Some of the Things to be Thankful For

While we’re counting our blessings today, here are a few more to take note of:

BIG WHEELS: Members of the Vietnamese-American Chamber of Commerce of Santa Clara Valley were just getting started when they aired a plea on their bilingual radio show (“San Jose Weekend Radio AM 1500“), seeking aid for Kaitlyn Langstaff. Listeners quickly donated more than $5,000 to help the 9-year-old Saratoga girl in her battle against the effects of an adverse medical reaction.

Encouraged, chamber officials next went on-air for donations to the Wheelchair Foundation, which provides wheelchairs for the needy worldwide. Again, listeners quickly responded—$12,000 contributed after only two announcements by radio hosts Thuanand H.G. Nguyen. So more announcements were made. Instead of the original goal of 100 wheelchairs, the chamber now is working on three shipping containers of them—720 wheelchairs in all, with donations of $108,000. “We haven’t reached our new goal yet, but we are confident,” H.G. Nguyen says. “It does not matter how good or bad the economy is. An altruist person always has means for a good cause.”