IDS News

Second-Grader Helps Charity
By COURTNEY CAIRNS PASTOR The Tampa Tribune

Published: Dec 2, 2006

CARROLLWOOD - A newspaper article about Metropolitan Ministries' holiday needs got Eva Willard-Bauer thinking about what she could do.

The second-grader already had turned her seventh birthday party into a food drive. Her friends brought bags of canned goods instead of presents, and her family donated it to the food bank at their temple, Schaarai Zedek.

"She's always coming up with something," said Eva's mother, Susan Willard. "She likes to watch the news. She likes to read the paper. She sees what goes on in the world; she knows she's lucky."

Eva told her mother that she wanted to collect canned goods for Metropolitan Ministries for the holidays and thought she would get her school, Independent Day School, involved. She prepared a pitch for her teacher.

"I wrote an action plan," Eva said. "I told them about the need for canned goods in Metropolitan Ministries."

Teacher Fran Ehrlich and headmaster Joyce Swarzman got on board. But what Eva didn't know was that Independent Day School's middle school student council was planning its annual food drive for the Tampa charity.

The council has collected donations for Metropolitan Ministries for five years, visiting elementary classrooms to explain the needs and appeal for nonperishable items.

Between the private school's youngest children and its middle school leaders, Independent Day School, in Carrollwood, filled 40 boxes this year. First- and second-graders donated $529 as well.

Lynne Grigelevich, one of the council's advisers, said students often have a hard time understanding how their donations will help until they think about how the food goes from a box at the school to someone's dinner table.

"It just brings home to them how important it is to care about everybody," Grigelevich said.

Eva's effort attracted Janet Pantaleo, who works for Metropolitan Ministries. Pantaleo talked to first- and second-graders about philanthropy, and children started raising their hands to ask about other ways they could help.

"We really need to reach out as a family would," Pantaleo said, "and what better way to teach it from the youngest up."

She told the children how Metropolitan Ministries is the community's family. When children have problems, they turn to parents, siblings or relatives for help. But some people don't have families, Pantaleo said, and they can go to Metropolitan Ministries for help.

Eva took her piggy bank to Big Lots to look for food that would help people "stay healthy," she said. Her mother offered to match her donation. When they checked out, Eva had come out $3 over budget. Willard said she would lend Eva the money but wanted her to earn the amount.

As they left, the woman behind them in line stopped them and said she wanted to donate $3 to the cause. Willard said she had no idea her daughter's small idea could touch so many people.

Eva, who lives in Wesley Chapel, has attended Independent Day School since prekindergarten. She used to talk about becoming an astronaut but hasn't decided what she wants to do when she grows up. She does, however, have a few ideas for more charitable work.

"I might want to do another food drive," she said.

Reporter Courtney Cairns Pastor can be reached at (813) 865-1503 or cpastor@tampatrib.com.