For more than a month now, Patch and Grape-Nuts have teamed up to present stories about your neighbors, neighbors who have faced challenges that would seem insurmountable to many of us.
But not to the people we've featured in this series, Journeys.
Not surprisingly, the stories have generated dozens of comments on Patch and on Facebook: "Great story...""Thanks for sharing..." "So wonderfully inspiring..."
And, so, here they are again. Great stories shared to inspire. Take a look at what these people have faced. Then click on the story to see their responses. ___
Amputee Outdoors Founder: Nothing's Impossble for Wounded Veterans.
In June 2011, Michael Boucher of Bogart, GA, was serving his second tour of Afghanistan, with the Marines’ 2nd combat Engineer Battalion, when he lost both legs above the knees. The man who grew up hunting and fishing, who loved to be outdoors, had to learn to walk again, with the help of prosthetic legs. While recovering, he met fellow amputee Tony Mullis, and they were able to take part in fishing and hunting trips organized by Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. That led to the men founding their own nonprofit to help other amputees have similar experiences and to help them regain confidence and a sense of normalcy.
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Flesh-Eating Bacteria Survivor Aimee Copeland's Goal: Helping Others: In May 2012, Aimee Copeland of Snellville, GA., had just completed her core courses for a master’s degree in psychology when she fell into a creek and cut her leg in an accident involving a homemade zip-line. The wound was infected with typically fatal flesh-eating bacteria in the accident, and Aimee lost her left leg, her right foot and both hands. But she did not lose her spirit.
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Restaurateur Mixes Good Food With Good Deeds: Brian Maloof is lightning quick to point out that he’s not changing the world in the way that Sir Hillary did. But as the owner of Atlanta landmark Manuel’s Tavern, Maloof is making a big difference in the lives of quite a few people in his hometown. He is well-known for giving back to the poor and homeless in his neighborhood, and for helping ex-convicts reenter society by giving them employment.
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School Advocate Helps Students in Solar Power Challenge:Kim Gokce of Brookhaven, GA, is chairman and founder of an advocacy group for the new city’s only high school, Cross Keys High School, an old institution that Gocke’s group is helping to renovate. Despite its challenges (many students are learning English as a second language and live at or below the poverty level), Cross Keys students reach high academic scores, and many are able to attend some of the nation's top schools.
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Teenager 'Inspires Selfless Service Through Mentorship': When he was only 13, Shaun Verma, a high school senior, founded the nonprofit MDJunior, an organization that brings together health-care professionals and students to nurture a mentoring relationship. MDJunior focuses on underserved communities and developing countries. In 2012, MDJunior was awarded special recognition by the White House, the President's Council on Service & Civic Participation.
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Laura Whitaker Helps Special-Needs Kids at Extra Special People: Laura Whitaker is the executive director of Extra Special People, a nonprofit in Watkinsville, GA, that enhances the lives of children with disabilities by offering them recreation, education and socialization. Whitaker has been the executive director of ESP since 2006, and was only 21 when she took on the job. Under her leadership, the nonprofit has grown from a summer camp program to a year-round one, providing after-school care and family counseling for more than 150 children throughout 10 counties in Northeast Georgia.
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Man is First Double Amputee to Finish Ironman Triathlon: Sandy Springs, GA, resident Scott Rigsby has, without a doubt, “run with perseverance the race marked out” for him, as the Bible says. In 2007 Rigsby became the first double amputee to finish the Ironman World Championship triathlon in Kailua-Kona, HI. The famous triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride and a 26.2-mile marathon run.