A little kindness goes a long way at Olympics

Daily Herald ^ | Saturday, February 16 2002 | Tad Walch

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

This same country has terrible conditions for their international-caliber gymnasts to train in, as well. They can't afford the new vault table that will be required to be used at gymnastics meets at the international level, and thus cannot train properly. I'm thinking about starting up some sort of fund to help raise money for them to obtain this new piece of equipment.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

You betcha!

[piasa]

bump to Utah

[Utah Girl]

If you do set up a fund for them, please let me know, and I will send you some money. That is a worthy cause. Too bad the IOC members have to live so high on the hog. Did you know that they all received Rolex watches from SLOC for the Winter Olympics. I was sitting there thinking of how many poor athletes could have had better training conditions with the thousands of dollars spent on those watches...

[Utah Girl]

Thanks! This was such a heart-warming story.

[jla]

I enjoy politics, but a story like this one is certainly always welcome.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Oh, do that! I would love to send some money for a cause like that.

What a great, heartwarming story this is. I only wish I could have donated something.

[EmmaPeel]

Really inspiring and a wonderful article. Thank you so much..I'm going to send it to my mother now :D

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

I will be discussing it on another forum (for gymnastics topics) and find out some things in terms of cost of the equipment, shipping, etc. I will certainly keep you apprised as things develop. My son's coach from the Ukraine has told me things about the system over there (in the former Soviet satellite countries) that would make any person with a heart weep.

[Brian Allen]

Nice, nice story, indeed.

I also have a Utah memory or two, involving the incredible kindness and generosity of people there, to me, that, like this one, bring tears to my eyes.

Utah's people are a pretty darn Good example to all of us of what's possible when folks follow the admonition to: "Love One Another!"

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

My nephew was adopted from Bulgaria. For Christmas in his orphanage, he typically received an empty plastic bottle and an orange. He has the sweetest heart of any boy I've ever seen - and when I think about how he spent the first several Christmas seasons of his life, I feel like I could cry.

That has nothing to do with this story, I know, but these poor countries that have to send their kids to the Olympics with worn-out sweats - well, it just breaks my heart.

Please do let me know if/when you decide to start your fund. Bless you!!

[Amore]

What a heartwarming story.

[2Jedismom]

I quit watching the Olympics a while back, but I sure did enjoy Rintense's Daily Dose for the opening ceremonies.

This is a nice story though...wasn't there a bob-sled team a while back that got a rock-group to sponser them? Had that rock group's name on the sled or something?

[LJLucido]

Thanks for posting this. I spent a week in Akatu, Kazakhstan, in 1993. Some of the most beautiful people I have ever met. Especially the Kazakh women, IMHO.

[LJLucido]

Akatu = Aktau

Proofread, dummy!

[Publius6961]

Made-up stories which tug at the heartstrings of Americans are a dime a dozen, and I avoid them like the plague.
I couldn't resist reading this one because... well, I don't know why.

It rings true. And it makes me prouder to be an American than all the gold medals I have heard we've won so far.
Not telling what the reaction was that it had on me.
God bless Americans.

[Publius6961]

From the most cynical man on the planet, who got a little teary off this.

The second most cynical, and I dare you to prove otherwise!