Val’s a top gal for help
One girl’s mission an inspiration
VALENTINA Holland has a heart of gold.
The eight-year-old The Glennie School student is on a one-girl-mission to make sure no one in Toowoomba sleeps rough.
After raising enough money to deliver 32 backpack beds to the region’s homeless, Valentina revealed her motive behind the thoughtful gesture.
“I like to help the community and everyone deserves a roof over their heads,” she said.
It was four years ago, during her own stint in hospital, that the spark to help others was lit in Valentina.
Going through her own issues at the time, the inspiring young girl had thoughts only for others.
She raised $700 for the Leukaemia Foundation.
“I was in hospital when I was four-years-old,” she said.
“I saw some kids with no hair on their heads and asked my parents why.
“They told me they had a disease so I started raising money to help them.”
Stepping up her efforts, Valentina raised a total of $3500 to supply backpack beds to those sleeping rough in the Garden City.
Of the 32 backpack beds she bought, 12 will be going to the Base Services on Neil St.
But she is not stopping there.
Her goal is to raise $7200 in order to buy 70 backpack beds.
“It just makes me feel good to help others,” she said.
Helping others at her own expense is something that fills Valentina’s parents Jay and Angelina with pride.
Deciding to not receive presents on her birthday or for Christmas, the chirpy eightyear-old has all the values her mum and dad dreamed to instil in their children.
“We were both pretty encouraged by her generosity or want to be generous and look after the community and a bit of social justice,” dad Jay Holland said.
“We very, very proud of Valentina and her sister who wants to follow on in her footsteps.”
“She is so young and has this beautiful caring nature,” mum Angelina Holland said.