HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE ? When disaster struck, three girls took it upon themselves to help and inspired a community to join them. Ashlyn Welton, 11, Cassidy McKinney, 10 and Reve Tomlin, 10 have raised more than $500 to assist one of their favorite role-models, who recently lost his home to fire.
“He”s a big help and since his house burnt down, we knew we needed to do something,” Ashlyn said.
George Agustus, known to the children at Coyote Valley Elementary School as “Gampa” suffered a devastating loss recently when his Hidden Valley Lake home was destroyed by fire. When the girls learned that it was their Gampa”s house that burned, they immediately and without hesitation began raising funds and collecting donations to help him and his family.
“I think it”s pretty neat when kids come up with something like this on their own,” Coyote Valley Principal Walt Campbell said. “They are setting a new standard for student involvement.”
When the girls learned of the situation, they immediately began collecting donations for the Agustus family. They raised nearly $200 within the first few hours and used a portion of the money to buy baking goods for a bake sale that they held the following day. Along with a carwash that they held last weekend, the girls have raised $568.86. They have collected several boxes of clothes and shoes for the family.
“We were just thinking ?what if this would have happened to us,”” Reve said. “We were really sad for him and we”re happy that we could help.”
The girls said that the experience has shown them what a great community they live in. “It”s made use realize what a special community we have and what great people we live around,” Ashlyn said.
Cassidy added, “It”s taught us that when you are good friends with someone you want to help them in times like this because they would help you.”
The girls said that they have received great support in the endeavor. “A lot of our friends want to help,” Reve said. “We had a bund of our friends help us with the car wash.”
Ashlyn”s father James Welton said he is quite impressed with the initiative that the girls have taken and the example they have set. “I think the girls have kind of started a trend,” he said. “Everybody saw them doing something good and they all wanted to jump on board.”
The girls have more fundraising endeavors on the plate. They are planning a recycling effort and Cassidy said she plans to address the church that she and Gampa attend.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com or call her directly at 994-6444, ext. 11.
