Editor's Note: Natalie Norton is a young lady with big talents. We first came to know her and her father, Ken Norton, at the Rotary Club of Stockton where Natalie was raising money last year to help provide toys for kids during the holidays. We thought her story of compassion and desire to help our community was one worth sharing. Join us in saluting Natalie and her service in helping others.
In her own words...
My name is Natalie Norton and I am thirteen years old. Every year during Christmas time I do a fundraiser for Toys for Tots. Over the year I take pictures and make note cards using the pictures I took. Then I start to sell them so later I can buy toys for kids who usually don’t get any presents on Christmas. I have been doing this for three years now and I really enjoy the feeling of helping other children that are less fortunate than me. Each pack of ten cards is $20. The first year I started to do this I raised $300. The second year I raised $440, and last year I raised $660. I am hoping to raise more and more money each year. I am thinking about starting a website so that more people have the opportunity to help out.
The reason why I started doing my fundraiser is because I want to help our community. I have always been interested in photography and I enjoy taking pictures. Every year my family makes Christmas cards, using our family pictures. Then I thought of the idea of putting my photos in the note cards. When I started to sell some of them I realized that the money could help our community. So I started to sell them to stores, friends and at the Stockton Rotary Club. At the end of the fundraising time I take the money to a toy store and buy as many toys as I can then donate them to Toys for Tots.
I really enjoy helping our community and hope that I can make an impact in a child’s’ life.