Emily Beaulieu, the Litchfield girl who gave up presents for her seventh birthday so other children could have toys, is now giving up her eighth birthday.

But she’s starting a little early.

Emily will begin a month-long toy and penny drive this week, with donations going to children whose lives have been devastated by fire. Although Emily’s birthday isn’t until January, she’s upped her goal – to 500 toys – and wants to make sure the donations get into the hands of children who need them as soon as possible.

“I kind of thought about having a birthday this year,” she said. “Then I said, ‘Nah, I shouldn’t. I should help other kids.'”

Emily garnered media attention last January when she asked her parents and birthday guests to bring toys for other kids. Soon, local businesses set up toy boxes and total strangers called to donate. Emily collected 336 toys and gave them all to Catholic Charities for children who lost everything in house fires.

For her work, the bubbly home-schooler earned congratulations from Gov. John Baldacci and Maine’s congressional delegation. She got a letter from President George W. Bush, her mother said, and she won an honorable mention from Build-A-Bear’s 2006 Huggable Heroes. Last spring, she started her own charity, Emily’s Wish.

She will continue the work she started last year. Donation boxes will be available for toy drop-offs at Shaw’s Supermarkets in Lewiston and Auburn between Oct. 12 and Nov. 2. For cash donations, penny jars will be available through Nov. 10 at locations including Stevens Hardware in Sabattus, G & G General Store in Litchfield, South Monmouth Market, Stephen’s Pizza in Lewiston and Roopers on Sabattus Street in Lewiston.

Copy the Story Link