March 27, 2008

In the spirit of the American Red Cross, a young Hood River girl gave up her birthday presents to help others in need.

Alisha Hays, a sixth-grader at Hood River Middle School, decided this year on her 12th birthday, she wanted to help her community.

Hays planned a birthday party, invited all her friends and then asked instead of a present for her, if they could bring a new stuffed animal.

Hays’ plan was to gather the toys and give them to children who would need something to love. She decided she didn’t really need birthday presents, and that there were other children living in our community that could benefit.

Earlier this year in Hays’ neighborhood, a fire destroyed a home. Alisha realized then that the children that lived there would be devastated because all of their clothes, toys, and pictures were gone.

Hays wanted to help and she used her birthday this year to do so. After she gathered all the stuffed animals from her friends and family, Hays donated them to the local American Red Cross, the organization that responds to families when their house burns down.

Alisha is a Girl Scout and had taken babysitting classes from the Red Cross. She remembered from her class that the Red Cross responds to fires and asked her mother if she could donate the toys. Hays said, “I just think that if it were me after a fire, I would want something soft and cuddly to hold on to.”

Anne Sutton, volunteer coordinator, said “It truly helps to have something to give a child after their house burns down. A small stuffed animal can give a child such hope and comfort.

“In celebration of ‘March is Red Cross Month,’ the local Red Cross would like to recognize Alisha for her selfless act of kindness and all the others in this community that give so much to help,” Sutton said.

“Our communities are safer and more prepared because of you.”