At a time when many headlines paint a less-than-encouraging picture of what is happening throughout the world, learning that selfless acts can and do still occur can be a breath of fresh air.
An excellent example of this is the story of 7-year-old Bellevue resident Jennica Beall, whose family lost their home to an early morning house fire on Feb. 20.
The blaze, which fire investigators determined was ignited by a free-standing halogen torch lamp that came into contact with lightweight window drapes, completely gutted the Bealls' Bellevue home. As part of his investigation into the fire, Bellevue Fire Chief Greg Beaver estimated the total loss at $100,000.
At the time of the blaze, the Bealls were in the final stages of building a new home in Bellevue.
To help the family get back on their feet immediately after the fire, firefighters from the Bellevue Fire Department gave the Bealls $1,000 from their Volunteer Burnout Fund.
Last Friday, Jennica, whose cheerful and resilient spirit is quite infectious, returned the favor. Using half the funds she raised this summer from a lemonade stand that she both thought up and operated herself, Jennica gave $11 back to the fund.
"She raised it all herself," Jennica's mother, Ada, said.
Jennica's only request was that the money she raised be used for other people in need, the elder Beall said.
"She wants to help other people," she added. "It was very neat that she thought of it on her own."
Jennica's 13-year-old brother, Brandon, is equally proud of his sister's act of generosity. "She's really a good sister," he said. "She likes to help people out."
"If a 7-year-old can, anyone can," Brandon said, adding that his sister proves that anyone is capable of similar acts of generosity.
Today, the Beall family is back on their feet and living in their new home.
After the fire in February, they had to move in with family members for a week, a motorhome for another five weeks and a hotel for a week, Ada Beall said. The donation from the volunteer fund came in handy during that time.
"I had never heard of the Burnout Fund before," she said.
While Jennica's donation doesn't match the firefighters' dollar-for-dollar, her generosity more than makes up for the shortfall.
Asked why she decided to raise money with a lemonade stand, Jennica, who will enter the second grade this month, responded with an answer that is simple and to the point as only a young child can be.
"I like lemonade," she said.
Bellevue resident Jennica Beall, 7, recently donated half of the money she raised with a lemonade stand to the Bellevue Fire Department?s Volunteer Burnout Fund.? Jennica and her family were forced out of their home on Feb. 20 after an early-morning blaze gutted it. On Monday, Bellevue Fire Chief Greg Beaver, right, recognized Jennica?s kindness by giving her a Fire Department patch and T-shirt. Photo by Willy Cook
