Sparklers is a monthly series that highlights people, groups and institutions who have recently spread light in the world. Every day, people choose to shine in ways large and small. These moments of grace and generosity don’t always get reported on, and unfortunately they can be quickly forgotten. So we’re sharing some of their stories. Because sometimes good news and kindness are the sweetest luxuries of all.
From waffles to designer fashion, from kindly police officers to activists of all ages, here are some of the stories that touched and inspired us this month, and one in particular that we will never forget.
1. Evoni Williams was on a busy shift at the Waffle House in La Marque, Texas earlier this month when Adrian Charpentier, 78, mentioned his hands were in pain and giving him trouble. Seeing his discomfort, Williams cut up the food on his plate. The act of kindness caught a nearby customer’s eye. Laura Wolf took a photo of the moment and shared it on social media saying: “If we could all be like this waitress & take time to offer a helping hand …” The post was shared nearly 50,000 times and among those who took notice were representatives from Texas Southern University. The school was also moved by her gesture and surprised Williams with a $16,000 college scholarship to be used in increments for each semester. By lending a hand and brightening the man’s day, Evoni unknowingly brightened her own future.
2. Joining a growing list of luxury labels to go fur-free in recent months is Versace. This month the brand announced that this decision is the result of a broader plan which focuses on its sustainability initiatives and environmentally savvy approaches. The brand’s journey in this direction has already begun within its retail locations. Versace opened a new London boutique in December which received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. Other LEED-certified store locations from the brand are set to follow in Miami and Munich later this year. In addition Versace has pledged to continue to pay close attention to its production and sourcing to ensure that they remain at the highest standards. Other brands that have also announced that they will be going fur free are Furla, Gucci, Tom Ford, Giorgio Armani and Michael Kors.
3. A simple gesture by his favorite player left a young hockey fan crying tears of joy at Madison Square Garden earlier this month. After seeing Benjamin Lefkowitz during warmups in the stands, New York Rangers forward Pavel Buchnevich tossed his hockey stick over the boards to the young fan. What likely caught Buchnevich’s eye was that Lefkowitz was wearing a Severstal Cherepovets’ jersey, a Russian team the left winger played for before he was picked up by the Rangers. After wiping away his happy tears, Lefkowitz composed himself for a picture with Buchnevich and was invited to the locker room after the game.
4. Detective Kaz Daughtry, Officer John Dorrejo and Officer Richard Russo were patrolling in East New York during the most recent Nor’easter when they spotted a group of kids having a snowball fight. The trio decided to join in on the fun and challenged the kids to a match up of kids vs. cops. In the end, the kids won by a landslide, but not without the officers noticing that the kids did not have proper gloves. Daughtry, Dorrejo and Russo decided to buy each of the youthful combatants new gloves, and visited a nearby shop so that the kids would be ready for the next snowstorm (and for a re-match).
5. Gucci donated $500,000 to the March for Our Lives. The Italian fashion house joined a list of other famous names including George and Amal Clooney and Oprah Winfrey, who also each made donations of $500,000 to support the rally. The brand even sent its own team to walk in the DC march and released the following statement: “We stand with March For Our Lives and the fearless students across the country who demand that their lives and safety become a priority. We have all been directly or indirectly impacted by these senseless tragedies, and Gucci is proud to join this movement with a donation of $500,000.” As we have previously written, more fashion brands are becoming politically active, however, Gucci is the first to take a stance in the gun control debate. This is likely because Gucci has had first-hand experience dealing with mass shootings in the US. In June 2016, a Gucci employee was among the 49 victims killed in a shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida; another employee was injured in the same shooting.
6. We were moved by all of the young men and women who spoke at the March For Our Lives event in Washington DC. However, we think that 11-year-old Naomi Wadler delivered the most poised, riveting speech of the day. In her remarks, Wadler spoke on behalf of all African American girls who are threatened by or who have fallen victim to gun violence. Her eloquence and intelligence, her exquisite poise and dignity, and her insistence that black girls not be left behind, was a searing call to justice for those who are often forgotten. If that was not enough, Wadler led the walkout at her elementary school on March 14 as part of National Walkout Day, where students all over the country peacefully protested for 17 minutes to honor the 17 lives lost in Parkland last month. Naomi Wadler and her peers stood outside for 18 minutes. The extra minute was for Courtlin Arrington, a young black girl who was killed in a school shooting in Alabama shortly after the tragedy in Parkland.
7. Finally, we pay our deepest respects to Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame of the French Gendarmerie, who volunteered to exchange places with a hostage during the terror attack on a grocery store in the small southern French town of Trebes last Friday. Knowing the terrible risk, he willingly took the place of a female store cashier, and tragically, was killed along with three other hostages. One of his colleagues said “When he took that woman’s place, he did so because he wanted to save a human life.” For most of us, that level of courage and sacrifice is unimaginable. His action is an example for the world of what a truly good person is capable of, and what a difference one person can make.
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