Pansy has come to learn that you can make a huge impact, no matter how small you are. In all of her adventures, she’s realized the impact that can be made with just a little curiosity, care and drive…a lesson that is shown by these children featured on Kids Are Heroes, a site showcasing the amazing accomplishments of kids making a difference worldwide. We want to share the wonderful things that can happen when you have a dream and strive to reach it. Join us in celebrating these kids and be inspired to follow in their footsteps – remember, you’re never too small to make a difference! Visit Kids Are Heroes for more awesome kids with huge hearts!
For the last 3 years Julia Lemick has requested donations to different charities in lieu of birthday gifts from her friends. This past year she asked for donations for Toys for Tots and then worked to help organize a Toys for Tots drive at her school. We collected toys at Oakdale’s movie night in December with 2 brave Marines and sent them to the Toys for Tots warehouse so they could distribute them to kids in need at Christmas. Julia has not decided what charity she wants to adopt this year yet.
For the last 2 years Anna Lemick has asked her friends to bring dog toys, food bowls, leashes and treats to her birthday parties in lieu of gifts. She has donated them to Labrador Retriever Rescue so rescued labs could learn how to be the wonderful fun-loving labs they are meant to be. She is planning on adopting Toys for Tots this year!
Emily Lites, is an 11 year old girl from Texas. After her baby brother suffered a massive stroke she sat by his side in the hospital. She learned that hospitals could be sad, and boring places. She then decided to take action, and create “Emily’s Smile Boxes”, which are boxes filled with toys, games, coloring books, and more. She passes these boxes out to local children’s hospitals for the patients, and their siblings. She also drops off official Emily’s Smile Boxes Build A Bears, for infant patients. Emily also ships boxes all across the United States, and Canada upon request. To date Emily has passed out more than 1000 boxes, more than 300 teddy bears, and raised more than $10,000 for her cause. To encourage other children to become active in their community, Emily hold local Smile Boxes making parties. Many children across our area, and some from out of state have attended her parties. Recently Emily won the mid level Texas state winner for the Prudential Spirit of the Community award. Due to this award she was able to present her charity to DR Condollezza Rice, and both her US state Senators. Emily’s goal is to spread her smiles nationwide, and have her boxes in every US hospital. Then she will work on the rest of the world.
James Brooks has worked tirelessly to raise money and awareness to help endangered apes and empower children to make a difference. He has donated $1000’s of dollars to ape conservation causes and his 1000classrooms initiative has brought the message to students across the contintent that apes are critically endangered, and to help them we must also help the people who live near them.
Since he was 8 years old (2004) James has been raising funds by asking for donations in lieu of gifts for holidays and dozens of other activities. He wrote and maintains “apeaware.org” to “inform people about apes and help save apes” and in fall 2008 launched www.1000classrooms.org – a project which has already done much to give impoverished African widows an income, feed malnourished children, protect endangered gorillas, and save valuable rain forest while simultaneously teaching, inspiring, and motivating 1000’s of North American children. The $3/classroom threshold allows virtually any child to contribute in a meaningful way. As James says “it just takes 5 minutes of class time and 10 cents a kid to change the world.” James is a particularly good nominee in 2009 which is the UNEP “Year of the Gorilla”.