We can all agree that 2020 was a year unlike many others in recent history. If you look at the top news stories of the year, there are definitely a lot of not-so-good stories out there, but that’s not all that 2020 had to offer. Let’s not completely write off this year, because in the midst of all the articles and news stories that made up 2020, there is a lot of good. Below are some news stories that may have been overlooked this year by the masses.
- President Trump negotiated a historic peace deal, the first of its kind in over 25 years, between the United Arab Emirates and Israel.
- Gardening businesses boomed during the pandemic, and nurseries have tried to keep up with the unexpected demand. The seed company Burpee sold more seed packets in the Spring of 2020 than at any time during its 144-year history.
- 2020 marked over 12 million pounds of plastic recovered by a company called 4ocean, which removes trash from the world’s ocean, rivers, and coastlines, one pound at a time and transforms the trash into bracelets. Each bracelet purchased equals 1 pound of plastic removed!
- Brothers Mike and Nick Fiorito quit their jobs in New York City after realizing how often they felt unfulfilled and led them to an idea for helping the homeless folks they so often passed on the city streets on their way to work. They launched Blankets of Hope, which turned into a global nonprofit organization that also encourages kindness in schools. Blankets of Hope donated over 31,000 blankets and handwritten notes to those in need – and counting!
- After swimming 2.4 miles, a 21-year-old Floridian cycled 112 miles, and then ran a 26.2-mile marathon to become the first competitor with Down’s Syndrome to successfully cross the finish line in the 42-year history of the Iron Man Race. Clocking in at 16 hours; 46 minutes; nine seconds (just 14 minutes shy of the 17-hour cutoff time), triathlete Chris Nikic didn’t finish with the fastest time when he completed his first Iron Man race but he did set a new world record!
- A total of 700 children in Europe of different nationalities united in a virtual choir setting the world record for the largest virtual choir.
- A 29 year old single foster dad named Carter adopted 5 siblings so they wouldn’t have to be apart like he was in his childhood. He entered the system at age 12 and it wasn’t until years later that he was finally reunited with his younger sister and brother. The children Carter adopted were living in three separate foster homes when he was awarded custody.
- A Dairy Queen restaurant in Minnesota was the scene of the pay-it-forward chain that lasted nearly three days. The record ended up at over 900 cars, with $10,000 in sales from selfless customers who passed up the opportunity to take a free meal for themselves.
- The Christmas star which took place on winter solstice (Dec. 21) was comprised of planets Jupiter and Saturn and an event not seen in nearly 800 years, since 1226!
- George Hood, a retired police officer and now a personal trainer, decided to break the world record for the longest plank to help raise awareness for mental health. In 2011, he broke the record for the first time when he held the plank for over one hour. He lost his title a few years later, but in 2020 he gave it another shot and held the plank for 8 hours!
At Idaho Wild we believe that the best is truly yet to come. We don’t know what 2021 will bring but we know that what is focused on will be magnified, so we will continue seeing the silver lining in the midst of any clouds.
Happy New Year, friends!
