Middletown 10-Year-Old Raises Thousands for Australian Relief

Earlier today on the air I said that there are some pretty amazing kids in Monmouth and Ocean counties. Here's another prime example.

The footage of what the wildfires in Australia left behind is hard to look at. People were lost, and so were millions of animals.

Finley Elias is a fourth-grader at Lincroft Elementary. She has a connection to the land down under. Two of her uncles are firefighters in Australia.

Finley told Asbury Park Press:

I saw a bunch of stories and videos about it, and I felt sad about it. I wanted to do something.

Did I mention Finley is 10-years-old? Just awesome.

Finley created a logo featuring the word “Love” with a koala hugging a tree as the “L." She put that logo on t-shirts, hoodies, and other items.

Over the course of 3 weeks, Finley and her family sold these items at Lincroft Elementary, Bayshore Middle School, where her sister Briella attends, and Monroe Township Middle School, where her mother Katy teaches P.E.

Shout out to B.E. Unique Design in Monroe for handling the printing.

Finley's father told APP that he thought it would be cool if his daughter sold enough to raise a few hundred dollars. The final result? $17,200!

It gets even better. The exchange in Australia brings that total up to $25,000. All money will be donated to Port Macquarie Koala Hospital in New South Wales.

Be proud that we have such amazing children and parents in our area. Well done, Finley!

[source: APP]