In December, when Great Falls sixth-grader Katelyn Nix heard about the Gibson Flats grassfire burning south of town, she knew she wanted to do something to help the families who had lost their homes.

“I love to give back to others, and I love to see how that makes them feel,” the 12-year-old said.

She thought about it all day at school, and that afternoon as she road home with her friend Sophia Nelson, the two began to form a plan.

With the help of their parents, teachers, principal, the PTA and their Valley View classmates, Katelyn and Sophia gathered goodies for four baskets each with a different theme, like movies or sports. They then raffled the baskets at their school, raising an amazing $875 for the Great Falls families.

“I thought it was going to be like $100 – that’s it,” Katelyn said. “Almost a $1,000 is pretty wild.”

In March, Katelyn and Sophia presented a check to the Montana Red Cross during a special event at their school. Katelyn said it didn’t take long to decide where she wanted the money to go.

“I was talking with our principal, and the Red Cross is the first thing that comes to mind that can spread the money and help people,” Katelyn said.

And she’s grateful to everyone who gave them support along the way.

“I’m very happy that everything worked out,” she said. “I’m very appreciative of everyone who helped out and helped make this what it could be.”

VAUGHN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Students at Vaughn Public Schools also did their part to help families impacted by the Gibson Flats fire with a fundraiser of their own. Students who brought in a donation were allowed to wear their hats at school. Their efforts tallied more than $120 for Red Cross relief efforts.