Stories on faith, family and the value of giving

Thanksgiving is a moment to pause and reflect, to focus on those things we often take for granted but value above all others.

This week, our staff is doing just that as we take a moment away from work to spend time with loved ones over the Thanksgiving holiday. Our offices will be closed Thursday and Friday. We will resume regular hours on Monday, Nov. 27.

As we pause, we wanted to take a moment to share with you some of the stories that we found heartening this year. Here's a look at just a handful of the stories that focus on family, friendship and the value of giving.

If you know Whitney Luckett, you know she's the kind of woman who doesn't wait for someone to take action. When there is a need, she steps up and steps in to help.

She and her husband Marc recently opened their home to businesswoman Yana Malyk and her daughter, Ukrainian refugees.

Offering a safe space was just the start.

Together Luckett and Malyk launched Ukraine Power, an initiative aimed at ensuring those across Ukraine has access to power.

Chuck Chaffee never expected BRC Rubber & Plastics to succeed like it has, surviving more than 50 years and growing to include 500 employees and multiple locations.

Yet, here they are.

And while there are secrets to the auto supplier's success, there is something that stands out above everything else: Family. BRC, after all, is a family owned company. And at its heart are those things that hold families together—trust, respect, communication and keeping your word.

Science and faith collide in amazing ways.

And for Chris Macosko, that space is where he defined his career, fed his curiosity and laid a foundation for the next generation of polymer science.

The ACS Rubber Division honored Macosko for his extensive and groundbreaking work in developing basic relations for crosslinking polymerization, bestowing him with the association's highest honor: The Charles Goodyear medal.

Macosko, sat down with reporter Andrew Schunk to talk about family, faith and his journey through science.

Real, honest-to-goodness heroes are hard to find.

But nearly 80 years ago, thousands earned the honor, changing the entire world for the better.

On June 6, 1944, Allied Troops executed what was arguably the most important operation of World War II. The operation, known today as D-Day, ultimately gave the Allies the leverage they needed to turn the tide of the war in Europe and liberated France from Nazi control.

Each year Michelin shows how grateful it is.

Michelin and Delta Airlines teamed up again this year to give World War II veterans the chance to return to France. And it was there, on the beaches and cliffs of Normandy, that veterans found closure and experienced just how grateful the country—and the world—is for the bravery they showed.

Cancarb has called Medicine Hat home for more than 50 years. So when the company celebrated its golden anniversary, it marked the occasion by giving back to the community that has supported it.

Acts of kindness like this abound in the rubber industry.

Take Bridgestone, for instance. The tire maker has committed to ensuring the community its calls remains strong, donating to the United Way and the programs it supports.

This year, Bridgestone set a record with its $2.4 million donation to the local United Way.

And it is just one way Bridgestone works to create stronger communities geographically and throughout the industry. The tire maker also has supported the Tech Force Foundation and invested in youth literacy by partnering with NFL Tightend University.

While Bridgestone leaned into football, Michelin turned to golf, where it proved the kind of difference 18 holes can make. The tire maker, through its annual golf outing raised $1 million, which it donated to the communities in which it has an operational presence.

And investments like these are part of the broader picture for the Greenville-based company, which has pledged to consider how best to support the people and communities it serves.