13 Good News Stories: Planting Smiles; Loyal Eater; Because, 2020

ACROSS AMERICA — It was clear before planting season that 2020 was going to be a stinker.

So fourth-generation Wisconsin strawberry grower Scott Thompson planted 2 million sunflowers that would sprout and grow into smile-makers by late summer. Thompson told Patch he hopes visitors to his farm will “just enjoy what reality used to be like instead of what it is now.”

"We've heard a lot from people in the cities who came out here," he said. "A lot of people are saying, 'We just needed to get out of the city and come out to a place where I could take my mask off for a couple of hours.' " By Scott Anderson for Mount Pleasant-Sturtevant Patch

Below are a dozen more stories that will raise your spirits and maybe an eyebrow — because, 2020. But first, don't these sunflowers make you smile?

A Cop Saves His Dad

Any day a cop can save a life is a good one. But for police Officer Sean Carroll — and his entire family, for that matter — the day he saved his 63-year-old father’s life has to rank as one of the best of 2020, if not ever. The elder Carroll had been stung by a bee and didn’t think much of it. Bee allergies hadn’t been identified as part of his family’s history. When he lost consciousness, his 25-year-old police officer son knew just what to do. By Russ Crespolini for Long Valley Patch

This Act Took Courage

Kyla Davis was going about her business late last month when she saw a man with a knife trying to force a woman in a Chicago-area parking lot into his car. When she heard the woman scream, Davis called 911. The woman was able to break free and ran toward Davis’ car. Still on the phone with the 911 operator, Davis opened the door and drove the woman to safety. By Eric DeGrechie for Arlington Heights Patch

Customer Loyalty To The Nth Degree

If not for fiercely loyal customers, many indoor restaurants in Joliet, Illinois, would be unable to stay afloat during the pandemic. There are legions of loyal customers, but none more legendary than 73-year-old John Paul “JP” Bruzek, who eats at a local Golden Corral restaurant twice a day, six days a week — something he’s been doing since 2013. By John Ferak for Joliet Patch

Voices From Behind The Mask

A couple of Wisconsin teenagers used their voices — from behind a mask — to ask a critical question of their school administrators: Why were officials more concerned about whether girls cover their shoulders and midriffs than requiring all students to wear masks to control the spread of the coronavirus? Bare shoulders cause no real harm, they reasoned. An unmasked face, on the other hand, can lead to death. The response to their online petition was a surprise. By Megan VerHelst for Milwaukee Patch

The Reality Of Freedom

A collection of 19 families who recently purchased nearly 98 acres in a small Georgia town 130 miles outside of Atlanta may not only be on the verge of creating their own slice of community, but also may be the subject of a new reality television series that would document the formation of a placed called Freedom, a "safe haven" for Black families in the rural town of Toomsboro, Georgia. By Jeff Arnold for Atlanta Patch

An ‘Udderly’ Satisfying Ending

Marilyn, the iconic cow bench in front of the Ben and Jerry’s ice cream shop in Hoboken, New Jersey, is finally back where it belongs. The bench vanished in October, “right under our noses,” one of the clerks told Patch. Shop owner Sibel Berberoglou heard through the grapevine the heist was a fraternity prank and contacted officials. Just bring Marilyn back, she said. “She was a little bruised,” Berberoglou said of the bench that reappeared as suddenly as it disappeared. She is “udderly” satisfied with the opportunity the prank provided. By Caren Lissner for Hoboken Patch

Hunger In America

Given the millions of job losses and other economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, as many as 54 million Americans could face real hunger. We hope you’ll give some thought to supporting your local food bank and help your neighbors feed their families. Patch has teamed with Feeding America in this social good project. Read more. Find a food bank. Give to a food bank.

Lights, Camera, Action, Food

Back in the spring, a Connecticut family began re-creating and posting videos of scenes from movies as a cure for boredom during the coronavirus lockdown (top photo). They turned their activity into a fundraiser for Feeding America when they learned so many people were struggling to feed their families. They collected $26,250 in pledges — including a donation from a big-time celebrity. By Chris Dehnel for Southington Patch

Wear This Cause On Your Wrist

The efforts of a couple of Virginia girls won’t feed all the hungry people in America, but they will help on the local level. Georgia and Josephine Grana had a singular goal when they headed off to summer camp this year: to do some good. They started turning out friendship bracelets to raise money for Real Food for Kids: Chefs Feeding Families, a joint initiative of Washington, D.C.-area restaurants to provide grab-and-go meals to families needing food assistance. By Emily Leayman for Vienna Patch

A “Really Big” Food Drive

The world has changed a lot in the last six months, but one constant through it all has been the regular food drives organized by Fairfield, Connecticut, residents Helene Daly, Heather Dubrosky and Alexis Harrison. The latest effort, their 20th, is billed as a “really big” food drive to replace a local charity’s Really Big Tag Sale, canceled because of the pandemic. By Anna Bybee-Schier for Fairfield Patch

Hunger In America: More Stories

Bonus: Only In 2020 . . .

If 2020 Was A Hurricane

Oh, for Zebulon’s sake. Much like toilet paper and Clorox wipes, 2020 may be remembered as the year we ran out of one other thing — hurricane names. By Paul Scicchitano for Miami Patch

If 2020 Was A Parade

For many families, a Thanksgiving without the Macy’s parade streaming on television is like sitting down to a meal without the pie. The coronavirus pandemic threatened to cancel the iconic parade, but the organizers have come up with a workaround that Americans can still see on their televisions. By Matt Troutman for New York City Patch

If 2020 Was A Karen

Because we know you may want to shriek and run away, we saved this story about a hot Halloween trend for last: the Karen mask. You may know a Karen — a pejorative name describing an entitled, demanding white woman who uses her privilege to get her way, no matter what. Artist Jason Adcock, who designed the Karen mask, says “it’s the scariest thing you can be on Halloween.” Really? Scarier than even one month of 2020? By Ashley Ludwig for Mission Viejo Patch

This article originally appeared on the Across America Patch