The pandemic ruining our plans is an understatement.
When the first rules on masking and lockdowns were placed, we thought that it would just be a several-month thing.
We tried as much as we could to live our lives normally until we realized that we need to flip everything around.
2020 was difficult for couples who dreamt of getting married that year.
Their plans, no matter how elaborate, had to be adjusted to fit smaller crowds, and location weddings were totally out of the question.
Some even had to scrap everything all together.
A couple in Illinois had to cancel their wedding because of the pandemic.
While others are lucky to receive a refund or similar return compensation, Emily Bugg and Billy Lewis had to deal with a $5,000 nonrefundable deposit.
At this point, one can drag out an argument just to get the money back- because honestly, it’s not a small amount.
Others can be a little more creative, just like Bugg and Lewis.
Instead of just letting the money go to waste, they decided to donate it to charity.
They used the $5,000 fund to buy 200 Thanksgiving dinners for Thresholds.
Thresholds is a nonprofit healthcare provider catering to those with serious mental illnesses and cases of severe substance use.
Bugg is a staff member of the said facility.
These people are often neglected, especially when a lot of people refuse to see these cases from a medical perspective.
Thanks to their collaboration with their caterer, Big Delicious Planet, they were able to deliver a scrumptious meal of turkey, vegetables, and mashed potatoes.
But it wasn’t the only part of their wedding they gave up to charity.
Their slot at Salvage One, the original venue for their wedding, was also given up to a beneficiary.
The deposit for the place was transferred to a future event for the Epilepsy Foundation.
It was a cause that Bugg was also connected to.
The COVID-19 pandemic is indeed a heartbreaking era for all of us.
And while it showed the worst in others, it also became an opportunity for others to be their best selves, much like Bugg and Lewis.
“Emily’s donation is an incredible example of the generosity and creativity that the pandemic has inspired in so many,” said Mark Ishaug, CEO of Thresholds, to Good Morning America.
“I know that Emily’s act of kindness will inspire others to do the same and build love and connection in a difficult time, in any way we can.”
For Bugg and Lewis, the whole event brought things into perspective.
“In the grand scheme of things, canceling a big wedding isn’t the worst thing that could happen,” Bugg told Good Morning America.
She shared that they were both happy with the idea that their wedding cancellation still brought smiles to a lot of people.
Bugg and Lewis, who met through the dating app Bumble, still pushed through in getting married, despite revising their plans.
They were married on October 1 that year at the Chicago City Hall.
Their story teaches us that misfortunes are also opportunities for us to do amazing things.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
View this post on Instagram
