Wednesday, December 25, 2002
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Wednesday, December 25, 2002 |
First-grader demonstrates true meaning of holiday spiritThe best way to catch the holiday spirit is to give it to someone else, and that is exactly what 7-year-old Brennan Cate has done. A first-grader at Kedron Elementary, Brennan knows that the true meaning of the holiday season is all about giving to others. He has raised $110 plus eight bags of groceries for a Fayette County family who is having a difficult time financially this year. The idea to help a family came to him after his mother told him about a sermon she heard Rev. Chuck Hodges give at the Peachtree City United Methodist Church. "Rev. Chuck told us that he wanted every person to something anonymous for someone else to get into the Christmas spirit. When I told my son about it, he said, 'Mommy, let's adopt a family,'" said Lana Cate. Cate used her contacts within the school system to find a family in need that also had a child attending one of the county's schools. When Cate told her son about the struggling family, she says he cried and prayed that he could find a way to help them. Brennan began his crusade to raise money for the family by composing a letter explaining why he was requesting donations and that the money raised would be used to help someone in need. He took the letter door-to-door in his neighborhood where he collected donations from not only adults but also other children. "He would get so excited and jump up and down every time someone gave him some money. He kept a close eye on the donations and always knew exactly how much he had," said Cate. "Even other children responded to his request for help and donated money out of their own piggy banks for the family." Brennan also generously gave up his birthday money that was earmarked for a new beanbag chair. Additionally, after learning about his mission, Brownie Troop 107 donated eight full bags of groceries so that the family could have a merrier holiday season. "All of this has had such a big impact on Brennan. We teach our children that it's not what you have but what you give. We are just very proud of him," said Cate.
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