OPELIKA, Ala. – Molly Wilbourne, the mother of Southview Primary School second-grader, Abby Henderson, knew her daughter was special from the moment she was born.
Wilbourne said her daughter cares about everyone. She said there will be times where they will be driving down the road and they'll see someone broke down on the side of the road and Abby will pray for them. She said giving and caring for others has been in her daughter's blood for years.
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"In preschool, instead of birthday presents, she wanted canned foods," Wilbourne said. "So, she took 70 pounds of food to the food bank, and that's what has gotten the ball rolling. Every year, she asks for canned foods. She takes food to the humane society. She always wants to bake cookies for the police officers and firemen."
At their church, Grace United Methodist in Auburn, they have a ‘reverse Advent Calendar" in which folks give a can of food each day for those in need. What does Abby do? She gives two cans each day.
This year, Abby wanted to do something to make sure the 400 plus kids at her school had a great holiday. Her mother said their original idea was to purchase pencils for the kids. They looked at the costs online, and learned it would be around $200. So, Abby did extra chores around the house, but when her mother ran out of chores she could do, she created a Go Fund Me. When they went to the store, they got a great deal and were able to purchase two pencils, a toy and a piece of candy that went in a cup for the students.
"We laid it all out on the dining room table and we put all the cups out," Henderson said. "I did the pencils and she did the tootsie rolls and the toys. Then we helped bag them up."
"For my heart, it exploded because I have a very giving nature as well, but sometimes that gets lost in the hustle and bustle of being an adult," Abby's teacher Tori Gooden said. "It was nice to see a child who that still resonates in."
Gooden said that Abby is a model student and is willing to help anyone at any given time.
Her mom said that her daughter has taught her to be a better person and thinks she is an example to kids and adults that it is all about giving, no matter how big or small.
"My heart is just so full," Wilbourne said. "It makes me so proud and love her even more that she thinks about everybody else."
Wilbourne added that after Abby completes one project, she moves onto another, and Abby already knows her next project to tackle.\
"I'm going to raise money for the kids who have cancer," Henderson said.
Anyone interested in helping Abby in her quest to help others can reach out to her mother at Molly.Henderson03@yahoo.com