Daily Point of Light

Before his 1993 racecar accident, Mike Penketh was a pilot for a major airline.  After the accident, with both arms amputated below the elbow, he felt lost. Through hard work in re-hab, he gained profficiency using his myo-electric prosthetic hands and managed to retain both his driver’s and pilot’s license.  His career with the major airline was lost forever.   During this time of difficult transition for Mike, he was often heard to say, “Just find me the nearest bridge…”

Knitting is not something you do for instant gratification; it takes time, it takes dedication. Rachel Braley knits. But Rachel’s knitting isn’t aimed at providing her family with holiday gifts of scarves and mittens, her knitting helps create the fabric of a community.

Imagine a program that brings together the victim of a crime, the perpetrator and the impacted community to solve local challenges brought about by crime.  Lou Nelson volunteers for such a program in River Falls, Wisconsin.  The St. Croix Valley Restorative Justice Program(SCVRJP), engages community members to be active particpants in a healing process. Lou has made a significant impact as a resource to the executive director and board of directors at SCVRJP.  Lou helps screen and hire new staff, supports office procedures, edits documents and consults strategically with the director.

Denise Perez is barely a teenager, yet her life is already full of adult sized challenges. Every day she watches her mom try to cope with depression, her older sister, a teenager as well, dropped out of high school and is already the mother of two.  She shares a small bedroom with five other family members in a small house in a rough section of San Antonio. There aren’t many people who wouldn’t forgive Denise for giving up hope. But, Erin Mankus is not one of those people. Erin has been Denise’s “Big Sister” for the past six years through Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Texas.

When disaster struck the small town of Holden, Massachusetts, it was during one of the coldest months of the year. A treacherous ice storm had brought the town to a halt. With electric thermostats rendered useless, many families were left to huddle together for warmth as temperatures dipped below freezing.   In this great time of need, the people of Holden turned to Rebecca Evanoff, and to no one’s surprise, she was more than ready to help.