🌞 1.3 million plastic bottles collected from the ocean

It’s been another heavy news week, with one of the biggest global stories being the death of American singer Dolly Parton. 

In moments like these, the internet floods with tributes and stories. There was one in particular that really stood out to me - and given the amount of bookworms who are subscribed to this newsletter, I’m sure you’ll love it too.

Dolly Parton’s father was illiterate, which inspired her to start her Imagination Library in 1995. Initially started in her home state of  Tennessee, the program has expanded to five countries, including Australia. The library gives free books to children from birth to five years old, through Dolly’s funding and local community partners. One of those children was my sister Ananya, who received a book right until she started kindergarten. 

Dolly said of the program: “I know there are children in your community with their own dreams… The seeds of these dreams are often found in books and the seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.”

The library celebrated its 30th anniversary last year, with over 3.1 million children registered and more than 300 million books gifted. 

Books and music: what a wonderful legacy to have.

After that intro, it’s fitting that our first good news story is about literacy.

‘Heated Rivalry’ author Rachel Reid has donated $300,000 to the Annapolis Valley Regional Library in the province of Nova Scotia, which had announced five of its branches would close this year due to a lack of funding.

CBC News reports that before Reid’s donation, the library had received some funding, but still needed more than $200,000 to keep some of its branches open. 

In an interview with Radio-Canada, library chief executive officer Julie Merrit said the donation means the five branches will be able to operate until the end of March next year. 

The donation will be “supporting the library’s mission to provide free access to books, literacy, learning and welcoming community spaces for people of all ages." 

Rachel Reid, a lifelong Nova Scotia native, told CBC News: “I had to do it because I don’t know what the point is of being a successful author in Nova Scotia if you’re not going to use it for good.” 

She said: “I credit my local library for being a huge part of the reason I’m a published author today.” 

She’ll also be participating in a fundraising event on September 12. 

An unrelated side note: Nova Scotia is where Anne of Green Gables is from, though of course most of her adventures and the titular Green Gables are on Prince Edward Island. 

Newlyweds Scarlett Rocha, right, and Fabiana Justiniano pose for a photo at their home in Bolivia. (AP Photo/Juan Karita) According to Reuters, they’re Bolivia’s first same-sex female couple to legally marry.

Try to watch this video of pop star Zara Larsson cracking up at her audience without laughing and smiling yourself.

For context, Larsson often performs her hit song ‘Midnight Sun’ while her dancers hold her aloft. Girls in the crowd at the Belgian festival Pukkelpop started mimicking the move (which also gave them a great view), and the rest… just watch to see.

Volunteers around the world have collected more than 1.3 million bottles from waterways, according to the non-profit Ocean Conservancy. 

The bottles were collected by volunteers engaged in the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), “the largest single-day beach and waterway cleanup in the world”. The event mobilises thousands of volunteers, with a whopping 1,338,712 plastic bottles and 885,854 caps being collected last year. 

The environmental advocacy group said  since the ICC’s inception 40 years ago, nearly 20 million volunteers have removed around 183 million kilograms of rubbish from beaches and waterways. 

Behind every thriving community are people who keep showing up – for their neighbours, good causes, the things that make a place feel like home.

Often, they don't get much recognition, but Westfield Local Heroes is here to change that. Since 2018, the program has backed over 990 local heroes and organisations with funding, networks and a well-deserved spotlight.

This year, up to $1.25M in community grants is on the line, and finalists in your area need your vote to get there. It only takes a moment, but can make a world of difference to these shining community members!

_{Voting closes 20 September, 6pm AEST.}

Many of you reached out to tell me you enjoyed our “silver lining” story about Forget-Me-Knot FC last week, so here’s another sporty one for you. 

The NRL has approved a one-off rule change to let South Sydney Rabbitohs forward Jai Arrow reach 100 games for the club.

Arrow was forced to medically retire in May following a motor neurone disease (MND) diagnosis.

Yesterday, the 31-year-old led South Sydney out against his former club, the Gold Coast Titans, in Queensland. Next Friday, he will do the same at Allianz Stadium in Sydney against the Sydney Roosters.

In both, he will be subbed off after the referee’s whistle signals kick-off but before the ball is in play. Being named in the team and on the field for the opening whistle in both matches will take him to 100 games for the Rabbitohs and 180 NRL games overall.

The plan has been facilitated by a one-off agreement with the sport’s governing body, with the support of the players’ union.

Rabbitohs chief executive Blake Solly said: “We believe this will provide great inspiration for everyone watching the game from the stadium or at home, showing that MND will not hold Jai, or anyone else, back from achieving what they want to achieve in life.”

If you’d like to see more sports stories, you can subscribe to our newsletter here. 

A woman from Denver has gone viral for the best reason: trying something new. 

Heather Walker posted on Instagram calling for people to watch her rollerskate for the first time, and the community showed up big time.

On the big day, Heather wore bright bubblegum pink skates (as you should) matched with kneepads and a cushion attached to her back. She was welcomed by big signs, a live painter, a loyal legion of fans who cheered her on, and a local newspaper. She fell multiple times but kept going and made it all the way to the finish line. 

Amidst all the silliness of it, she did have a very important message: you can still try new things as an adult and it’s OKAY to be bad at it! 

You can check out the video here. It’s an amazing show of community 🫶.