From left, Nico Moon, 11, and Skye and Lindy Glover, 12, work on holiday cards to deliver to local seniors, part of their fundraising effort for the Ronald McDonald House and Salvation Army. Contributed / Susan Hayhurst
Sisters Skye and Lindy Glover and their friend Nico Moon are raising money for charities, one handmade card at a time.
The Glover twins, who are 12 and live in Falmouth, and 11-year-old Nico, of Yarmouth, are raising money for Ronald McDonald House Charities and the Salvation Army. For each donation, they plan to make a holiday card for delivery to a local senior.
The trio calls themselves Earth’s Helpers. In the past, they’ve made stuffed animals for local animal shelters and raised money for the World Wildlife Fund and bought supplies for Marine Mammals of Maine.
“We didn’t have a purpose when we started (the club), but we all really wanted to help people and the Earth. We decided this was the best way to do it,” Lindy Glover said.
Skye, Lindy and Nico got together Dec. 2 to kick off holiday card making. Contributed / Susan Hayhurst
They shifted gears this holiday season to spread some joy to people in their own communities, rather than animals. Skye picked four different charitable options for their next venture and the girls voted for Ronald McDonald House and Salvation Army. They hope to raise $1,000 by Dec. 20. As of Monday, Dec. 6, Earth’s Helpers had raised $785.
The bulk of the funds will be donated to the McDonald’s nonprofit, which provides home-like accommodations for families with children being treated for life-threatening illnesses.
The fundraising efforts will pay for a one-week stay for a family at a Ronald McDonald House in either Portland or Bangor “while they navigate the highs and lows of their child’s medical journey,” said Robin Chibroski, executive director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Maine.
The girls also plan to donate $200 to the Salvation Army to buy toys for children in need.
“Having something to put under the tree can ease the stress and pressure parents feel to make ends meet while also providing a memorable holiday for their children,” said Maj. Armida Harper, who is the coordinator for the Salvation Army Greater Portland Area. “We cannot do what we do without the help of donors.”
For every donation, the girls say, they’ll create a holiday card, which they will bring to area nursing homes and assisted living centers. Donations can be made through GoFundMe; search for “Help Skye, Lindy and Nico support seniors at holidays.”
“We all just thought it was really sad that some people don’t get cards around the holidays, which is a time meant for celebrating,” Skye said.
They will stop fundraising on Dec. 20 and visit Falmouth by the Sea and Ledgeview Assisted Living Center sometime between then and Christmas to deliver the cards. Falmouth by the Sea and Ledgeview did not respond to requests for comment before the Forecaster deadline.
They started making cards Dec. 2, and will get together again Friday, Dec. 10, for their “biggest card-making day.”
“We’ll count up how many donations we have, and we’ll make that many cards,” Skye said. “If we don’t finish or we get more donations, then we’ll get together again.”
The girls want seniors to “feel happy or appreciated if they don’t normally get things like that,” Nico said.
“We want them to know that even if they don’t have any relatives who are with them, that there are still people who are thinking of them, and we’re some of those people,” Lindy said.
After the holiday project wraps up, Earth’s Helpers will still be hard at work. They plan on fundraising for endangered species, such as their mascot “Ty,” a vaquita and the world’s rarest marine mammal.
“Before we had the idea for the holiday cards, that’s what we were working on. So we’re going to return to that project,” Skye said.
In the past, the girls operated their fundraisers the old-fashioned way, by setting up a table at various places around their communities. They plan to continue with that model, with the possibility of more GoFundMe appeals.
“If you see any kids doing stands on the side of the road,” Lindy said. “Stop and take a look.”
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