Whats Right About America » America’s Finest

Mary Donnelly’s got your back

lowes1 — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 02:15:36 +0000

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Courtesy of NBCNews. BLOCK ISLAND, RI — For more than half a century, Mary Donnelly — still toiling as a state nurse at the spry age of 83 — has helped nurse fellow Islanders back to health after surgeries, difficult pregnancies and countless other ailments.

But when she saw how her neighbors — the 1,000 or so who live on the island year-round — were struggling financially, especially through the winter months, Donnelly wanted to help.

The Mary D. Fund was established in 1979. Donnelly is the lone administrator. The non-profit raises money every year — the Mary D. Ball in August is the social event of the season — and helps locals pay for everything from mortgage payments to doctors’ and electricity bills when they can’t.

Donnelly’s popularity tends to surge when the jet-setters who crowd this quaint New England getaway from Memorial Day to Labor Day head home. “Closed” signs suddenly dot storefront windows, streets empty, quiet settles in.

Making ends meet becomes a real test of discipline and faith for many residents who stick around past tourist season.

“So, it’s a hard time,” Donnelly says. “They’re either running stores or restaurants or taxis or whatever. But then, as you can see down at the taxi stand, it’s just empty now.

“So they have, they have a problem.”

But she’s got the checkbook. Last year, Donnelly put more than $50,000 worth of assistance in its registry.

And while she doesn’t approve every request for aid, when she does, it usually comes with a caveat or two about how to stretch budgets and survive life on the island.

After all, she’s done it for 53 years. On a nurse’s pay.

Panera tries ‘pay as you can’ option

lowes1 — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 02:01:42 +0000

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U.S. Veterans help wage battle against raging storms

lowes1 — Thu, 26 May 2011 21:32:58 +0000

Veterans help wage battle against raging storms

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Using natural disasters as a bridge between the battlefield and civil service, Team Rubicon—a small group of combat veterans—prove that the drive to serve one’s country never goes away. NBC’s Ron Mott reports.

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lowes1 — Tue, 10 May 2011 14:57:45 +0000

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lowes1 — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 03:29:38 +0000

A Princeton, N.J., man has spent the last several years giving thousands of children’s books a second chance.

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Giving Back

lowes1 — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 02:45:20 +0000

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America “18 Pages” – Jimmy Joe Lee

lowes1 — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:17:33 +0000

Wisconson Town Rallies to help a Family in Need

lowes1 — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 01:30:16 +0000

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The entire town of Grafton, Wisconsin came to the rescue when a single mom and her triplets found themselves faced with serious health issues. NBC’s Ann Curry reports.

2010 Winter Olympics – USA National Anthem

lowes1 — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:19:32 +0000

How sweet the sound!

Walter Cronkite-November 4, 1916 – July 17, 2009

lowes1 — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 22:02:56 +0000

Walter Leland Cronkite, Jr. (November 4, 1916 – July 17, 2009) was an American broadcast journalist, best known as anchorman for the CBS Evening News for 19 years (1962–81). During the heyday of CBS News in the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited in viewer opinion polls as “the most trusted man in America” because of his professional experience and kindly demeanor.