Steamboat Pilot & Today

Years ago, bicycle store owner Jim Hoyt often saw a single mother buying doughnuts for her son. Aware that the family was struggling, Hoyt offered the mother a discount on a bike for the boy. She took Hoyt up on his offer.

Her son's name is Lance Armstrong.

Another little boy who had few toys to play with sat around his house, bored. His neighbors noticed and gave him a dog as a present.

The boy grew up to become Charles Schultz, and his beagle became the inspiration for Snoopy.

The two stories caught the eye of author Margaret Feinberg, who was inspired to find others like them. Feinberg incorporated the tales, along with others about such figures as Sam Walton and Reader's Digest founder Wallace DeWitt into a single volume.

"Simple Acts of Faith: Heartwarming stories of one life touching another" is the author's new book, which was released last month. Feinberg will be signing copies of "Simple Acts of Faith" at 2 p.m. today at Off the Beaten Path.

"It's a collection of stories about how the littlest things lead to having an enormous impact on people's lives," Feinberg said. "It may seem insignificant, but it's huge."

The book features the inspirational stories of 20 to 25 people, famous and unknown.

"I wanted to encourage people," Feinberg said. "Even if you don't have 100 hours a week to volunteer or thousands of dollars to give away, the small things you do every day can impact someone's life."

To write the book, Feinberg said, she read numerous biographies, researched and interviewed various people.

Published by Harvest House in Eugene, Ore., the hardcover is a "gift book," featuring artwork by celebrated artist Norman Rockwell.

"It's a great coffee table book," Feinberg said.

Feinberg grew up in Routt County and graduated from Steam-boat Springs High School in 1992. She attended Wake Forest University in North Carolina and has been a full-time freelance writer since 1997. She resides in Sitka, Alaska, but plans to return to Colorado in the near future.

She has co-written five books and also wrote "God Whispers: Learning to hear His voice."

Her next book, titled "Twentysomething," will be released next February.