Kids & Family

Good News: Boy Meets Service Dog, Sick Dog Meets Forever Family and This Citizen of the Year Rocks!

Plus, the viral wedding proposal that creates a high bar for the wedding reception video.

By Patch Staff

Editor's Note: Patch has 31 sites in Virginia and D.C., and not a day goes by that we don’t have an inspirational or encouraging story somewhere in the area. Here's a look back at some good news over the past week.

Boy Meets Dog. A.J. Schalk pricks his finger five to 10 times a day. The 13-year-old also wears an insulin pump. A.J. has Type 1 diabetes, and monitoring his sugar level is a life and death responsibility. Now he has a helper. Alpha is a black lab trained to forewarn A.J. when his blood glucose level begins to rise or fall.

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Citizen of the Year. Herndon’s Citizen of the Year, Doug Downer, received the honor for years of volunteering, including the founding of Friday Night Live! on the Town Green. The concert series has raised more than $100,000 to support programs at Herndon High School. Sounds sweet!

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Marshmallow Goodness. Speaking of sweet stuff, this Marshmallow found a home. Patch has recently featured GoFundMe campaigns and the fundraiser for this foster dog is a success story worth celebrating. The foster dog at City Dogs Doggy Daycare had diabetes insipidus, causing frequent water dish visits and potty trips. The campaign helped raise money for his treatment and we’ve learned The Washington Humane Society found Marshmallow a home.

Will You Marry Me…in Fiji? We can’t stop smiling about this cool wedding proposal that has become a viral video sensation. Two Fairfax High School sweethearts have shared their proposal video online in hopes of winning a dream wedding in Fiji. Once you see the video, you’ll know why we’d welcome such a rocky start to our marriage.


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