Age doesn't stop girl from helping others

Katie Brickwell wants to go on a church mission to Africa, but there's one problem. She's only 8 years old.

Not letting her age keep her from helping those in need, Katie, a third-grader at Black Diamond Elementary School, found a way to help close to home.

She decided to raise money to set up a local Christmas toy drive.

Inspired by the biblical story of David and Goliath, she named her organization The David vs. Goliath Project and found necklaces that symbolized the story.

With a rock and an adjustable cord, the necklace is supposed to represent the sling and stone that brought down Goliath.

Her mother purchased the necklaces online from a liquidator, and Katie put labels on them with the name she chose for the fundraiser "Kids ROK," which stands for Kids Reaching Out to Kids.

Katie and her friends sold the necklaces for $3 each at their schools and in their churches and neighborhoods.

By Dec. 21, Katie and her friends had raised $1,600 to purchase toys, blankets, clothes, diapers and fuel cards for selected families at the Cedarbrook Mobile Home Park and a family at Green River Gorge Resort.

Now with Christmas over, The David vs. Goliath Project will continue to help local kids raise funds for other charity work.

A Web site has been set up to track the organization's work, www.kidsrok.org.

Q: How did you become interested in helping people in need?

A : I felt really bad that they don't get what we get, so I decided to raise some money and help them.

Q: What do you like about helping people in need?

A : I like having the love, joy, happiness feeling inside of me when I help people. I love seeing people smile when they get the money. It makes me feel good to help people.

Q : Who are your role models that also help people in need?

A : I look up to my mom and my friends and people that I know that have done missions.

Q: What are your volunteering goals in helping people in need?

A : This is my practice. I'm real young still, so this is getting me ready for when I'm older. I want to go to Africa and help people there. That is my dream.

Q: What are your other hobbies?

A : Singing, playing on my piano, ice skating and art.

Q: What do you hope to do when you're older?

A : I want to be a missionary and a vet. Or a horse trainer or a video-game maker or a model.

Jordan Dawson: 253-234-8601 or seattletimes.com">jdawson@seattletimes.com