Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
Surnames: Elmhorst
----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 1/13/2021
Bracelets For A Cause (Elmhorst - 2021)
Bracelets For A Cause
Local girl raises money for gifts for local shelter
By Valorie Brecht
Many a youngster has made a friendship bracelet while away at summer camp or just for fun to trade among friends. It’s almost become a passage for some. But Grace Elmhorst of Chili has decided to use her bracelet-making skills as an avenue to help others.
Grace a third-grader at Granton Elementary, recently made and sold a bunch of bracelets to raise money. She used the money to buy gifts for the women and children staying at the House of Mercy shelter in Loyal.
“We’re really proud of her .. she’s always thinking of others,” said Grace’s mon, Kelli.
Grace has been making bracelets out of embroidery floss for some time. Her cousins taught her how to make them. The House of Mercy donation was her third fundraiser in a year-and-a-half. Submitted photo
Chili area third-grader Grace Elmhorst recently donated more than $100 worth of gifts to the House of Mercy in Loyal. She raised money to purchase the gifts through selling handmade bracelets.
“A few years ago, I won a book in a bag and it talked about how people help charities like animal shelters and homeless shelters,” said Grace.
That book inspired her to want to help people. In summer 2019, Grace raised $100 for the Clark County Humane Society through bracelet sales. Then about a year ago, she collected pop tabs to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House in Marshfield.
“I was looking for another fundraiser to do,” said Grace.
This time, Grace wanted to do something to help homeless people. Her mom got in contact with the House of Mercy and found out what were some of the needs and wants.
In the meantime, Grace sold bracelets to friends, family members, teachers and staff at school. She raised about $100 from bracelet sales. She took that $100, along with roughly $10 to $15 of her own birthday money and went shopping.
“She put together her own budget,” said Kelli.
Grace purchased items for kids activity books, arts and crafts projects and preteen books. She also got toiletries like shampoo, deodorant, toothbrushes and hair ties; and a couple board games for a family.
The giving went even further. Grace’s dad, Mark, contacted Bombas, a company that donates one pair of socks for every pair purchased. Bombas agreed to donate a box of 250 pairs of socks. Half of the socks were given to the House of Mercy and the other half went to the Marshfield Police Department, which will distribute the socks among the charities with which it’s affiliated.
Grace and her dad delivered gifts to the House of Mercy on Jan. 2.
“I was really happy. Now they have board games to play, tooth brushes and toothpaste, and socks to wear,” said Grace. “They were really happy that I donated stuff for them.”
While Grace hasn’t decided what her next fundraiser will be, it likely won’t be long before she finds another outlet for her generosity.
“It’s cool that she comes up with these ideas … most soon-to-be nine-years-old wouldn’t come up with this stuff,” said Mark. “When she gets ideas, we do out best to support her.”
It was a simple idea. We just encouraged her and bought the yarn for her to do it. She petty much did it herself,” said Kelli. “We’re very proud of her giving heart.”
Grace Elmhorst shows the items she bought to donate to the House of Mercy. This is the third fundraiser she’s done for charity in the past year-and-a-half. Submitted photo
