Emily Beaulieu doesn’t need a few words from us to know that she did something special for her birthday.

The celebration Monday brought out the biggest dignitaries in the Twin Cities to sing her praises and honor her generosity. She even earned a key to the city.

Emily, who turned seven Sunday, used her birthday to launch a toy drive benefiting kids who have lost their homes to fire. She told guests at her party to make a donation to Catholic Charities instead of giving her a gift. She also expanded her efforts to include several local businesses.

She set a difficult goal, collect 200 toys for others. She met that and more. The final tally was 362.

We don’t expect young children to recognize the privileges in their lives or to see the big-picture problems of the world. But Emily is special. She has recognized that she’s lucky and wants to share her blessings with other kids who are going through tough times.

Emily is a beautiful little girl, inside and out.