Paytyn Roche is just 12 years old, but she has already spent a good portion of her young life helping others.
Her latest project involved making 200 stuffed ornamental mice out of quilting fabric, which she sells for $5 each.
Roughly three-quarters of the collection is finished in a Christmas design.
She recently sold them as part of an event at the Kiwanis Bandshell.
“Every year I give things to my teachers as a Christmas gift, and they told me I should sell them. I told my Nana (Sandy Foster) about it, and she pulled out the pattern she had because she had made them (mice) over 40 years ago with her best friend,” explained Roche who together with the help of her Nana, spent one day a week over three or four months, making the soft creations.
“So now I’m selling them, and the money is going to the Infant Food Shelf. It is important for people to have what they need to raise their babies,” Roche wisely observed.
Open Wednesdays from 10 a.m. until noon, the Trinity United Church Infant Food Shelf in North Bay serves an average of 40 families a month.
The age range is newborn to 12 months.
Since opening its doors in 2013, the Infant Food Shelf has helped over 600 families.
Volunteer-driven, and without any government assistance, the Food Shelf relies on support from the community.
“I think it is amazing that she is doing this. She’s young and she has her heart in the right place, helping other people,” noted volunteer Darlene Floyd.
Roche learned at the tender age of six, the importance of giving back to the community.
“Even with her allowance right from when she was little, we would put a percentage of that for donations, and then when it reaches a certain amount, she gets to choose where that money goes. It has been great that she has been doing that. So, to have this experience is phenomenal,” explained a visibly proud mom, Julia Roche.
The younger Roche has even made and donated a single bed-size quilt to the children’s mental health unit at the hospital.
She has raised money through the Nipissing Rotary Children’s Charity Fair for the Infant Food Shelf and has donated to the Gathering Place by coming up with creative ideas.
“I’ve made chocolate-covered strawberries, I’ve made mugs which I painted and plates which I sold. The first thing I did was a blanket, quilting,” Roche noted.
“My Nana actually suggested we start helping people because a lot of people have problems and don’t have a lot of money, and they need a lot of things. So, she said ‘Why don’t we start helping people?”
Foster has been teaching her granddaughter skills like sewing, quilting, and baking to raise money for her chosen causes.
Mom Julia is visibly bursting with pride when she thinks of the good works her daughter is doing for the community.
“It is indescribable. It is just one of the things I have always tried to instill, helping out, that not everybody is as fortunate as we are, and so try to give back,” explained Julia.
Roche is humble when it comes to sharing the good work she does for others.
“I don’t really tell my friends to be honest. It isn’t something that comes up, but I do tell my best friend and she says it is nice, and that it is good that I am raising money to help people.”
To date, she has raised close to $500 for the Infant Food Shelf from her latest endeavour.
The rest of the mice will be sold at the Trinity Church bazaar.
“She will probably make close to $1,000 when all is said and done,” predicts her grandmother.
This young girl gets as much as she gives.
“I enjoy raising money for people in need. I’m happy that I’m able to help.”
This fundraiser isn’t finished, and she is already thinking ahead to her next cause.
“Probably the hospital or the animal shelter.”
Roche’s advice to others wanting to share their talents is quite simple.
“Take what you have as a gift and make it into something that is kind of a big deal, and help other people.”
BayToday.ca will provide other stories of inspiring young people in the months to come.
