A 9-year-old Manitowoc girl is using her artistic skill to help others.
Aria Collins was able to attend Camp Y-koda, a summer camp outside of Sheboygan Falls run by the YMCA, and she loved it.
Knowing that some children are less fortunate than herself, Aria’s mother Jennifer explained that she showed her caring sprit by “Making earrings and bracelets and things like that and decided to start selling them to be able to make money to send other kids to camp.”
Aria told us her motivation was simple.
“Because I had fun, and I wanted other people to have fun too,” she told Seehafer News.
To say that her endeavor has been successful would be a massive understatement.
Jennifer noted that “She has raised $493. It’s about two people she will be able to send to camp for a week.”
Aria has even shipped some to as far away as Germany.
We asked Aria what she liked about Camp Y-Koda, and she said, “Because there’s different things to do, and there’s things I’ve never done before.”
When asked what sort of things she was able to try, she mentioned canoeing, but when asked if she liked canoeing she joked, “No. I hate it,” causing everyone in the room to burst into laughter.
Despite not liking canoeing, Aria still loves the camp, and her efforts will ensure others will get the same opportunity she did.
Jennifer and Aria’s father Brian were both beaming with pride.
“I think it’s just an amazing thing that wants to be able to do that,” her mother said.
Brian echoed that thought, saying, “It’s cool to see a 9-year-old girl taking the initiative and doing things business related.”
You can peruse through Aria’s many designs, including earrings designed to look like food, hearts, and holiday items, by visiting the Aria Designs page on Facebook.
All orders are handmade by Aria, and you can even request a custom piece.