What have done for SCH lately?

13 Year Old  Raises Over $20,000

13 year old Mikayla may have been born without her right hand, but she was born with a full heart.

From birth Mikayla was a patient at Shriners Hospitals for Children-Erie. The staff at SHC-Erie worked with her to be fit- ted with prosthetics and how to utilize those prosthetic devices. However, Mikayla says the most important thing she received from the SHC-Erie was the belief that she was normal and could accomplish anything she put her mind too. Mikayla did put her mind to something; she wanted to give back to the organization that gave so much to her.

Mikayla’s idea was to host a benefit dinner and a live auction, titled “Love A Child!” Her vision for the event was “to raise money so they (SHC-Erie) have the funds available to help other children like myself and those who need so much more from them (SHC-Erie).” Mi- kayla set a lofty goal for “Love A Child!,” her first fundraising event, $20,000! Kimberly Goldizen, Mikayla’s mother said, “she set that goal early on, and no one believed she could get there.”

Mikayla did not just take a passive leadership role with “Love A Child!,” she was on the front lines. She was out drumming up sponsorships, taking donations and selling tickets. Even on the night of the event, from cooking dinners to serving the food, she was involved.

The night of the event featured a 50/50 and a plethora of live auction items. With over 300 tickets sold there was not an empty seat to be found. By the end of the evening, as the total was materializing, it was clear Mikayla not only reached her goal but surpassed it. In a little over 2 months of planning and work she had raised $20,230 for SHC-Erie!

Even with her drive and passion Mikayla remains humble. Mikayla says she and her family draw inspiration from a particular line of scripture, “For unto whomsoever much is giv- en, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” (Luke 12:48) The one mistake Shriners Hospitals for Children-Erie made with Mikayla, said Mikayla’s mother, “was telling her she could do anything she wanted.” She has- n’t stopped since.