Here are two stories that I read this weekend that made my heart swell.
I was overcome with emotion while reading these,
knowing there are incredible people out there.
A first-of-its-kind pageant took place in Orem Friday afternoon. All of the 25 women competing celebrated special abilities, not disabilities.
The women wore their best dresses, had their hair done by professionals, and those who were able shared their talents.
Miss InspirationFinalists:
5. Anna Farmer
4. Marsha Gillies
3. Kim Sampson
2. Jennifer Jolley
1. Heidi Bishop (winner)
There were three official judges taking notes and keeping score throughout the event. One of them is a pageant winner herself -- Mrs. Utah.
Every one of the contestants won some kind of award and was presented with a sash, flowers and tiara. But only one woman walked away as Miss Inspiration: Heidi Bishop. It seems fitting since Heidi, who has cerebral palsy, is the reason for this.
"Last spring we took Heidi to a beauty pageant in Spanish Fork, and we could see what wanting eyes she had at this pageant, and we could see they all should have an opportunity for," said Becky Bingham, with TURN Community Services.
The pageant was put on by TURN Community Services, a nonprofit organization that provides programs and services for people with disabilities. That includes everything from mental to physical and developmental disabilities, autism -- the list goes on.
"I hope they learn the joy of being the grand people that they are because they are so amazing, so amazing," Bingham said.
Watch the video and read the story here.
Couldn't happen to a nicer couple.
Such was the reaction of Dianne Hayman to news that her next-door neighbours – Allen and Violet Large – were the lucky winners in last week's $11.2 million 6/49 draw.
The retired Lower Truro couple picked up their winnings at Atlantic Lottery headquarters in Moncton Wednesday, keeping area residents guessing for a week as to who had won. But despite their major windfall, both say their success will not change their lives.
"Money isn't everything," Allen told the Truro Daily News within moments of arriving home from picking up his winnings. "What it means to me, it means family first."
Violet has two brothers and a sister who live local while Allen has two daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren in Ontario, two brothers in Truro and another in Ottawa.
After their family is looked after, the couple said they will share their luck with their church, the new hospital, their local cemetery and other charities.
The couple said they purchase lottery tickets twice a week and their winning numbers came from the computerized Instant Pick in last Wednesday's draw.
Violet said she checked her numbers about 10 a.m. after calling Lottoland in the Truro Mall where the ticket was purchased. After successfully matching the first three numbers she declared to her husband that they had "won 10 bucks."
Her excitement started to build, however, when she finished checking the numbers and realized they had all come in.
"Oh my God," she said, of her exclamation to her husband, who was in the kitchen doing dishes.
"I said come and check these numbers."
She then called brother Elson Perry and asked him to pick up a print out of the winning numbers for further verification and then called her other brother, Willis, and asked him to check the numbers in the newspaper.
"We nearly had a fit," she said, when everything continued to check out. "We checked those numbers 50,000 times. So, then, we were afraid to say anything to anybody."
"We never informed anybody, not a damn soul (except for Violet's two brothers)," Allen added.
Their delay in coming forward started a guessing game in the community as to who the mysterious winners were until the couple decided yesterday morning it was time to cash in their ticket.
"We we're both free this morning so we said, 'OK, let's go,'" he said.
The most they had ever won before was $1,000 on a scratch ticket aout 20 years ago.
Allen is originally from Malagash while Violet grew up in Economy. After spending 30 years in Ontario where Allen was a steel worker, the couple retired to Lower Truro in 1983.
And neighbour Hayman said she and her husband, Allan, were very pleased to learn who had cashed in on the $11,255,272.70 prize.
"My husband and I were just saying how nice it was that they had won," she said. "They're just excellent. They're always helping out in the community. They are just great neighbours and a nice couple."
After being sick this week, Jeff and I had a very lazy weekend
We ran some errands, ate too many cinnomon rolls,
took some photographs that I'm hoping to get developed soon,
and spent enough time on the couch to make us wish we spent more of our time being productive.
It's my grandpas birthday,
and we are celebrating it by going to my aunts house for dinner.
I'm hoping to get lots of photographs and enjoy tonight,
because it's not too often that my family is able to get together.
I hope you're having a lovely Sunday,
and a big thank you to you readers.
xoxo
h.
1 comment:
Ahh! Magic!
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