Local girl donates school supplies to the needy

By Bev Woodruff, Staff Writer

Giving to others is a noble cause, and when an eight-year old feels the call to give to others, it’s an even more noble gesture.

Carlie Hertel celebrated her eighth birthday in a way that is more charitable than most of the general population choose to celebrate their birthdays. Although, her parents, William and Amanda Hertel, planned a birthday party, Carlie requested no birthday presents for herself,. Instead she requested school supplies that she could donate to the needy in Union County.

The idea came about one day when Carlie was watching the Disney Channel.

“I love to watch the Disney Channel,” Carlie said during an interview on Monday.

The Disney Channel broadcasts brief segments called “The Time I” or TTI for short. On this particular day it was about a girl who shared the time she collected shoes for the needy in lieu of birthday presents. The idea was a hit with Carlie, and she instantly wanted to do something like that for her upcoming birthday on July 20.

“As soon as she saw it, she came running to me,” Amanda Hertel said.

After talking with her mom, Carlie decided to collect school supplies in lieu of birthday gifts. Birthday party invitations were sent out for the July 21 birthday party. Friends and family received invitations with a photo of Carlie and the following wording:

“Please join me for a ‘Rockin’ Good Time’ at my 8th birthday party. July 21 at 2 at my house. I have decided that I would really like to collect back to school items for the needy. So, instead of gifts for me, please bring school supplies, a pair of shoes or clothing for any school aged child. Thank you for helping me help the needy. XOXO, Carlie”

Carlie’s request was fulfilled beyond her wildest dreams when more than 2,500 items were donated. The following is a list of items included in the donations: 134 notebooks, 96 boxes of crayons, 23 boxes of colored pencils, 27 boxes of markers, 10 pencil cases, 21 pairs of scissors, 48 glue sticks, 72 folders, four mini notebooks, 14 calculators, nine backpacks, 29 packs of pens, four lunch boxes, 41 packs of pencils, one binder, 12 packs of note cards, four dividers, 19 rulers, 14 school boxes, 14 hand sanitizers, 16 highlighters, 20 dry erase markers, 32 bottles of glue, nine pencil sharpeners, five packs of markers, four tubes of chap stick, seven boxes of tissues, 12 tissue packets, 20 pink erasers, 250 pencil top erasers, 1600 sheets of loose leaf notebook paper.

In addition to the school supplies, almost everyone attending the party also brought a gift for Carlie, Amanda Hertel said.

“Everyone got me a card too,” Carlie said.

Amanda Hertel estimated the value of the donated items at more than $500. The items were delivered to the Department of Child Services in Liberty on July 23.

“Our department really appreciates her thinking of others,” DCS director Kelly Persinger said earlier this week. “It will really help a lot of people. It’s really nice to see someone as young as she is thinking of others.”

Giving to others is not a new concept for Carlie. Last year she donated a cutting of her hair to the “Locks of Love” program. Carlie’s grandmother, Darlene Chewning, set that example for Carlie. Chewning has donated several cuttings of her hair to “Locks of Love.” “Locks of Love” is a non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to needy children in the U.S. and Canada. Hairpieces are provided to any needy child under the age of 21 who has a long-term medical hair loss, such as cancer patients.

Carlie will be a third grade student at Liberty Elementary School this year. She likes school, and her favorite subject is science. Carlie and her sister and brother, four year-old Lilly and two year-old Jackson, have spent the summer swimming, playing outside and watching the Disney Channel.

Although Carlie has not been shopping for most of her school supplies yet, she does have one item. Carlie really liked one of the backpacks that was donated and wanted one like it. She now has one and is ready to fill it with school supplies for the beginning of school on Aug. 13.

Carlie Hertel, a little girl with a big heart sits amongst all of the school supplies she asked for instead of birthday gifts to donate to needy children.