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Blaze Magazine: 9 Stories to Change the World

Posted on July 3, 2012 at 2:52pm by Chris Field
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In the newest issue of The Blaze Magazine, we present nine inspiring stories and ideas that can change the world if we’re willing to take them to heart and emulate them.

Here are our nine story headlines and a little taste of each — you can get the full reports and details only in the pages of The Blaze Magazine.

9. Virtual Love & Hate

Blaze Magazine Special Report on Charity in America: 9 Stories to Change the World

(Source: Hatty Lee/ColorLines.com)

The Internet has become a powerful force for freedom, capitalism and liberty. It’s also become a cesspool of hate in too many areas. There’s only one answer for the viciousness that’s out there.

The Internet has become the most perfect medium for spreading hate. It’s fast, free and maintains a certain level of personal disconnect where one doesn’t have to think about the reader on the other side. In fact, those posting or sending hate don’t appear to actually see their target as a real person.

8. Still the Most Giving, Most Exceptional

(Source: Atlas of Giving; The Blaze)

Despite a sputtering economy and tough circumstances, Americans are still finding ways to take care of others with their money, labor and time.

Maybe charitable giving really is something unique to the American people. Maybe that’s why—more than any corporation or foundation—the biggest donors to nonprofit organizations in the U.S. are individuals. The idea that “I make a difference,” and not some faceless conglomerate, is ingrained in the psyche of millions of Americans. Many of us donate ourselves because we don’t believe in waiting around for someone else to do it.

7. Healing the Unborn

Autumn Lubbers was born with spina bifida. While Autumn was still in her mother's womb, doctors performed a fetal surgery to close the hole in her neural tube. Thanks to the surgery, Autumn can walk today. (Source: Family of Autumn Lubbers)

Autumn Lubbers today. (Souce: Family of Autumn Lubbers)

Many courageous families are looking to breakthrough fetal surgeries for their children with spina bifida.

Autumn Lubbers is going into eighth grade. Just looking at her slim frame, blonde hair and smile glinting with braces, you would assume she is like any other middle schooler. And she is. But perhaps if Autumn were wearing a skirt instead of jeans or if she took a few steps, you would see the secret that Autumn shares with only some people. Autumn has spina bifida.

6. A Cup of Cold Water

(Source: Here's Life Inner City)

(Source: Teen Mother Choices International)

Conservative and religious non-profit groups have found better ways to combat poverty than the enslaving system of the government.

Across America, there are a plethora of organizations working diligently to live out these ideals and to help the nation’s poor secure needed services, get back on their feet and continue on a path that ensures restoration. Many of these organizations go widely unnoticed as they work diligently to help facilitate projects and outreach mechanisms that go far beyond any cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all government approach. These organizations realize that the private sector—led by caring individuals—has a responsibility to serve the poor.

5. Launched to Change Lives

(Source: Mark Mabry/Mercury Radio Arts)

Glenn Beck’s new charitable operation, Mercury One, is already making an impact and inspiring the next generation of volunteers.

Putting words into action with a series of fundraising initiatives geared toward restoring, uplifting and helping fellow citizens around the country—be it through disaster relief for a town ravaged by tornadoes or ensuring an important artifact is given a place of prominence at a Holocaust Museum—Mercury One is changing lives.

4. 9/12ers: All About Being a Community

(Source: Western Iowa 9/12 Project)

Across the nation, 9/12 Project members are choosing to step up and help rather than waiting for the government to do it.

There’s no doubt that Americans who are involved with the 9/12 Project understand what Restoring Love is all about. They’re making a difference everywhere they go. Here are two (of many) examples of 9/12ers in action.

3. A Radical’s Defiant Right Turn

Brandon Darby (Source: Anna Zetchus Smith)

Meet Brandon Darby, a former leftist who not only learned that liberalism and government don’t truly help those in need and conservatism and individuals can—but also is doing something about it.

“Like many people on the Left,” Brandon Darby explains, “I bought into a false narrative: If you want to help people, you vote Left; if you want to help rich white people get richer, you vote Right.”

Enter Citizen Patriot Response (CPR).

Started about a year ago, CPR is about mobilizing conservatives at the grassroots level to provide relief to those in need—something Darby knew his newfound right-wing tribe could and would do.

2. Small-Town Values, Big-Time Impact

The leadership that made the 2011-2012 school year at Pomeroy Junior/Senior High School a success, left to right: Doug LaMunyan, principal; Kim Spacek, school district superintendent; Dan Lewis, pastor of Pomeroy Nazarene Church; and Roger Pederson, pastor of Pomeroy Christian Church. (Source: Chris Field/The Blaze)

Cup of Hope (Source: Chris Field/The Blaze)

One inspiring community in rural Washington state showed how the church and the government can work together—and they’re setting a standard for the rest of America on how people can care for each other.

On the surface, the mere thought of a public school using a church to hold classes would be enough to send any church-state separatist into a tailspin. But the unique arrangement between the government and the local faith community ended up working and serving as a major inspiration—an exemplary model that communities from across America can truly learn from. [...]

The seeds of this caring and giving community were laid long ago and are evident throughout Pomeroy. It’s what they do. Take, for instance, the Cup of Hope espresso trailer, an initiative aimed at helping fund institutions and individuals in need.

1. Where Every Kid Is a Perfect Fit

Helen McCormick, president of The House, Inc., with one of the guests at A Cinderella Ball (Source: Katie Pavlich)

Guests to A Cinderella Ball are escorted by Marines under a sword arch (Source: Katie Pavlich)

The House, Inc., is changing the lives of students through service, outreach, mentoring and training—and creating just the leaders we need for tomorrow.

[A Cinderella Ball is] “a unique and unduplicated opportunity” for hundreds of Washington, D.C.-area youth with disabilities or life-threatening illnesses to dress up, pass underneath a ceremonial sword arch (courtesy of 40 Marines from Quantico) upon a real red carpet and through the entrance of The Willard InterContinental Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue, one block from the White House. And it’s all free-of-charge for the students and their families.

There Cinderella greets attendees and their family members, and everyone enjoys a private dinner, concert and dance.

Subscribe to The Blaze Magazine today.

Back to The Blaze »

Comments (29)

UnifiedSerenity
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 11:18pm
Wow, thank you for these uplifting stories! In such a day of tragedy and despair. We need more of this, more random acts of kindness, and smiles. Thank you for this page.
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Sara123
Posted on July 4, 2012 at 6:01pm
Glenn, et. al. – you are doing a great job here. Thank you.
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95bravo10
Posted on July 4, 2012 at 3:59am
I take in so frigging much negative stuff everyday.
Most is of my own doing, as I want to know what is happening.
But I like to read things such as this to get some of the stink off from the world we live in.
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- OneTermPresident
  Posted on July 4, 2012 at 1:22pm
  Me too.. I feel like I need a shower after reading the days news. We could use a solid month of nothing but good news.
  Report Post »
pwatkins
Posted on July 4, 2012 at 1:13am
Thanks Blaze…all of us can make a difference, but we need the Love of God in our hearts…great stories.
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blackyb
Posted on July 4, 2012 at 12:58am
The left discourages caring they do not want anyone to even hold hands. Take your kids out of public schools like this. Close them down. If they cannot teach caring, allow God in schools and the Ten Commandments, then refuse to send your children to these dens of iniquity. These places are not of God, then they are from hell. Support schools that teach caring and responsibilty and run the teaching of filth out of your schools or change schools. Do not support schools set up and geared to send your children to hell by way of filth and drugs and void of feeling and caring for one another. They want goodness out of your schools because they can control it when the power of goodness is not there.
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TunaBlue
Posted on July 3, 2012 at 10:32pm
Today was rounding out to be one of those “I quit” days. I felt beat up by all the negative news and fears of another four years of Obama. I was certain that we–all of us who love our country–were going to lose what we so love. Then, I see this article. I’m alive and happy and ready to join the fight.
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Dano.50
Posted on July 3, 2012 at 8:46pm
Not long after the earthquake in Haiti, I met a young group of Americans in their late twenties who refloated a dilapidated old boat, raised over a million dollars in medical supplies, and took it to Haiti, and also gathered volunteer medical personel to spend several months there.

I also met the captain (Not the owner) of a private yacht who raised nearly four million dollars in supplies, (Filled four airplane hangers) and then “con”vince the U.S. Navy into shipping the stuff over on various ships.

The Chinese government gave about a million bucks in aid.

Big whup.

Whether they can’t, or just won’t, dictatorships and communism just don’t do charity.
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cykonas
Posted on July 3, 2012 at 6:39pm
Thanks Blaze for some really good feeling stories. I enjoyed them all and look forward to more of the same. You folks are great!
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coalfired
Posted on July 3, 2012 at 5:35pm
May GOD bless these folks…………they are making a difference!
GOD bless our military!
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kalayaan
Posted on July 3, 2012 at 4:55pm
Haay…these are amazing stories…give me more!!!!
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jungle J
Posted on July 3, 2012 at 4:01pm
Young Marine ..semper fi…go to the range…
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Hill60
Posted on July 3, 2012 at 3:42pm
For what it’s worth, unless the writing at the Blaze Magazine is better than the writing on this site – I can’t see shelling out over $35 a year to subscribe to a collection of poorly written and edited stories.
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- Chris Field
  Posted on July 3, 2012 at 3:48pm
  The writing in the mag is great — of course, I’m biased. A lot of work goes into each issue, and I edit every word.
  Report Post »
- kansas hawks 3
  Posted on July 3, 2012 at 4:05pm
  If you don’t like it then get off the Blaze.. Real simple.
  Report Post »
- Capitalist Mama
  Posted on July 3, 2012 at 4:44pm
  Chris,
  
  This article is very well written and no mistakes jumped out at me. However, frequently, while reading The Blaze words are missing, misspelled, and misused. Usually about one word out of every 2 or 3 articles posted. (Weekend and late stories are usually worse). That doesn’t seem like a high number, but it sure is enough to distract a reader who is reading 10 or 12 articles a day! So pass it on to the online staff: Better editing is needed!
  
  Thanks!
  Report Post »
- Malcom0983
  Posted on July 3, 2012 at 4:45pm
  Or he can stay on here and voice his opinion with the rest of us and if you don’t like the freedom of speech then you can move to North Korea… real simple.
  Report Post »
- normalmom
  Posted on July 3, 2012 at 4:48pm
  A good thing to use in life overlook the small flaws to enjoy what it’s really about. Just because the writing isn‘t perfect doesn’t mean the story means nothing. An author can write the most quality book but if it isn‘t interesting it won’t sell.
  Report Post »
- pjpockets
  Posted on July 3, 2012 at 6:11pm
  Hill60. Someday yours and mine will meet on a battlefield. Yours will lose, and mine will dance in the joy of freedom. I am 65 so I will probably be to old, but not yet!!! You damm fool.
  Report Post »
hi
Posted on July 3, 2012 at 3:42pm
The hate spread on the Internet hit home. We need to really think about what we say on The blaze to the libs. We should speak to win them over to the Lord while still defending our position gently! What would Jesus say to them?
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- Dismayed Veteran
  Posted on July 3, 2012 at 3:56pm
  You are right of course. Too many stories generate anger and frustration. These stories represent the best in us.
  Report Post »
- kansas hawks 3
  Posted on July 3, 2012 at 4:09pm
  I think people say things because we get so fustrated and no matter how many letters we write it never does any good and people are tired of never having a voice..
  Report Post »
- cykonas
  Posted on July 3, 2012 at 6:32pm
  @Kansas
  
  Those bonehead things that any of us say in a discussion or in a debate on the spur of the moment are forgivable. The things we write in a forum such as this, and have a opportunity to edit or possibly even not post at all, before we click the reply button isn’t excusable. Hold all of the posters, including yourself, to that standard. Debate does not have to be contentious. As a matter of fact I thinks it‘s way more productive when it isn’t. We need more substantive, measured discussion and a lot less bomb throwing. It will get us to where we want to go much more quickly.
  Report Post »
- kcinco
  Posted on July 3, 2012 at 8:02pm
  I agree with the gentler approach. It is a normal human reaction to be aggressive when defending our beliefs, but that only fans the flames. We can bless them with words of wisdom and leave it at that, or challenge them on the many baseless claims that progressives, atheists, and ignorant people make without being hateful in return.
  Report Post »
Ih8Taxes
Posted on July 3, 2012 at 3:40pm
It’s very refreshing to read stories about some good being done in the world.
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Hill60
Posted on July 3, 2012 at 3:36pm
Love that shot of the Marine escorting the young lady to the ball. What heart.
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- tksocal
  Posted on July 3, 2012 at 3:50pm
  I’m with ya!
  Report Post »
Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on July 3, 2012 at 3:05pm
Glad to see stories such as this one; especially the Cinderella Ball.
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- routnom23
  Posted on July 3, 2012 at 3:24pm
  It appears you and I are about the only ones……..so far.
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