Reed Campbell is 10 years old and helping so many people and families in her community.
She is a fourth grader at Lake Center Christian School, Lake Township, between Uniontown and Hartville. Her favorite color is pink, and she loves cats. She is the middle sister in her family.
"I have five people in my family, and I love them so much," she smiled.
She also has a lot of love for others, her mom Beth said.
"She is a very empathetic person. I always say she is the most empathetic person in our family, including my husband and myself," Beth said. "She just really feels for other people, and so this project was right up her alley, and we're very, very proud of her!"
Lake Center Christian School picked Reed's idea to receive its annual Loaves and Fishes challenge, a kindness project based on the biblical story of feeding the 5,000.
Reed also loves art and got creative to grow the $20 the school gave her as part of the challenge. Her idea was to buy care packages for women undergoing breast cancer treatment, a cause close to her heart.
"My aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer this past year, and I wanted to help ladies going through that too," said Reed.
Reed used wooden blocks, paints, and fabric to make adorable wintry figurines.
"She sat right here for hours painting these things," said Beth, pointing to their kitchen countertop. "Then, we set them up, and we took pictures, then put them on Facebook and sold them."
Reed said she never expected to make much money.
"I didn't think we were going to make a whole lot," she admitted.
However, Reed made $400.
She and her mom used the money to make care packages. They included a blanket, a lip balm, a honey stick, and a Starbucks gift card.
They dropped them off earlier this month at Aultman's breast care center.
"It was just all these little caring touches for our women who have breast cancer," said Dr. Sabrina Shilad, director of the Aultman Breast Program.
She said they're so grateful to Reed and her family. She says the care packages were given to about two dozen new patients.
"More than one got a little teary-eyed because they were just so touched that someone would do this," said Shilad. "Then, when they found out that she's only 10, they were just like, 'Oh, this is so wonderful.' So, a lot of our patients were so touched. A few of them were like, 'You know it's so great to see there's still good out in the world.'"
"I think the Loaves and Fishes challenge is an amazing challenge that the school does every year because I think it really makes kids think of how they can help others, and it's just through Jesus that it gets as big as it can," said Beth.
A school challenge that started with $20 grew into $400, but the lesson is priceless.
"I feel glad that I had the opportunity to do it, and happy for the people who got it," smiled Reed.
Tucked in each care package was also a letter written by Reed to let each woman know they are loved.
"I've been praying for my aunt and when I've been praying for her, I've thought about other people going through chemotherapy," the letter said. "So, I've also been praying for you. I'm praying that God will give you peace and that you'll get better soon. Love, Reed."
