Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News

~ John W. Howell
Today’s Good News story comes from the Good News Network. Here is the entire story.

Former Marine Driving 1,000 Miles to Ukraine Border in Minibus Loaded with Supplies, Toys, and Blankets for Refugees

by Andy Corbley March 3, 2022

Tom Littledyke

A former UK Royal Marine has loaded a 16-seater minibus with sleeping bags, pillows, and toys for refugees moving across the Ukrainian border into Poland and pledged to drive 1,000 miles to personally deliver them.

31-year-old Tom Littledyke from Lyme Regis began his journey on February 28th, saying he was inspired to act after seeing pictures of “families broken and separated by the conflict.”

Setting up a fundraiser, it took Littledyke just twelve hours to fill his minibus with supplies and collect £4,000 in donations ($5,300) for the trip.

“Too often do we think that we have to do something grand, and if it can’t be grand, what’s the point,” he told the BBC. “It doesn’t matter what we do as long as it’s something in the right direction. There’s so many of us who want to help. It will all build to this gigantic thing.”

The 1,000 mile (1,600 km) drive will take him and his cargo through England, France, Germany, and Poland before arriving at the border with Ukraine, where an alleged 500,000 refugees have fled. After unloading the supplies, he plans to utilize the bus to give rides to people who have a place to stay.

Littledyke’s partner will hold down the fort in his absence, which consists of two pubs and an Italian restaurant.

While it is said that war is hell, Good News Network knows that during times when the capacity for human malevolence is greatest, the capacity for compassion is greater.

The good news here is one man decided to do something to help Ukrainians. Today’s JohnKu reminds us to think of those in need. I hope you have a super weekend, and maybe you can think of a small way to help.

Little Acts by John W. Howell © 2022

Big efforts to help,

Can also use the support . . .

Of little kind acts.

105 thoughts on “Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News”

  10. With all that’s going on and the media seemingly so focused on one topic – it would be fantastic if they would report this one as well. Thank you, John.

    Liked by 2 people

      1. Unfortunately you’re right. After the State of the Union, I read the Associated Press analysis and whoa! the amount of lies was more than I first thought!!

        Liked by 1 person

  14. Beautiful post, John. I love your haiku. Those “little kind acts” can have a huge impact. There are gestures that live with me – of someone reaching out or simply saying something kind during a period of great confusion or pain. We never know what another person is feeling, but a kind act can change their day – or their life. 💗

    Liked by 1 person

  20. We hope that Hölderlin is right when he wrote “but where is danger, the saving also grows” (1803).
    Indeed, dear John, small acts of kindness are necessary to support big efforts.
    Keep well
    The Fab Four of Cley
    🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Thank you kind sir. It can only go up! I was greeted at work with a huge pile of dog poo… the VP brought his dog into the office and well… yeah!

        Liked by 1 person

  25. Good for him! I think there’s an anonymous saying — “A bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives roses” — that applies here. Thanks for sharing this story, John, and enjoy your weekend.

    Liked by 1 person

  26. A wonderful story and your words are perfect, John. There are really no words to describe what Ukraine is enduring. It’s beyond heartbreaking. But thank you for sharing this inspiring story.

    Liked by 1 person

  30. Tom is a beautiful man, and the light that is sorely needed in the middle of all this darkness. You always worry when the news-heads ponder as to how much worse things can get, because all of us folk of a certain age already know the answer to that one. And then a human being like Tom come along and shows us how much better we can hope for, and be.

    You scored a real keeper with this one, Boss.

    Liked by 1 person

  32. I was at COSTCO today, John, and folks were shopping for supplies to send overseas for the Ukraine refugees. We’ll drop off our stuff tomorrow. My heart goes out to the people who are suffering at this moment and my respect and awe goes to those brave people fighting their enemy.

    Liked by 1 person

  38. I love it. LOVE it! Stories like this make the world go round, restore hope in humanity, and hopefully inspire others to do likewise. Thanks for making the world brighter by spreading this news around, John. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  39. Today I was in a Zoom meeting and the presenter had this quote on the last slide of her presentation: “None of us can do everything but each of us can do something!” Mr. Littledyke’s “something” is quite impressive and uplifting. Thank you for sharing his story, John!

    Liked by 1 person

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