BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – One thing the pandemic has taught us is just how much we crave good news. And despite the constant bad news, we’ve learned there is just as much good news. So much good news in fact, it inspired a new series here at Your News Leader.
Inspired by the traditional 12 days of Christmas, here are the top 12 good news stories of 2021.
Popcorn makes Jerry Zimmerman happy. Giving away that popcorn makes him even happier.
“We all have bad days and if it lifts somebody’s spirits, it makes me feel good,” he said.
The White Shield man has given away nearly 10,000 bags of popcorn.
Rick Funk is a big Trinity Titans fan. Trinity students wanted to find a way to thank Funk for his unending support. So, they made T-shirts to honor him.
“He kept asking, ‘Why me?’ I just said, ‘Because we love you Rick,’” said TCS president, Steve Glasser.
Students sold about 90 of these shirts. They donated all proceeds to ABLE, where Funk lives.
Trina Burns lost her ring at work. The next day, unbeknownst to her, her colleagues were digging through every piece of trash in the dumpster outside their downtown Bismarck office.
“I had to wear gloves,” said coworker Titus Gietzen.
The ring eventually showed up in a nearby parking lot.
Grady Christensen ran the last race of his seventh grade track season surrounded by friends, friends from his team, and from other schools. They ran with him, pushing him and cheering him on the entire race. They ran with him all season long and helped him to a personal best in the shotput.
“We realize at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you win or lose, it’s about the race and making friends,” said teammate Owen Hintz.
Divide county’s Mariah Jenkins continued to jump over life’s obstacles, placing fourth in the Class B high jump at the state track meet.
“I was so happy! It was great,” she said.
Her left arm was amputated below the elbow after a car crash that killed her mother in July 2018. In July, she got a step closer to her
and attended an invite-only volleyball training that put her a step closer to achieving her.
This video of Hulda Erdmann playing the piano went viral. The 103-year old celebrated her birthday with a little concert for staff and residents at the Baptist Health Care Center, where she lives. Staff live-streamed that performance on their Facebook page. That video got thousands of views.
“I couldn’t believe it was all the way to Washington, D.C. and Maryland,” said Erdman.
Shayna Munson headed back to college this fall. The 27-year-old has spent the past six years recovering from injuries she suffered in a crash that killed her two friends. For her mom, this sendoff is bittersweet, a mixture of pride and fear.
“I know there’s going to be stumbles along the way,” Connie shared.
But as Shayna has proven time and time again, nothing can keep her down for long.
In October, students in Jody Olheiser’s AVID class held Kindness Tailgating Parties outside Bismarck High School.
Drivers lucky enough to get stopped at the red light got a flower or candy. Everyone got a smile. They’re hoping to make kindness the next big thing.
“We thought, why not make kindness trending,” said Olheiser.
On Thanksgiving day, Mrs. O. passed away after a short battle with cancer. A few days later, AVID students at Century High School held their own
to honor her, a woman these students had never met.
“This would have been her dream to see this,” said CHS AVID instructor Chelsey Gravseth.
In Emmons County, 91-year-old Albert Weber is still doing what he loves: helping with harvest. In November, he figured he’s been harvesting crops here for 85 years.
“I probably started when I was six years old,” Albert recalled.
An unlikely friendship between the high school kids on Bus 54 and the kids at Sue Brady’s daycare.
“We wave at the bus,” said three-year-old Jack Presser.
“It just really warms my heart. It made me smile and it’s something that I look forward to now every day when I drive my afternoon run,” said Bus 54 driver Barry Chalifoux.
This brief exchange has become a moment everyone looks forward to, and it might just be the best part of their day.
The day after our story aired,
made a surprise stop at the daycare to meet the kids.
Twelve combines, five grain carts and more than 30 trucks finished harvesting Mitch Miller’s 2,000 acres of corn in less than two days.
Mitch passed away suddenly in September. His friends remember him as a great farmer, and a good friend. Mitch’s family just never thought they’d be the ones in need.
“This only happens to other people. Now we are the other people,” said Mitch’s dad Terry.
Toni Gumeringer is a proud grandma.
“They are just smiley girls,” she said with a smile.
Those smiles gave her an idea. Every day from November 30 to December 24, she’s been dressing the girls in elf costumes, positioning them in some creative poses and snapping a photo.
She posts a daily photo of her little elves to her Facebook page, sharing the smiles with friends and family who need them the most.
We know there are countless other “Good News” stories that we haven’t told yet.
We look forward to bringing you more of those stories in 2022. If you’ve got good news, send an email to jody.kerzman@kfyrtv.com.
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