Olympian's Dreams Started Just Down The Block: 5 Uplifting Stories Only On Patch

An Olympic moment came full circle in Evergreen Park, Illinois, where hockey standout Abbey Murphy traded the ice for a school gym — and a hero’s welcome.

Fresh off a gold medal run in Milan, Murphy returned to her alma mater, Most Holy Redeemer, where she was greeted by hundreds of cheering students eager to see — and even touch — Olympic history.

Just a decade ago, Murphy was one of them. “Once a Raider, always a Raider,” she said. Now, she’s living proof of what persistence can look like.

“Never give up on your dreams because you could have a gold medal just like one day,” she said.

Murphy’s visit was a reminder that her journey didn’t start on a global stage but in that very school gym. The takeaway was clear: Big stages are built from small beginnings, and sometimes, they’re just down the block.

• Read the Patch Exclusive: Olympic Gold Medalist Returns Returns To Alma Mater

A Kid’s Plea For Peace, Set To Music

As conflict and unrest brew worldwide, a 13-year-old from Mendham, New Jersey, is adding her voice to the conversation — through song.

Mackenzie Reff is set to release her debut single, “Dreams Don’t Belong to War,” on Monday. Written in her closet on a ukulele, the track channels her perspective growing up in a world marred by violence and division.

“I wrote this song to share my perspective as a kid growing up in a time with so much fighting and conflict,” she told Patch.

The song was produced with Antonio Sciortino of Dreamscape Pictures, with whom Mackenzie is also collaborating on the upcoming web series “The Bully’s Club.” While she’s performed before, including a debut at Bucks County Theater in 2023, this marks her first major streaming release.

“Dreams Don’t Belong to War” will be available on platforms including Spotify and Apple Music.

For Mackenzie, the goal is simple: to encourage both kids and adults to listen — and to choose empathy over conflict.

• Read the Patch Exclusive: Teen’s Song A Voice For Kids In A Chaotic World

The Art Of Baseball

For Andy Brown, an internationally acclaimed artist who brings sports to life on canvas, baseball is more than a sport. It’s a window into life itself.

As he paints during games, he takes in everything: the energy of the crowd, the smell of ballpark food, the joy of celebration and even the sting of defeat. Each canvas tells a story, reflecting the culture and emotions of the people around him.

As a youngster in England, Brown was sketching baseball players long before he had ever even seen a real game. It became his passion, and after discovering baseball more deeply while teaching abroad, he began traveling from stadium to paint games as they happen.

During a recent visit to Long Island, Brown shared with Patch all the places his art has taken him.

“I love it all — the music, the food, the smell of it all. So many people there are celebrating. And — when their team isn't winning — commiserating,” he said. “It's got all the drama of life, playing out in a baseball stadium. You can see a lot about the culture — who we are and how we like to live and the people we admire. All sorts of things come through in the baseball game.”

• Read the Patch Exclusive: Baseball Is Life, And His Art Captures It

Birth Of ‘The WonderMom Box’

In Massapequa, New York, a simple mom-and-daughter pastime has turned into a promising small business.

Melissa Ninan, a high school teacher and mother of two, started doing crafts at home with her young daughter as a way for the two to have fun while hanging out with each other. Over time, she noticed something else was happening: Their sessions were helping build skills like coordination and creativity.

That realization, plus interest from other parents, sparked the launch of “WonderMom Box,” a craft kit service delivering ready-made activity boxes for kids, often themed around holidays like Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day and Easter.

“I really liked that, to have one-on-one time together,” Ninan told Patch. “She was focused, she was engaged … and it just turned into a whole thing.”

• Read the Patch Exclusive: Mother-Daughter Craft Turns Into A Promising Business

This Tree’s Bounty Is Joy

The hard work is stringing the eggs, Jalna Jaegar said of her tree in Norwalk, Connecticut, which is laden in colorful plastic Easter eggs every year for the past couple of decades.

There are hundreds of them, and more are added each year. Inspired by a similar egg-decorating tradition in Westport, she tried using real eggs on the first year of her display. They fade quickly, so she switched to plastic eggs.

Her goal has been simple, to make people smile. It seems to be working, judging by the number of drive-bys to check out the tree.

“My favorite part is when people drive by and thank me or tell me how much it cheers them up,” Jaeger told Patch. “We all certainly need that, and I’m glad my tree brings people joy!”

• Read the Patch Exclusive: The Fruit Of This Tree Is About 20 Years Of Joy

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