Christmas Stories: Santa Surprises, Dickens' Legacy, and a Dog's Cookie Caper

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Calarugashawk Media. Hey I Am Johnny
Mack. Now through Christmas. On Monday

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and Wednesday its normal episodes, and
on Tuesday and Thursdays its five Good News

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Christmas Stories. Here's Astor Ireland.
One year, the Canadian airline WestJet brought

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to life a holiday fantasy for passengers
flying to Calgary. With a digital Santa

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Claus set up in the airport,
The travelers were asked to share their Christmas

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wishes as the flight took off.
WestJet employees embarked on a shopping spree to

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fulfill these wishes. Upon landing,
passengers were greeted with their desired gifts awaiting

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them at baggage claim, ranging from
simple necessities to grand electronics. This grand

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gesture was not WestJet's first foray into
spreading holiday joy, as the airline had

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previously delighted passengers with a flash mob
and gifts on a late night flight,

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reinforcing their commitment to create unforgettable holiday
memories for their customers. Nell has become

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a cherished figure in her Bend,
Oregon community, renowned for her commitment to

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supporting local families during the holiday season. Her journey began when she discovered the

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potential of Oregon's bottle drop program as
a means to gather funds. Inspired by

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the prospect of using this method to
provide for a family and need, Nell

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reached out to her neighbors and nearby
businesses, offering to collect and donate their

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recyclable bottles and cans. Nell takes
a personal approach, visiting the grocery store

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to purchase a complete holiday meal for
each family, along with essential groceries and

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a new kitchen towel. Overwhelmed by
the generosity she witnessed, she expressed her

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deep emotions, saying, I have
never in my life been so moved by

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the kindness and actions of so many. The people in this community are amazing.

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Her story stands as a testament to
the power of community spirit. Last

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March, on a historic Friday,
marking one hundred and eighty years since the

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Fateful Day, Charles Dickens chose to
eternally memorialize a name in a Christmas Carol.

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Members of the Dickens lineage came together
with kin of the real Jacob Marley

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Mark Dickens, alongside Lucinda Hawksley,
descendants of the renowned author encountered Christopher Marley,

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who shares blood with the story Doctor
Myles Marley. The name Marley was

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borrowed by Dickens in eighteen forty three
to craft the character of Jacob Marley,

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the lamenting former associate of the notorious
Ebenezer Scrooge. The true Doctor Marley,

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an Irish resident of London, once
hosted a Saint Patrick's Day celebration attended by

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Dickens. A conversation about unusual last
names led to Doctor Marley's comment on the

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rarity of his own, prompting Dickens
to vow that Marley would become well known

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before year's end. Indeed, Marley
became synonymous with the quintessential Christmas narrative,

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a Christmas Carol. Doctor Marley passed
away in Port Isaac, Cornwall in eighteen

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fifty four. Now their progeny,
including Dickens's great great grandson Mark and great

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great great granddaughter Lucinda, have reunited. Even the venue for this meeting was

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significant, the same eleven Cork Street
in London where Dickens and the original Doctor

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Marley first met on December fifteenth,
nineteen fifty nine. At the age of

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seventeen, a young individual enlisted in
the Army. Within five days, a

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decision loomed return home for the holidays
or remain at Fort Carson, Colorado to

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endure fifteen days of k P duty. The recruit, alongside a comrade,

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yearned to go home, but lack
the funds for the bus fare. Thus

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they embarked on a daring eleven hundred
mile hitch hiking journey to San Antonio,

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Texas a gateway to their respective homes, one bound for Nuevo Laredo, Mexico,

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and the other for Aransaw Pass,
Texas. Their first leg concluded in

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Trinidad, Colorado, where they spent
a night sustained by cafe coffee. The

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following day brought a stroke of luck. A semi tractor rig offered them passage

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to Amarillo, Texas. There they
faced a weary trek across town to resume

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their quest for a ride. As
the day waned and the chill of snow

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set in, their prospects dimmed.
However, hope arrived in the form of

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a Volkswagen Beetle, its interior a
cozy den for a young family and their

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shaggy canine. The driver, generous
and kind hearted, invited the soldiers into

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the warmth of his vehicle, promising
them a direct ride to San Antonio.

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In that crowded beetle, with a
makeshift bed replacing the back seat and the

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family's full entourage aboard, the soldiers
found their path home for Christmas. The

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family extended their generosity beyond the confines
of their car, providing meals, and

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in an ultimate act of benevolence,
purchased the bus tickets for the final stretch

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of the journey. The soldiers were
left with an indelible impression of kindness,

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a memory to cherish and recount with
gratitude, hoping that the same goodwill would

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forever be returned to their benefactors.
Liz, a seasoned dog trainer, was

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well acquainted with the unexpected moments of
humor pets can bring into our lives.

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This was particularly evident during her annual
Christmas celebration. Her Australian shepherd Riker,

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known for his impeccable behavior and his
role as a certified therapy dog, usually

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spent the party away from the guests, a precaution to prevent over indulgence in

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treats and to avoid underfoot mishaps.
However, on one occasion, at a

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guest's request, Liz decided to introduce
Riker to the gathering. He was met

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with affection and attention, reassuring Liz
that he would maintain his good manners.

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Yet, in an unguarded moment,
Liz noticed Riker's attention shift. The sugar

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cookies temptingly placed on the coffee table
had caught his eye. In an instant,

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defying his well trained nature, Riker
plunged his snout into the cookie bowl,

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scarfing down the sweets with zeal.
When Liz managed to interrupt his feast,

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Riker emerged, his face hilariously adorned
with frosting, sugar and sprinkles.

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Overcome with laughter, Liz found herself
unable to scold her ordinarily disciplined companion.

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We've reached the end of our Christmas
good News round up for today. I'd

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like to thank Johnny Mack for the
chance to guide you through these stories.

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I'm aster Ireland, leaving you with
wishes for a wonderful day ahead.