Local Saturday - Fixing the World with Ava's Little Heroes

Today, it is time for the little heroes of the world to shine-the children who fight for every breath, or who have to undergo constant doctors visits in faraway places or terrible treatments for dread conditions that affect every moment of their lives.

Childhood should not be a time of pain.

Parents of ailing children shouldn't have to spend their days fundraising.

April - who else?

A giraffe who went viral has come to the rescue.

Oliver, April's mate

Well, several giraffes.

Today was a day of celebrating Super Heroes - and, although I was not present physically at Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville, New York (home of the Internet famed giraffe family of Oliver, April and Tajiri), I was there in spirit.

If the then-pregnant April hadn't gone viral in February, things may have been different.  But she did (among how many thousands or millions of animal web cams), and the owners of Animal Adventure Park seized on the opportunity.

The owners of Animal Adventure Park, Jordan and Colleen Patch, have a young daughter, Ava, who was born with a rare medical condition.  Even before birth, the medical bills and worry started.

Although they were able to pay the medical and transportation bills, they knew other families struggled, and, last August, they had their first Ava's Little Heroes event.  With the money raised, they were able to help one family.

Today, due to the power of viral, they were able to help five families.

In their "spare time",Jordan, Colleen and employees have been helping giraffes and animal conservation in general with more of the money raised through the webcam prior to, and right after, April giving birth.

AM (to the left of April) and April

So many of us wonder how we can do more to fix our world.  Jordan and Colleen don't wonder - they just do it.  They don't turn away from the challenge.

I think to myself:  can I do any less, in some little way?