Abby Henley’s eighth birthday party Dec. 8 was typical in many ways. Cookie cake was served. “Happy Birthday” was sung. And gifts were given — but not opened.
Before her party, Abby decided that rather than keep her birthday gifts, she wanted to donate them to Toys for Tots, a U.S. Marine Corps Reserve program that provides new toys to children whose parents can’t afford them.
“We’d been cleaning out her playroom recently and talking about how she had so much and how God tells us that we should be stewards of what we have by giving to others,” said Carla Henley, Abby’s mother. “So she was asking me something she could do, and we thought of the Toys for Tots thing. She wanted it to be specifically for someone like her — a little girl — since she likes girly stuff.”
According to Abby’s second grade teacher, Jennie Gillon, this type of giving behavior is nothing new for Abby: The 8-year-old is kind and friendly at school, and she always lends a hand to classmates when needed. Gillon was touched to hear about her student’s plan to donate her birthday gifts to Toys for Tots, and she said the rest of the class was excited about the idea as well.
Setting an example
“We all learned about it when she distributed invitations to her classmates,” Gillon said. “When I read the invitation and saw that the gifts would be given to Toys for Tots, I was not surprised, as this is an example of what I see in Abby’s life on a daily basis.”
Carla has a hunch that Abby’s compassionate spirit was heightened when Abby’s younger brother, Connor — now 5 — was born. He was in the hospital a lot as an infant and underwent open heart surgery.
“She’s been to the hospital so many times and has seen the kids in need there,” said Carla, who attends North Shelby Baptist Church, Birmingham, with her family. “I think seeing that may have played a role in her becoming so empathetic.”
Still, despite Abby’s exposure to others in need, Carla is overwhelmed by her daughter’s decision to give away her birthday presents this year. “It made me so proud of her, and I tear up every time I think about it,” Carla said. “It’s one thing to talk about giving but another to take away from what you’d be getting and give to someone else. I’m proud of who she is as a person.”
As for Abby, she’s looking forward to envisioning some happy girls unwrapping gifts on Christmas morning.
“I’m glad that my toys went to Toys for Tots to give to kids for Christmas, because there are so many people in the world who don’t get Christmas presents,” she said. “I think it’s going to be really fun, and I wish I could watch all those kids waking up on Christmas morning and opening their gifts.”
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