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A Helping Hand (1/1)
"Thanks for helping, Aunt Elizabeth," Kaitlin said as she pulled another medium sized cardboard box out of the back of the van. "If you can put these donation bins out at your tutoring locations that would be awesome. I know a lot of people don't have money to donate but they might have some clothes and shoes that don't fit anymore, and we need those too."
A week earlier a fire caused by a faulty hot water heater had swept through a small apartment building that housed 6 families leaving nothing but a pile of burning ash. Luckily no one was seriously hurt, but 9 adults and 7 children were left homeless and with nothing but the clothes on their back. The Allen children immediately felt a kinship with the displaced youngsters having lost their own house to fire several years before, none more acutely than Kaitlin who had proven many times to be the most sensitive of the siblings.
The night after hearing news of the blaze Kaitlin slipped into her mother's bedroom just passed 11 pm carrying Midnight.
"What's wrong, sweetie?" Jenna asked, her voice thick with sleep.
Kaitlin perched on the side of the bed and took a deep shuddering breath. "I can't stop thinking about all those people who lost their place to live. I …" she paused, hugging her beloved cat just a little tighter, "I remember how scary it was when it happened to us."
Jenna pushed herself up into a sitting position and wrapped her daughter, and Midnight, in a tight hug. "It was scary," Jenna agreed. "Luckily we had each other."
Kaitlin's lip quivered. "Do you think all those kids that lived in that building have someone to lean on like we all had each other?"
"I hope so." Jenna kissed the top of her youngest daughter's head. "I really do."
"I was thinking … I mean I was hoping ... " Kaitlin pulled back and met her mother's eyes with her own watery ones. "I want to help them."
"That's very nice of you, honey. I can call the Red Cross in the morning and see if there's anything specific that's needed and then maybe we can pick up a few things at the store."
Kaitlin nodded. "That's a good idea. But I was also thinking maybe I could talk to the principal at school and get permission to collect some clothes and shoes and toys and that kind of stuff." As she talked the sadness in her eyes was replaced with determination. "And maybe I can bake some cupcakes and sell them during lunch periods to raise money. I can also ask my classmates if they have any ideas of things we can do."
Jenna looked at her daughter, impressed with how quickly the young girl was turning her despair into action. "I think those sound like good ideas," she said proudly "Why don't you try to get some rest and we can start making calls tomorrow."
"Can I sleep with you?" the pre-teen asked hopefully.
"Of course you can," Jenna smiled and patted the bed beside her.
Kaitlin bit her lip. "What about Midnight?"
Jenna shook her head. She was tempted to try to relocate the cat to the cat bed in the living room, but she knew it would be pointless. Wherever he started off the night the determined feline always ended up curled up next to Kaitlin. "Get in." She pulled back the covers. "Both of you."
Over the next week Kaitlin's family and friends, as well as her teachers, were impressed by the zeal with which she threw herself in this project. She contacted the Red Cross volunteers who had responded the night of the fire and found out the clothes and shoe sizes for everyone affected. The volunteers were so touched by the earnestness of the young girl who clearly empathized and wanted nothing more than to help that they passed along her contact information to the victims themselves.
Over the course of the next several days Kaitlin managed to speak to each person individually which allowed her to find out their favorite colors and styles as well their toy and book preferences. She carefully logged all the information and attached it to each donation box. She knew the families would be grateful for anything that was donated, and would make good use of all the items, but she also knew first-hand how overwhelming the situation could be and made it her mission to comb through the donations and make sure each person received at least a few items that matched their own personal tastes and preferences.
She arrived at school an hour early each day to collect and organize the donations from the previous day so the families could come by and pick them up. She spent her free periods in the principal's office counting the money that had been donated via a collection jar in the office. The money was divided equally amongst the families and dispersed once a week.
In addition to everything else she was doing she found time to bake dozens and dozens of cupcakes and brownies to sell at the local soccer fields on Saturday. She chose that location because she knew there was a lot of traffic there as at least twenty games took place on 5 fields from morning to early afternoon.
She called the head of the soccer association and received permission to sell this one Saturday even though it would undoubtedly hurt business at the soccer council's own concession stand. Once Kaitlin laid out her case for how badly the fire victims needed help the council president had been unable to say no.
As Jenna pulled the van up to the fields early Saturday morning she saw a smiling Esther and Kamekona waiting for them. "What's up guys?" she said as she opened the back door of the van.
"Hi!" Kaitlin said brightly as she came around the back of the car. "I didn't expect to see you guys here today."
"Once everyone hears your cupcakes are for sale we know there's gonna be a big crowd." Esther beamed. "We thought we'd come and see if we could lend a hand with sales."
"Thanks!" Kaitlin clapped happily. "That'll be great!"
"We also didn't know how you were set for tables to display things on and bags and cupcake boxes so we brought a few extra just in case." Kamekona pressed the remote to the van with his picture emblazoned on the side and the door slid open to reveal more supplies than they could possibly need.
"That's very nice of you," Jenna smiled. "I was a little worried we were gonna run out. I have Cody on standby to run to Jirou's and pick up more bags if necessary."
"Don't worry, sister," Kamekona smiled. "I have you and the little sister covered."
As the games started Elizabeth stopped by with some brownies to contribute to the cause. An hour later Carrie, Catherine and Angie arrived with cookies that were the result of their early morning baking party with Gabby, Leilani and Kono.
"We hope these help," Catherine said as Angie waved a sugar cookie from her perch in her godmother's arms, her face covered with pink frosting.
"They definitely have Angie's seal of approval," Carrie snorted.
There were a steady stream of customers all day and by the time Steve and Danny arrived, fresh off the arrest of drug dealer they'd been after for weeks, they managed to snag pretty much the last of the available sweets.
"Do we get a discount since it's closing time?" Danny teased.
"Don't listen to him." Steve said as he took out his own wallet and handed several bills to Jenna who was acting as cashier.
"It's ok." Kaitlin smiled happily as she packed two dozen cupcakes into boxes. "I know he's just teasing." She looked Steve with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Maybe I should charge him double."
As Jenna watched Steve's genuine laugh she marveled at how far Kaitlin had come in a few short years. She was on her way to becoming the composed and confident young woman Jenna dreamed she would become.
Elizabeth recognized the look on Jenna's face as she followed her gaze. "It feels good to watch them come into their own, doesn't it?"
Jenna smiled brightly as Kaitlin continued her conversation with Steve and Danny. "It sure does," she said proudly. "It sure does."
THE END
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