Heartwarming
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Today’s three
Santa Barbara Maritime Museum marks World Boating Day with hands-on boat-building event.
The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum and Sail to Shelter will host a family boat-building activity called Port, Starboard & Sails on May 23, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the museum patio, inviting children to build boats from reclaimed materials and offering free family day passes.
Hermosa Beach to host Surfers Walk of Fame induction and Surf Fest this weekend
The Surfers Walk of Fame weekend runs April 24–26 in Hermosa Beach, with an 11 a.m. induction ceremony Saturday at Pier Plaza followed by the Spyder Surf Fest and related events.
Larry's Dream and Louise Spilsbury have gone the distance together
After a modest racing career, Larry's Dream retired to LongRun and has spent the past decade forming a close bond with rider Louise Spilsbury.
Recent heartwarming stories
Showing: 81-90NEST challenge course opens at UMass Orchard Hill
The NEST Challenge Course at UMass Orchard Hill opened on April 14 and features 23 individual and team challenges across a Sky Park and an Odyssey Course; the facility includes an accessible ramp and built-in seating. The course is open now and students can register for free through the Recreation Center website.
Local cat rescue hosts rummage sale and adoption event
Bell Foster Kitties held a two-day rummage sale and adoption event at the Lake City Community Center to raise funds for food and veterinary care; the rescue is fostering more than 50 cats and kittens and the sale continues Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
High school seniors start Beauty Bank to collect makeup and hygiene for Kern County teens
Bakersfield high school seniors created the Beauty Bank after a student volunteer encounter at a local shelter; the project gathers makeup, hair tools, skincare and hygiene items with collection boxes at area schools and businesses.
Kachkaniraqmi multicultural fashion show 'Existence as Resistance' set for Saturday
Natalia Armaconki’s Kallpa House of Spirit Dances will host the Kachkaniraqmi multicultural fashion show themed "Existence as Resistance" on Saturday at The Crossing in Madison, featuring fashion, performance, and storytelling and raising funds for participating artists and Armaconki's ancestral village of Laramarca.
Community Futures Lambton awards grants to 12 Sarnia-area programs
Community Futures Lambton awarded grants of $1,000 to $5,000 to 12 Sarnia-area projects, including a $3,000 grant to Weir Active through the Bluewater Health Foundation to support after-school programming and healthy snacks.
Cleanup Day in Sartell set for April 18 with new partners
The Sartell Lions Cleanup Day will run 8 a.m.–noon Saturday, April 18 at Riverview Intermediate School, and the Stearns County hazardous-waste mobile unit will accept paints, solvents, batteries and similar items free of charge.
Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue will put EMS levy lift on August ballot.
The Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue board voted April 9 to place a six-year emergency medical services levy lift on the Aug. 4 ballot to seek restoring the rate to 50 cents per $1,000 after it declined to 26 cents. A page with informational meeting details is expected to be posted on srfr.org early next week.
Volunteer Wall finds fulfillment through others
Kelly Wall, 63, volunteers with Country Manor, the Great River Regional Library, Catholic Charities Food Shelf and Second Harvest and says volunteering has given her a strong sense of community.
Detroit offers dozens of Earth Day events this month.
Detroit is hosting more than 20 Earth Day events through the end of April, including tree plantings, seed packing, electronics recycling, and a Belle Isle cleanup.
Buenos Aires, Shanghai and Washington, D.C. report community sports initiatives.
Three separate items highlight sports used for community, diplomatic and youth access goals: the EU Buenos Aires Run is set for May 10, a Shanghai event marked the 55th anniversary of Ping Pong Diplomacy, and the Washington Mystics launched EquipHER to provide sports bras in public schools.