A Facebook page in Ridgecrest is trying to focus on the positive, and people in town seem to be buying in.
"Ridgecrest Shoutouts!" has been active for 2 weeks and already has over 1,000 members. The purpose of the page is to provide a space for residents to thank anyone they want; shout-outs have gone to everyone from hairdressers to Taco Bell employees.
Stephen Birdwell founded the page, and he says hundreds of shout-outs have been posted in the early lifespan of the group.
"I'm trying to bring about the change," Birdwell told 23 ABC, saying the page was created to help spread positivity during a time when negative posts are flooding social media. "I'm trying to do something that will help this town."
The group will also physically go to businesses to give shout-outs, all in hopes of supporting local businesses and citizens. Birdwell estimates they've already done around 20 of these physical visits.
One of those visits happened on Wednesday at Jim Charlon Ford, where the group presented owner Nick Charlon with an award for humanitarianism. Charlon had been contacted by Brittiany Brown after her fiance Joseph Rosania was in a head-on collision near San Jose; she had no car and no way to get to Rosania's emergency room, so Charlon got her a rental car for no cost or hassle.
Brown used the car for nearly a month to be with Rosania while he recovered; the crash broke his ribs, punctured his lungs and broke his pelvis, among other injuries.
Brown wanted to thank Charlon for his generosity, so she posted to the Ridgecrest Shoutouts! page to get him recognition. The two had never met when Charlon helped her out; they met for the first time Wednesday, with a recovering Rosania and their three children.
"I owe him everything," Brown said after thanking Charlon in person. "I don't know him and he helped me so much."
You can view the Ridgecrest Shoutouts! page here.
