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For a more in-depth tour, visit cemeteries across the world without even buying a plane ticket. BillionGraves.com is an online sharing and research site that aims to feature — just as the name would suggest — billions of grave sites around the world. BillionGraves allows users to create a digital database of cemeteries around the world by snapping a photo, uploading it, and providing some information about it. Family members can enter a relative’s name and take a virtual tour of where their long-lost ancestors lie. A quick family search with your kids may put into perspective just how far-reaching your family is. You can also provide other families with a chance to see their relatives’ grave sites by taking a trip to your local cemetery, snapping some photos, and teaching your kids about tracking genealogy with names, dates, and descriptions. Make a Traditional Dish If you really want to make family history stick, eat food that represents your heritage. Everyone has memories of meals their parents
or grandparents used to make, so pass on some of yours to your kids! Teach your kids how to make great-great-grandma’s famous cannoli with her original recipe or master the shepherd’s pie that your grandfather was famous for. The kids can create a shopping list, and then you can go together to pick up the ingredients. Make the recipes together, enjoy them with neighbors or relatives, and share family stories as you do. Even better — turn the food day into a party. Guests will likely
share stories of their own heritage as you break bread over hearty memories.
Don’t let your inquisitive kiddo down. Family history, good or bad, is important for every child to learn. The best way to teach them boils down to your child’s personality, their likes and dislikes, and the time you have on your hands. But it’s never too early to climb that family tree.
In the wake of destruction, it’s easy to focus on self-preservation. After all, fight-or-flight instincts are hard-wired into our brains so that we can survive dangerous situations. But while fear drives the actions of many in times of chaos, there are a few who find greater strength in compassion. Tony Alsup considered the potential devastation of Hurricane Florence as he sat comfortably in his home in Greeneville, Tennessee. Rather than sit back and watch, the truck driver by trade packed up an out-of- commission school bus he’d bought and set off to South Carolina with one goal in mind: to save as many animals as possible. Stopping by every shelter he found along the coast, Alsup rescued over 60 cats and dogs in both North and South Carolina and took them to Foley, Alabama. The heroic efforts of Alsup saved the lives of many animals, but it wasn’t the first time he’d rushed into danger for a good cause. He’d originally purchased the school bus, which he turned into Noah’s Ark last year, to save animals in Texas and Florida as Hurricane Harvey pounded the Gulf Coast. When he finished there, his mission shifted to helping animals in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria ravaged the island. Hurricane Hero Tony Alsup How One Man Rescued Hundreds of Animals
of Florence, but as news stories turned to sports, politics, and business, America slowly moved on. Victims of the hurricane who lacked supplies received less national attention, but more than a month later, Alsup’s commitment to the cause was as strong as ever. Living out of the back of the bus for weeks, he drove pets out of the persistent flooding and convoyed shipments of desperately needed supplies to the coastal Carolina towns. You can followTony’s commitment on Facebook. He’s not asking for money or fame; he’s just a person with heart to serve, using social media to promote awareness about those who desperately need our help. If you’re wondering what drives such a person, you can find it written at the bottom of every update he posts:“Love y’all, mean it.”
It’s said that character is defined by the way someone acts when no one is watching. Many people heard of Alsup’s bravery after the devastation
2 • swbwlawfirm.com
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