21 Of California's Most Inspiring Stories Of 2021

San Francisco CA

23 December, 2021

7:52 PM

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CALIFORNIA — Each Saturday, Patch shares Saturday Smiles, California stories from the previous week that warmed our hearts. Here are 21 of our favorites from 2021 — Santee Man Wins Heroism Medal After Rescuing Girl Swept Offshore Neil Garrett, who rescued an unconscious 10-year-old from the Pacific Ocean, was awarded North America's highest honor for civilian heroism. Betty Reid Soskin, Oldest National Parks Ranger, Turns 100 Betty Reid Soskin works at Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park. She turned 100 Wednesday. San Diego Police Detective Who Lost Leg Adopts Double Amputee Dog Detective James "Chappie" Hunter, who lost his leg in a crash, has adopted a dog that underwent a partial amputation of both her back feet. Giants Shortstop Brandon Crawford Thrills Kids At Ball Field: Photos The Gilman Playground Baseball Field in San Francisco's Bayview District has been transformed. Guy Fieri Surprises East Bay Taqueria With $25K Grant Maya Halal Taqueria, Oakland, was among five CA restaurants to receive funding from California Restaurant Foundation & "Restaurant Reboot." San Diego Foundation Awards $104 Million In Grants San Diego Foundation awarded a record-breaking $104.1 million in grants to 2,000 nonprofit organizations during the 2021 fiscal year. Albany Couple To Celebrate 70th Anniversary The Albany couple met in Europe amid German occupation during World War II. Newport Beach Firefighter Saving Sequoias Amid Windy Fire Battle Newport Beach Battalion Chief Brian McDonough leads a strike team to protect giant sequoia trees during the ongoing Windy fire. Rehabilitated Sea Lions Released Back Into The Wild Two rehabilitated sea lions were released back into the ocean with help from the Marine Mammal Care Center and Terranea Resort. Monrovia Officials OK Public Art Piece Honoring Tuskegee Airman Leroy Criss grew up and went to school in Monrovia before joining the military during World War II and flying with the Tuskegee Airmen. Dublin High Female Kicker Paves The Way For More Young Women Grace Toney followed in the footsteps of her sister, the school's first female kicker, and hopes to inspire more young women to step up. Abandoned, Blind Horse Found Near Lake Elsinore: Hearts Step Up The starving animal didn't have a chance until the equestrian community came to her rescue. Nearly 1,100 Handmade Clothing Items Donated In Redwood City The sixth annual "Chase the Chill" event brought 496 scarves, 415 hats, 159 masks, 15 pairs of socks and a pair of gloves. Watch: Tom Hanks Crashes Couple's Santa Monica Beach Wedding Tom Hanks crashed a wedding in Santa Monica and asked if he could pose for a photo with the new couple. Christmas Comes Early For Oakland Zoo Bears: Watch Pool toys! Balls, dumbbells, triangles and more livened up playtime for the grizzly bears. Knock, Knock! Laguna Cops Deliver After Pile Of Packages Found Don't fret if you see a police officer at your door. These Laguna Beach police officers did some good in the neighborhood this week. Photos: Thousands Enjoy Blues, Brews And BBQ In Downtown Napa The popular event was back for 2021. Browse our photo gallery to see who turned out. Malibu Team Will Celebrate Young Cancer Survivor At Triathlon Team AwesomeSauce will compete in the Malibu Triathlon to honor cancer survivor Payton Grimes' bravery at the Children's Hospital. UC Berkeley Grad Varsha Sarveshwar Named Rhodes Scholar In 2019 Varsha Sarveshwar was elected President of the UC Student Association, representing more than 275,000 students. Linens N Love Charity Founders Graduate To Next Chapter In OC Linens N Love, developed by Placentia teen sisters, helps area homeless shelters, animal shelters & outreach centers in a sustainable way. Mystery Hero Rescues Man From Burning San Francisco Building The hero put a ladder on the roof of his van and guided the resident to safety moments before a fireball came through the window. WATCH.