The news these days is often depressing at worst and frustrating at best. It’s easy to get caught up in the spin cycle and let it get us down. Never fear… The News Blender has you covered. Once a week, we feature Something Good and, in return, all you have to do is tell us something good that has happened to you this week, something you are thankful for, a joke, a cute animal story, an inspiring tale of heroics, a Random Act of Kindness… SOMETHING good!
Today’s Something Good, since I vowed many moons ago to avoid politics in this weekly feature , is baseball, a kindness bestowed upon a sad little girl, and the unbridled joy of a little boy and his dad.
Reese Osterberg is a 9 year-old Little League player and baseball fan in Fresno County, California. She lost her home last month in the Creek Fire. She also lost her beloved collection of 100 baseball cards that she had been collecting since she was 6 years old.
Fresno County Fire posted on Facebook about Reese and asked the community to donate cards to replace her collection.
Welcome to the "Step Up To The Plate" Baseball Card Drive. This is Reese, and two of her best friends, Emmett (left)…
Posted by CAL FIRE/Fresno County Fire on Wednesday, October 21, 2020
Among the generous people stepping up to help Reese out is Kevin Ashford, from San Jose. He has been collecting baseball cards since the 90s and was planning on selling his collection on Ebay. But when he heard about Reese, he knew there was a different option. Kevin told NBC Bay Area, “I got to thinking about what I had in the garage. I thought, you know, what of instead of selling them on eBay, I’m going to donate them. I’m gonna donate them all and put a smile on a little girl’s face.”
Kevin’s collection will cover Reese’s 100 card collection and then some – Kevin has donated all 25,000 of his cards to Reese. He said, “I would give anything to see the smile on her face when she receives them.”
Kevin’s generosity reminds me of a quote from Shakespeare: “How far that little candle throws its beams! So shines a good deed in a naughty world.” 2020 has been quite a year and Kevin’s kindness will make it a pleasant memory for Reese and the First Responders who have been through so much.
And while we are talking about baseball, here’s a moment of pure joy that is sure to bring a smile to your face.
As usual, it’s the little things in life that can loom large – the kindness of strangers and the joy of playing catch. Now it’s your turn – tell me Something Good!