Hey, y’all. It’s Amie.

Talk about an ordinary day turning extraordinary. This past Sunday, our usual lunch spot was so packed that we had to park a little farther away than usual. Kody, Colton, and I crossed the street and started walking down the sidewalk when we heard a little meow come from some nearby bushes.

I bent down and saw a tiny black-and-white kitten. It was shaking and appeared to have only one eye. We scooped him up, took him home, and got him warm and fed. After a few minutes, his other little eye unthawed and popped open.

He was also sick (and is now on medicine for a gnarly sinus infection). Given his age, weather-induced sickness, lack of a microchip, and thin build, the vet said there was no indication that anyone had previously owned him. To make a long story short, we accidentally got a kitten for Christmas—and his name is Figgy Purrding, and we’re so glad you’re here.

These Virginians remind us to keep kindness and love at the center. (Andrey K/Unsplash)

By Aila Boyd

Here’s what you need to know: This year in Virginia proved to be one that was filled with extraordinary acts of kindness, thanks to a number of ordinary citizens who went out of their way to help others.

Three helpful heroes:

• Midlothian resident Carrie Edwards donated all $150,000 of her Powerball winnings in September to charities supporting military families and dementia research, The Guardian reported.

• Annie Allen, a 95-year-old Hopewell woman, hasn’t let her age prevent her from helping others by serving in the charitable Order of the Eastern Star, the American Legion, and in ministry efforts, WWBT 12 On Your Side reported in July.

• It’s not every day that a member of one generation steps up and deeply impacts the life of someone in a different generation, but that’s exactly what 69-year-old Newport News resident Jerry Sharp did when he donated a kidney to help a 25-year-old woman. Sharp told News 3 WTKR that he learned about the woman’s need for a kidney through his church.

Want more positive stories? The link below is just for you.

Ruth Maxie stands with a doll she received for Christmas in the 1940s. (Amie Knowles/Dogwood)

By Amie Knowles

In 1946, 11-year-old Ruth Maxie was certain Santa Claus was real.

With five sisters and a single mother, Christmas usually meant an orange and a few nuts for her family. So when she mentioned a beautiful doll she’d seen in a Danville department store, she knew it wasn’t something she’d receive.

Yet, on Christmas morning, Ruth found that very doll waiting for her.

“I could not believe that I got it because I knew mama didn’t have that much money, but I was the happiest little girl in the world,” Ruth said.

Now 90, Ruth still doesn’t know how her mother afforded it. She only knows that, for one unforgettable morning in 1946, Santa’s magic was real—and it’s stayed with her for nearly 80 years.

Job Type: Grants Analyst

Location: Department of General Services (DGS) in Richmond

Salary: $85,000–$90,000/year

Qualifications:

• Considerable experience with federal grant management, including financial tracking, reporting, and budget development.
• Considerable knowledge of fiscal policies and procedures for accounting, reporting, and budgeting.
• Experience in analyzing complex financial data, transactions, and reports.
• And more.

Job description on Indeed: The Grants Analyst will be “managing and monitoring federal grant compliance, conducting financial analysis and reconciliation, and promoting a high level of customer service in liaising with program managers, the DCLS executive team, the Chief Budget Officer, Budget and Internal Service Fund Analysts, Grant Accountant, and other parties.”

P.S. Our parent company kindly gives us time off to enjoy with our loved ones during the holiday season, so starting next week, we’ll have an altered newsletter schedule through the end of the year. You’ll see us in your inbox on Dec. 22, 23, and 30. Come Jan. 5, we’ll be back to our regular schedule.

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