Good Deeds And Good People Are Good News For Manchester

Lately the news has been terribly depressing. 30 American soldiers shot down and killed in Afghanistan, the plunge of the stock market in reaction to the U.S. credit rating decline, riots in London, continued economic downturn...aside from the much needed break in the weather this week, there hasn't been much good news in the paper or on television. 

I still remember the old joke in journalism school..."if it bleeds, it leads." The media thrives on sharing the bad news, and the public eats it up and begs for more.  Remember Don Henley singing about "Dirty Laundry?" 

But what about good news?  There's plenty of it out there.  Sure, it's not as attention grabbing or flashy as the bad stuff, but there are plenty of people who do their own part to make a difference.  They don't demand a reality show; they don't try to get their picture in the paper; they wait their turn in line and they step up to the plate to lend a helping hand to their fellow human beings. 

Last Friday, I witnessed an event worthy of the lead story on the evening news, when hundreds of people showed up to attend a spaghetti dinner fundraiser for the family of , who passed away unexpectedly in May.  He was 37 years old and left behind a wife and four children. 

The first folks to step up were members of the . In record time, they secured the kitchen and dining area at and began to plan.  Soon after, local business owners, police officers, first responders and residents pitched in, donating food and supplies, and posting fliers around town to help spread the word. 

And then on Friday night, volunteers and lots of good (hungry!) samaratins came together to do their part to help a grieving family.  And while that is a newsworthy story in its own right, it's not the REAL news of the day. The real, honest to goodness news, that should replace all the dreadful news of the day, is that people are inherently good, and very caring and generous in this community.

(See Slideshow of Benfit: )

You see, I worked the cash drawer on Friday night and I was absolutely floored by the generosity of the people who came to dinner.  Time and again, I was handed a check or cash that was well beyond the price of admission and told to "make sure it went to the family."  Folks who didn't even stay to eat dinner showed up just to make a donation.  Several young families insisted on paying full price for dinner rather than take the child's plate discount.  And many people who bought raffle tickets refused to put their own names on them, requesting instead to donate their chances of winning to the Prouty family. It really was something to behold.

So the next time you see the latest dire headlines, remember there are plenty of stories that don't make the news.  Every day, without fanfare, people in our community rise to the occasion and make our town a better place.  And that's the best news of all for all of us who live in Manchester.