Community Corner

Inspiring Stories That Can Change Your Life

Another work week dragging by? Stressed that the year is almost half over? Patch has just the thing to help you center your thinking while inspiring others.

You were uniquely made, with unique challenges to your life.

And, sometimes those challenges seem insurmountable. Suffocating, even.

You make look around and wonder, "How can I make a difference? Where do I start?"

Find out what's happening in Gwinnettwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

You can start here, in this moment, and decide that life is what you make of it.

What you do: It matters.

Find out what's happening in Gwinnettwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Check out these following inspirational stories of people who have come to understand that. Despite any challenges, they are using their lives to change the lives of others.

The profiles are sponsored by Grape-Nuts.

-- Know someone with an interesting, life-changing story? Let us know about it in the comment section. --

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1. Teenager 'Inspires Selfless Service through Mentorship'

-- After feeling overwhelmed when helping out with a wildfire disaster relief effort, Shaun Verma says as a 13-year-old, he "came up with the idea of starting a leadership organization that would create a sustainable impact."

2. Flesh-Eating Bacteria Survivor Aimee Copeland's Goal: Helping Others

-- Aimee Copeland became widely known for a disastrous accident. One that caused her to inherit a particularly horrible infection, necrotizing fasciitis. The infection took limbs, but it did not break her spirit or her love of life.

3. School Advocate Helps Students in Solar Power Challenge

-- Kim Gokce, of Brookhaven, created the Cross Keys Foundation to help low-income students from his community. Just because the students are in the predicament that they are in, it doesn't meant that they cannot succeed.

4. Restaurateur Mixes Good Food with Good Deeds

-- Brian Maloof uses his business, the Atlanta landmark Manuel’s Tavern, to change the world for those less fortunate. He is well-known for giving back to the poor and homeless in his neighborhood, and for helping ex-convicts reenter society by giving them employment.

5. Man Is First Double Amputee to Finish Ironman Triathlon

-- Sandy Springs resident Scott Rigsby talks to Patch about how he helps families of wounded soldiers and others with physical challenges. In 2007, he became the first double amputee to finish the Ironman World Championship triathlon.

Know a person with an inspiring story, email a Letter to the Editor to any Patch editor.


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