sandwiches were donated. Food insecurity can hit anyone, and Taryn Scher with Visit Greenville SC told WYFF it's "important as an organization to think about those who live here and may not have all of those things and all those resources and just do something good for them." Feed and Seed and Visit Greenville SC hope this is just the beginning of their partnership, and they'll continue to break bread together during future National Sandwich Days.

WYFF

2. Texas man proposes after finding engagement ring during tornado cleanup

Dakota Hudson didn't plan on proposing to Lauren Patterson in the mud, but he was so happy to have found her ring in the debris that he dropped to one knee. The ring was discovered by local student Kate Rainey after a tornado ripped through Hudson and Patterson's Powderly, Texas, neighborhood in mid-November. Everyone survived, but their houses were destroyed, and Rainey and other members of the Paris Junior College softball team came to help with recovery efforts. Hudson, who bought the engagement ring right before the tornado struck, told NBC DFW "needle in a haystack doesn't come close to what we were looking for." That didn't stop Rainey, who said, "I basically made my mind up, I was going to find the ring." It took her several hours, but Rainey finally spotted the ring in the mud and handed it to Hudson. He immediately asked Patterson to marry him, and she said yes. "This was the light in a very dark moment," Patterson said. "And it is still a dark moment, but this has given us reason to breathe and smile a little."

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NBC DFW

3. 10-year-old helps mother deliver baby sister at home

When her mother went into labor early, 10-year-old Miracle Moore jumped into action, calling 911 and following the dispatcher's instructions to help deliver her little sister. On Oct. 23, Miracle and her mother, Viola Fair, were at their home in Jennings, Missouri, when Fair could tell she was going into labor. She asked her daughter to call 911, and immediately dispatcher Scott Stranghoener began guiding Miracle, instructing her to get towels and blankets and help her mother get on her bed. Once Miracle said the baby was coming out, Stranghoener walked her through how to gently wipe the newborn's mouth and nose, wrap the baby in a clean dry towel, and ensure the umbilical cord was not wrapped around her neck. Ten minutes after Miracle called, paramedics arrived. "I learned pretty quick that we had a serious situation," Stranghoener told KSDK. "We have a set of protocols that we follow, and she followed all of my instructions to a 'T' and did an amazing job." The baby, Jayla, was born three weeks early. She is doing well and is "very cute," Miracle said.

KSDK

4. British woman wants to show 'nothing is impossible' with Antarctica crossing

Preet Chandi is on a mission to break boundaries. The 32-year-old British Army Officer aims to become the first woman to complete the 1,100-mile trek across Antarctica without being resupplied. Chandi — who also goes by the nickname "Polar Preet" — told the Derby Telegraph that by crossing Antarctica from coast to coast, she wants to show people that "nothing is impossible." At the start of 2022, Chandi became the first woman of color to finish a solo, unsupported trip to the South Pole, going 700 miles in 740 days. She started her Antarctica journey in mid-November, and has been posting updates on Instagram, discussing the weather (cold and windy) and how she handles pulling her sled. Chandi expects her adventure to take about 75 days, and aims to complete the challenge by the end of January or early February.

People

5. During adoption hearing, boy tells judge all about how much he loves his mom

It took five years for the adoption of Jennifer Hubby's son to go through, and just before the official paperwork was signed, he had something he wanted to share about his mom. During the November adoption hearing in Bernalillo, New Mexico, the judge asked if anyone wanted to address the court. Hubby's son took her up on the offer, telling the judge, "I wanted to say that I love my mom so much and that she's the best mom I ever had. I love her so much." An already emotional Hubby, who began the adoption process at his birth, became choked up, and her son pulled her in for a hug. "You know what, it's important to tell people you love them, and they care about you," the judge said. "You're a lucky guy. I'm glad you love them, that's what we're supposed to be doing. That's a good thing."

USA Today