Bundled up in a warm coat and mittens, Katie Stafford braves the chilly evening temperatures to sell hot chocolate, cookies and mistletoe at Dillsboro's luminaires. She raised $460 to buy presents for other children.
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Katie Stafford exceeded her goal this Christmas.
Last year, the 10-year-old daughter of Huey and Sue Stafford of Whittier raised $370 by selling hot chocolate, home-baked cookies and bundles of mistletoe during Dillsboro's luminaires. She used the money to buy toys for other children who aren't as fortunate as she is. This year Katie set her goal at $400 and exceeded it by $60. "I couldn't believe I made that much money," said this Smokey Mountain Elementary School student. "I bought three shopping carts full of toys with it!" Her church's Outreach Committee had a grand time wrapping and distributing all the presents, she said. Last year Katie sold mistletoe to supplement her cookies and hot chocolate fare. But when one male customer, a couple of years older, said he wanted to try it out first to see if it worked, Katie wasn't so sure she would risk embarrassment this year. But she's a trooper, agreed her dad, who cut down the mistletoe, which Katie wrapped into bundles and sold for $1 each. Joyce Steicher of Whittier, Katie's grandmother, helped her bake cowboy cookies, which she sold for 25 cents outside the Cheddar Box, a Dillsboro business managed by her mom. Hot chocolate went for 50 cents. One of the Cheddar Box's customers, who read about Katie's unselfish efforts last year, donated 50 Santa-face ornaments for her to sell this year. Those went for 50 cents each. "I would like to see more children take up Katie's efforts," said her mom. "I think we need to put more emphasis on the gift of giving; giving of ourselves and our time is a precious gift." |