Self-proclaimed “affirmation queen” does not let physical obstacles get in the way of gratitude for life. A bakery owner hires employees with special needs to provide life skills. Man has found a way to combine his two passions- an orthodontist and a vintage vinyl record store owner — under the same roof.

On a Positive Note

On A Positive Note: The Power Of Gratitude

I am grateful. I am grateful and I repeat it and repeat it and repeat it. Despite a serious medical diagnosis, this Long Islander is proving that gratitude and the power of positive thinking can help you overcome any obstacle. Plus I wanted to just go where it's going to help the people that where I was, he is sashaying into helping others. After a decades long dance career, this instructor is paying it forward in costumes and over in Westchester, I had the space available and but this could be really dentist by day spinning the turntables by night. Well, kind of how this orthodontist combined both of his dream jobs under one roof all for a very good cause today good news does exist and you've come to the right place to find it. It's time for on a positive note. Hello, I'm Jordan Hussein. And thank you for tuning into on a positive note. If you're looking for your daily dose of feel good, you have come to the right place to find it. So rest assured here on a positive note, you can be sure to find some of the most heartwarming stories from all our area. There are stories that will move you and inspire you, their stories that'll make your eyes water in a good way and who couldn't use a little more of that? Well, on that note, let's hop right in. So to call this Long Island woman in our first story and inspiration is an understatement. Despite a serious medical diagnosis, she's proving that the power of positive thinking can help you overcome any obstacle for anyone. Feeling a bit down on their luck. This one's for you. I'm great. Well, I am grateful and I repeat it and repeat it and repeat it until like I am okay. 28 year old Courtney Gabriel is a self described affirmation queen. You know, when I have to wait for a caretaker to take me to the bathroom or a shower, I just, you know, can come my mind. Courtney was born with a rare form of muscular dystrophy, a progressive illness that makes everyday tasks challenging, but she's never let that define her. She was dealt another blow while studying on scholarship at the University of Tampa. Five years ago. She suffered a massive stroke. I was in my brain. I couldn't talk, I couldn't spell but not even that could stop her. She says she dug deep and made a decision and I was like, well, the doctors are wrong like half the time of my life. So like they're wrong here. And I think I'm just, I was just manifesting the future. I'm like, no, I'm gonna speak like I had no inkling that I was not going to speak again. That was not even like a thought in my head. Like I was going to talk and Courtney did get better today. She uses her experience to mentor other people on social media. She also created a gratitude workbook, a journal and a coloring book that contains the affirmation. She used to pull herself through every detail in it. From the illustrations to the cover art are created by someone in the disability community. Do you have a favorite? I think being grateful every day, Courtney's coloring book has officially gone on sale. She says she plans to use some of the profits from her book to fund her speaking at disability conventions around the country. Well, let's head on over to Westchester now where one bakery owner is using her work to help people living with disabilities to her shop is called Rising Above Bakery and that's exactly what she's helping her employees do. This story just couldn't be any sweeter. Take a look. There's a local bakery on the rise and we're going to add that to our orange cranberry cookies that gives young adults with special needs, a chance to work and learn life skills. The job opportunities for individuals with special needs is so slim and at times not so meaningful. And what I would like to do is turn their life into a meaningful life because they deserve it. Like anyone else, they shape all the breads theory of any. Ulrich is a speech therapist, a breast cancer survivor and the founder and president of Rising Above Bakery. She showed me around their new temporary location given to them by Rockland Community College. The bakery has employed around eight people with disabilities as well as eight support staff. So far. So good. 22 year old Christopher de Janeiro is from Northern New Jersey. Big cookies, bread scones, crackers, you name it. I've baked it here. He's been working for a year and is a fan of the perks. I like all kinds of things to taste since taste testing is actually part of the job here at Rising above. Rising above is actively looking for a permanent home once they leave this spot in a few months and you know what that sound means, it's time for a feel good fact. Last year, 21.3% of persons with a disability were employed. That's up from 19.1% in 2021. According to the U.S. of Labor and Statistics. If you are a person you love is in need of some job resources. Check out your screen, the list of helpful job resources for people with disabilities goes on and on. Everyone has got different abilities and everyone has got a gift to share with the world. You just Gotta believe in yourself. And that my friend. Was your feel good fact? Okay. Well, ask yourself this. Have you ever done something for more than 60 years? Anything I know I haven't. We'll get this 62 years. That's how long a Connecticut man has been dancing professionally at venues like Madison Square Garden and even for the iconic Frank Sinatra. Well, now he's retired but he's still carrying the craft through costumes. Confused. Take a look at this one on River Road in Wilton. You'll find enough costumes to outfit the entire cast of a Broadway show. It's kind of interesting what started out as a hobby for Walter Shaw. I played at the garden, right? And then I did the show with Frank Sinatra and I did Ed Sullivan show a few times turned into a career. Now, after more than 60 years, it's the final curtain call for the Stanford native. After dancing professionally shock transition to teaching, specializing in ballroom and musical theater styles of dance instructing toddlers to teens across Fairfield and Westchester Counties, which was a lot of fun and we trained 100 and 68,000 dancers Which is quite a few kids. The 89 year old decided to retire during the pandemic, hundreds of costumes that shined on stage for decades, we had like 25 women would be sewing costumes at one point in my basement are now being passed on to the next generation. I wanted to just go where it's going to help the people that, where I was so great. Well, over in Westchester, we've got another unique story of one person using their passion or passions for good. It's just like we did the and I'm just gonna scan on a regular weekday. He's Dr Weston. Could you come and take a look at this patient and can be found catering to his patients and his Larchmont orthodontist office and moving to the upper and when he walks out this door and down two flights of stairs and in through this door, he's just Garrett Weston. Alright. You see, Weston's life has always revolved around music and my dad was a vinyl collector and an audio file and was always really into, you know, good sounding music and I just grew up around all that as well. And I always wanted to work in a record store when I was a kid and I never got the job. But then life happened, music took a back seat to his dentistry pursuit, ended up going on to, you know, specializing in orthodontics. And it's, it really is. I mean, as much as I thought that working in a record store was my dream job. Being an orthodontist is my dream job. And then the wheels or should I say the vinyl started spinning again. I had the space available and I thought this could be really cool. Larchmont Westchester needs a record store and thus underground vinyl was born to dream jobs coexisting under one. I mean, if you had told me in high school or college someday you're gonna have a building where you're the orthodontist upstairs and you're gonna have a record store downstairs. I mean, I would have been psyched to hear that, but I would have never thought that back then. And because it's never been about the money, all 100% of the profits made at the store is donated to charity. Okay, listen up because you might have the opportunity to save someone's life. Three sisters over in Westchester are working to get a local woman, a new kidney. That's Maddie Santos. She's a single mother and has been searching for a kidney donor for over a year. Well, that's where Jennifer Cynthia and Heather flood come in. The sisters have been leading the efforts to find Maddie that lifesaving match. The trio founded the floods sister's kidney foundation after turning to Craigslist to find a matching kidney donor for their father Daniel. In 2008, the sisters used their foundation to connect eligible donors with local patients like Maddie all in honor of their father. My dad basically was ready to give up on life. Um And that's not the answer so far. They have successfully coordinated 14 transplants and are desperate to make it 15 with Maddie if you'd like to help. She's registered at Yale New Haven Hospital and needs an a or an o kidney donor. Well, the stories of our community, helping others are in no short supply. Here. On a positive note today, after earthquakes recently devastated Turkey people in our area sprang into action to help. Even from a distance, one Westchester woman took to Facebook following the quakes to mobilize a relief group made up of local Turkish mothers. Today, they've raised thousands in an effort to help those affected while there's so much good happening around us. There's lots happening internationally too. Let's take a moment to check out one good thing happening in the world today. One grandpa in Texas is recovering from his third knee replacement surgery. He got a dog to help him stay active as he heals. And of course, that pup is high energy and just once 81 year old Walter Ross's attention all the time. How adorable is Roscoe Roscoe's grandson, Caramel Joe recorded the adorable pair. He told story for that. Roscoe is keeping Papa Ross active and is helping him move around to recover quickly so he can get back to the things he loves those things include golf and dancing. Well, grandpa Ross, you'll get there in no time. Thanks to some help from your Pal Roscoe.