Everywhere in the world, we can observe and be touched by acts of kindness. People from all walks of life, faiths, and cultures extend themselves beyond the call of duty to help others unconditionally. Through their noble deeds, humanity as a whole is elevated.

To commend virtuous actions and encourage more people to be inspired by their examples, Supreme Master Ching Hai has lovingly created a series of awards, including the Shining World Leadership Award, Shining World Compassion Award, Shining World Hero and Heroine Awards, Shining World Honesty Award, Shining World Protection Award, Shining World Intelligence Award, and Shining World Inventor Award, to recognize some of the most exemplary, generous, caring, and courageous people who walk amongst us.

Founded in 1993 by Gillian Lange, the Lange Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving abandoned and homeless animals and helping them find forever, loving homes. The group operates a no-kill animal shelter and a five-acre (two-hectare) animal sanctuary in Los Angeles, California, USA. All the animal residents can stay for life!

Between our two kennels, we're looking after 261 animals at the moment, including 14 horses that were destined for Mexico for an untimely death. And they stay with us forever.

We have these masks on because it’s summer time now, to keep the flies out; otherwise they’ll lay eggs in their eyes and they’ll get infections.

He’s such a love, and his name is Commodore. (Nice to meet you here, our pleasure.) We actually thought he’s the oldest horse in the world and we googled it, there’s a 52-year-old out there.

We just rescued last week eight dogs from a notorious puppy mill in the Palmdale (USA) area. And this breeder, when the dogs are no longer of any use, she just dumps them in the animal shelter. We did take all eight. They're all eight to nine years old. We've been working on such problems as broken ribs and flat-footedness. They've never walked on grass before. We're teaching them to walk on grass. And they all needed massive dental work. When we rescue a pet, she never leaves us until we've done everything we can to make her perfect health-wise, as perfect as we can. And our senior-citizen dogs, which comprise maybe 10% (of our dog residents), seem to be adopted almost as fast as our puppies.

To date, Gillian Lange and her group have helped rescue more than 20,000 cats and dogs as well as many other animals that would have otherwise been euthanized in Los Angeles County public animal shelters.

I work today at least 12 hours a day, seven days a week. I haven’t had a vacation since I started in 1974. I haven’t been anywhere.

For her years of selfless service to animals, Supreme Master Ching Hai honored Ms. Lange, as well as the Lange Foundation, with the Shining World Compassion Award. One of our local Association members presented the Award to her on Supreme Master Ching Hai’s behalf.

Beautiful. It's absolutely beautiful, and I am so honored.

The following is an excerpt from Supreme Master Ching Hai’s loving letter to Ms. Lange that accompanied the Award:

Our heartiest salute to you, Ms. Lange, for your untiring efforts to assist our intelligent friends! May Heaven's immense blessings be showered upon you and your dedicated team for all the noble endeavors that bring hope and a brighter future for everyone you touch. For being a guardian of the weak and defenseless, for your great love and selfless devotion, for your resourcefulness and attention to detail, we hereby applaud and celebrate the compassionate and heroic deeds of the Lange Foundation, with special thanks to its warm-hearted founder, Ms. Gillian Lange.

Thank you. That's the most beautifully written words I've heard in a long, long time. I wish I had that writing talent. I am overwhelmed by what you have done for us through the exposure, and certainly overwhelmed by those beautiful words and this exquisite Award and encouraging me to keep on and work even harder.

Ms. Lange was delighted to receive Supreme Master Ching Hai’s books including the lovely #1 international best sellers, “The Dogs in My Life,” “The Birds in My Life” and “The Noble Wilds,” her poetry book, “The Love of Centuries,” and other publications. She was also given a DVD set of the epic drama “The King & Co.” which was written and directed via remote control by Supreme Master Ching Hai.

I can't wait to start reading them. It, I'm sure, will be very inspirational for me.

With all love and love Supreme Master Ching Hai contributed US$10,000 to the Lange Foundation for veterinary care expenses, to provide vegan treats to the animal residents, and to meet any other needs of the animals.

Thank you. Thank you ever so much. This will give life to those that are about to walk out the back door at the animal shelters. And now they'll be walking out the front.

And that's what we strive to do. It's very costly and this will help save so many. And I thank you so much.

Supreme Master Ching Hai, I know what a wonderful, compassionate woman you are, and I do invite you when you come to Los Angeles to see this humble kennel and our beautiful sanctuary in Canyon Country (USA), which is being developed. I really don't have the words to thank you enough.

During the presentation ceremony, Ms. Lange read a letter of appreciation she wrote to Supreme Master Ching Hai, the following of which is an excerpt.

Dear Supreme Master Ching Hai, We were overwhelmed with your generous donation of US$10,000, which will enable us to save countless otherwise hopeless dogs and cats currently facing euthanasia in Los Angeles County's 24 overcrowded public animal shelters. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Lange Foundation, I thank you for this opportunity to increase the scope of our work and promise you that we will never let your expectations of our work down.

More than halfway across the country is another fine animal protection organization called St. Francis Animal Sanctuary. It is the largest no-kill animal sanctuary in the Southeastern US and serves the state of Louisiana’s Northshore region and the Greater New Orleans metro area, as well as the southern portion of the state of Mississippi. The Sanctuary’s history reaches back to the year 2000, when animal lovers Pam Perez and Heidi Krupp began rescuing homeless and abandoned animals and sheltering them on their own land.

As the number of animals in need grew, so did their hearts. Along with some like-minded friends, the pair then established St. Francis Animal Sanctuary in Tylertown, Mississippi. The Sanctuary saves the lives of dogs and cats as well as provides them with veterinary care and permanent shelter.

When police went to the Louisiana home of a man who had passed away in a car accident, they discovered another sad scene inside – an apparent puppy mill operation. Over 100 dogs, mainly puppies were found in rows of small, filthy crates stacked one on top of the other. Fortunately, the police contacted the St. Francis Animal Sanctuary for assistance.

I was called in and the local shelter was called in. Well, they would have taken and euthanized all the animals, because they couldn’t handle them. So I told them that, yes, I could take them. And then overnight we moved 107 (dogs). More than half of the rescued puppies and adult dogs were Miniature Pinschers, Chihuahuas, Rat Terriers and Pekingese. Many of the animals were in very bad health and needed emergency veterinary treatment. The loving staff and volunteers at the Sanctuary quickly attended to the traumatized furry friends.

They live in cages and there’s no human contact. So they don’t know what to do when you take them out of the cage. They even didn’t know what grass was when we got them home. And so we’ve been socializing them. There was, I would say, 10 litters born here after that, between June and July. They’ve all been adopted.

And we had 70 of the puppy-mill animals adopted and in homes now. So we’re working on the last 40 of them. And they’re really sweet. They really want the human companionship and as you walk around and see them, they’re now coming to the fence.

For those not yet adopted, the Sanctuary will allow them to stay as long as needed on their 48-acre (10-hectare) property until they find forever, loving homes. For its exemplary and praiseworthy action of saving the 107 imprisoned dogs, Supreme Master Ching Hai honored the St. Francis Animal Sanctuary and their executive director Londi Moore with the Shining World Compassion Award along with US$10,000 to further their noble cause. During the Award ceremony Londi Moore graciously accepted the crystal Award plaque on the Sanctuary’s behalf.

Thank you. Thank you so much. It’s beautiful.

Supreme Master Ching Hai also sent a warm letter to Ms. Moore, the following of which is an excerpt:

Bravo to you Ms. Moore, for making a remarkable contribution and significant difference to so many precious lives! You are indeed an inspirational heroine whose sincerity and courage shines like a jeweled star drawing much admiration from animal lovers around the world! May Heaven’s blessings be showered upon you and your dedicated staff for their loving care and protection of our animal friends!

For your heartfelt commitment to beings in need, for your vision, wisdom, creativity and kind-hearted generosity, and for being a dedicated and noble role model, we hereby applaud and celebrate the compassionate deeds of the St. Francis Animal Sanctuary and its Executive Director, Ms. Londi Moore. With Great Honor, Love and Blessings, Supreme Master Ching Hai

The Sanctuary also received books by Supreme Master Ching Hai including “The Dogs in My Life,” “The Birds in My Life” and “The Noble Wilds” as well as an assortment of her DVDs.

Thank you.

Thank You.

Thank you so much.

Before we say goodbye to the loving residents of the St. Francis Animal Sanctuary, Ms. Moore has some parting words about bringing a companion animal into one’s home.

The most important thing about adopting a pet and pet care is to do the research. There’s plenty of information on the Internet and we would be more than happy to talk to anybody that wants to call here and ask questions. We guide a lot of people, but there is information at your local shelters, and there are lots of animals to be adopted at your local shelters.

Our sincere thanks go to all the members and volunteers of the Lange Foundation and the St. Francis Animal Sanctuary for your generous hearts and altruistic dedication to caring for vulnerable animals. May your benevolent work always be under Heaven’s protection and grace.

For more details on the Shining World Compassion Award Laureates featured today, please visit the following websites: The Lange Foundation www.LangeFoundation.org Follow the Lange Foundation on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/LangeFoundation or connect with the Foundation at www.Facebook.com St. Francis Animal Sanctuary www.SFAS.org Follow the Sanctuary on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/#!/SFAS_MSwww.Twitter.com/#!/SFAS_MS Happy viewers, we enjoyed your presence today on our program. May our world be forever blessed by everlasting peace.