Out with the old, in with the charity

Labrador girl turns her old toys into charitable donations

What started as some summer cleaning turned into a carnival fundraiser in Happy Valleygoose Bay this summer organized by a nine-year-old girl.

When Amanda Coady told her two daughters, Lyra and Elise, they had to get rid of some of the toys that had accumulated in the family rec room, Lyra suggested they use them as prizes.

“It quickly morphed into her wanting a carnival with some games for kids, using the field across the street from our house,” Coady told Saltwire Network. “They spent hours and hours making these games and painting them. Some other neighbourhood kids wanted to join, so we had this group of girls come over and help with the games.”

The original plan was to just give away the toys, but then Lyra suggested they charge a small fee for the games and donate the money to the Janeway children’s hospital in St. John’s. They had been there a few times, Coady said, and Lyra liked the idea of helping the children staying there.

The carnival was originally supposed to be over two days, but they got so much support from friends and neighbours,

they got rid of all the toys and other small prizes, more than 200 in total, in just one day.

They raised $580 and when they realized how much they made, Lyra wanted to give half to the Janeway and the other half to a local charity in central Labrador.

“She decided to split it because giving it to the Janeway wasn’t local, that’s what she said,” Coady said. “She talked to the neighbourhood kids and one of them mentioned the women’s centre. We had been there a few times dropping off stuff and she knew

people lived there and wanted to help.”

They gave $300 to the Janeway and the other $280 to the Mokami Status of Women

Council, the non-profit organization that operates the women’s centre.

“It’s just so nice as a parent to know that you’re trying to teach kids things and when they get to a certain age, they actually listen and learn from what you tell them,” Coady said. “I’m very proud of her.”

CONTRIBUTED Nine-year-old Lyra Coady decided to use her old toys as prizes in a carnival she held this summer in Happy Valley-goose Bay, with all the money raised going to charity.

CONTRIBUTED Lyra Coady raised $300 for the Janeway children’s hospital and $280 for the Mokami Status of Women Council by using her old toys and trinkets as prizes in a carnival.