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Editorial: A story that shows public's capacity for compassion

One of the more controversial elements of the Trump presidency is the president's use of social media.

While he believes it provides a vital direct link to the American public, others question why he spends so much time on what appears to be trivial and sometimes mean-spirited tweets.

Trump's use certainly has put social media in the spotlight. There's no denying its power - and that's what Trump is trying to harness. Businesses try to do the same.

Social media controversies and failures do make good headlines - and media companies like to tweet those out as well. But every now and then there is a good story that can be attributed to social media - and to its print counterpart - and those deserve attention as well.

That's why the front-page centerpiece story in Tuesday's Daily Herald was so eye-catching. A feel-good story born on social media and furthered through print media that no one can go negative on in the comments section.

Scott Homola, a 58-year-old Elgin man with Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease, has received more than 200 birthday cards from strangers who also have sent packages and gift cards. It's all a result of a "kindness project" started on Facebook and publicized in print and online in the Daily Herald prior to Scott's July 3 birthday.

"I'm just blown away," said Scott's sister, Debra Schaffer, who lives with and cares for Scott. "That means so much to me, to see him smile."

Schaffer told the Daily Herald's Elena Ferrarin that she fears this could be the last birthday her brother remembers due to the progressive disease taking its toll.

In a story written right before Scott's birthday, Schaffer explained that a former classmate of hers who now lives in Washington state started the card initiative after they reconnected at a 2014 high school class reunion. That classmate - Susan Novak Newell - has a grandson with Down syndrome.

"I began to give thought to what I could do to make a difference not only in (my grandson) Skyler's life after he was born but in the lives of people with Down syndrome. The idea came to me that it could be Scott."

Novak Newell posted on Facebook in early October, encouraging family and friends to send cards to Scott and to spread the word. His first card came three weeks later, then he started getting Christmas cards and now cards for his birthday. After a story about the initiative ran July 2, Schaffer said cards were coming by the armful. "I read every one of them to him," she said. She keeps them in a scrapbook that he helped decorate and she keeps track of where they come from with push pins on a map. The map includes pins on Hawaii and Germany.

"For people to think of him and do that ... It just gives me goose bumps that they are so kind."

Seeing his smiling face should give us all goose bumps.

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