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Summer camp for adults, therapeutic wolfdogs, and the most fun US states
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Today’s episode dives into the sleepaway camps that are helping adults make friends. Plus, the wolfdogs assisting veterans with their mental health, the new words added to the Cambridge Dictionary, and the most fun states in the U.S. This episode was hosted and produced by Case Kenny. Research and writing by Natalie Stone, Ally Mauch, Rebekah Brandes, and Stephanie Friedman. Music by Ryan Peitzke. For more good news, tune in to Nice News Today on Mondays and Fridays and subscribe to the daily Nice News newsletter at NiceNews.com. This episode was brought to you by Cozy Earth. Nice News listeners get 40% off at CozyEarth.com with code NICENEWS at checkout.
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Good morning. Welcome to Nice news today, your 10 minute roundup of the week's most positive News. It is August 22nd and today I'm diving into the sleepaway camps that are helping adults make friends. I've also got the scoop on the wolf dogs assisting veterans with their mental health, the new words added to the Cambridge Dictionary, and the most fun states in the U.S. i'm your host, Case Kenney. Let's uncover some good Together as kids, we had plenty of opportunities to develop friendships organically, like at school, through youth sports programs or summer camp. But as adults, it can be harder to make friends as many of these types of activities have faded out of our lives. That's why an increasing number of grownups around the country are packing their bags to have fun with their peers at adult sleepaway camps. Take Camp Social for example. It's a three day excursion for up to 400 women in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains, where campers can choose from activities like boating, archery and bracelet making during the day and participate in cookouts and dance parties at night. The bunk groups are divided by age, which ranges from 20s to 60s, and led by counselors who facilitate bonding. According to the camp's founder, 92% of attendees come alone and 3031 year old Jocelyn Benson, who began attending two summers ago, said that it provides a place for them to be silly together. She told the Wall Street Journal, quote, when you're in your 20s and 30s, you don't make tons of friends unless you're doing something that bonds you. Other similar programs offer options for both men and women, like Camp no Counselor, which has locations in New York and California and is expanding to Texas and Club Getaway in Connecticut. So if you're interested in making new pals and maybe a lanyard or two, check out what's available in your area. So we all know that dogs descended from wolves, but I for one was surprised to learn that there are actually domesticated canines called wolf dogs that have been specifically bred to have between 20 and 98% wolf heritage, according to the Texas Wolfdog Project. And through a Wisconsin nonprofit called Apex Angels and Warriors, these pups are helping veterans with their mental health. A Apex Angels and Warriors is a sanctuary that fosters what they call dual healing, a mutually beneficial relationship between wolf dogs and veterans with PTSD or other mental health struggles. The sanctuary rescues abused and abandoned wolf dogs and gives them the space and TLC they need during their visits. Veterans build community and boost their self worth by caring for and hanging out with the canines when army veteran Jeff Yunk first came back from serving in Afghanistan, he had difficulty readjusting to civilian life. But he said that spending time at the sanctuary was truly therapeutic and changed him for the better, he told Wisconsin news outlet WJFW Newswatch. Quote people will say sometimes we're crazy or sometimes we're unpredictable or this and that. Sit down with a veteran, we're not that bad. And neither are these dogs. If you keep up with the latest slang or have members of Gen Z and Gen Alpha in your circle, you've probably heard some of the newest words in the Cambridge Dictionary. The institution announced Monday that over 6,000 terms have been added over the past year, many of which have been popularized by younger generations and social media. Here are a few of my favorites. Skibidi, A playful word popularized by a YouTube series that can mean cool or bad, or can be used humorously without a specific meaning. The slang term dulu was also added, which is short for delusional, along with work spouse, which describes a non romantic workplace relationship in which two people support and trust each other. Colin McIntosh, the Lexical Program manager at Cambridge Dictionary, said in a statement, quote, Internet culture is changing the English language and the effect is fascinating to observe and capture in the dictionary. He also explained that the team only adds words they think have staying power. If they're right, then skibidi may soon become part of all of our vocabularies. And now a quick break to learn about today's sponsor Cozy Earth Everyone has a happy place in their home. For me, it's my bed. There's nothing better than collapsing into bed at the end of a long day. And Cozy Earth sheets are the ultimate way to make your bed as comfortable as possible. They're made from viscose from bamboo and naturally wick heat and moisture away from your body, helping you sleep several degrees cooler. As someone experiencing summer in the south, that's been a game changer for me. If you want to try them out for your yourself, the purchase is risk free. Cozy earth offers a 100 night sleep trial and a 10 year warranty. Head to cozyearth.com use the code nicenews to get 40% off and if you get a post purchase survey, make sure to let them know you heard about Cozy Earth from Nice News Today. Your bed should be more than a place to sleep, it should be your happy place. And Cozy Earth makes that possible. All right, now it's time to have a little fun. WalletHub just released a report on the most fun states in the US Stating that in the top ranked locales, having a good time is quote, not just an option, but also a way of Life. After analyzing 26 key indicators of fun, WalletHub found that sunny states reign supreme. California took the top spot thanks to its high number of restaurants, amusement parks and movie theaters, as well as its long and scenic bio highways and unparalleled beach access. Unsurprisingly, it also stood out as the least expensive state for wine. Florida nabbed second place with the highest number of arcades and music festivals, and Nevada came in third, boasting the most nightlife activities and the second best weather in the U.S. a few colder states ranked high as well, with Illinois, New York and Colorado in a fourth, fifth and sixth place. If you're curious where your state falls on the list, head to wallethub.com we already shared a story for the dog people, so this one's for the feline fans. Pepper the Cat is more than just an adorable 7 year old black shorthair. He's also paved the way for multiple scientific discoveries in the field of public health. While we can't give him full credit, Pepper has made significant contributions by doing what cats do best bringing rodents home. But unlike most pet parents who don't often appreciate their kitty's generous gifts, Pepper's owner just happens to be the University of Florida virologist John Lednicki, who takes the creatures to his lab after conducting research on an Everglades short tailed shrew, Peppercot, Lednicki and his team discovered that it held a previously unidentified strain of Orthoriovirus, a genus of viruses that infect mammals and birds. He joked to the New York Post that he wished he could include Pepper as a co author in the study he and his colleague published on the new strain this summer. And last year, the kitty brought home a mouse carrying a rare rodent borne virus that's capable of infecting multiple species and has never been found in North America. Lednicki also continually tests Pepper's specimens to better understand the mule deerpox virus. As for Pepper, the university said he hasn't shown any signs of illness and he'll likely continue making important contributions to scientific research. For today's inspiring human, we're switching it up a bit. Instead of one individual, we have a whole group of inspiring humans. Earlier this month, the nonprofit Action For Nature named 15 kids ages 8 to 16 the winners of the 2025 International Young Eco Hero Awards for the impressive work they're doing to fight climate change. The first place winner of the 8 to 13 age group is 11 year old Alice Wanjiru in Nairobi, Kenya. Since 2023, Alice has led efforts to rehabilitate a toxic sewer plant in Nairobi that caused health risks and property damage in the community. She spearheaded an initiative to plant over 2,000 trees around the sewer plant, improving air quality and reducing illnesses among locals. She's even persuaded the Nairobi county government to prioritize the rehabilitation in the 14 to 16 age group. 16 year old Priyanshi Podar in Nepal took first place for her project turning rubber was that was polluting rivers into products for people in need. Priyanchi collects discarded rubber from landfills and streets, then upcycles it into comfortable clogs and mats that can be used for sleeping, studying and playing. Many of these mats have helped improve the living conditions of those sleeping on the ground or studying on cold floors. By the end of 2026, her goal is to have helped at least 10,000 people across Nepal. If you'd like to support these remarkable youngsters or learn about the other award winners, head to the Action for Nature to find more information on their projects. And that's it for today's episode. If you loved these stories, please consider giving us a follow on Apple, Spotify and YouTube Music and sharing this episode with a friend. If you want more good news, visit nicenews.com to sign up for our free daily newsletter. Until next time, keep spreading your light and remember, there's more than enough good out there to go around. Have a great day.