Making a Shelburne girl’s dream to help others come true

August 13, 2014 · 0 Comments

According to her mother, Michelle Mayo, 14 year old, Nicole Rist-Petrovic always wanted to help others. When Nicole was in the first grade, she learned about “Homeless” people and that year for Christmas, decided to organize 30 bags with toothbrushes, tooth paste, shaving cream, a Christmas card, $5 phone card, and other much needed essential items that were donated to her for this reason and she was able to go to Toronto and deliver the bags.
Today the 14 year old has set her sights even higher and now wants to travel to Kenya with the Me To We program, http://www.metowe.com/volunteer-travel, in the hopes of really making a difference to those in need. Rist-Petrovic has many ideas on the subject, “I have attended concerts for the organization and I heard about the program through my school over the years. I’ll be carrying water, helping to build a school, and even learning to hunt over a 21 day program. It’ll be my chance to learn about another culture, it’s so unlike our own. It’ll be so different being there instead of watching it on TV. This way I will get to interact.”
The desire to go on this journey although admirable, is not cheap. Me To We, being a non-profit organization, Rist-Petrovic must come up with the entirety of the cost which can eclipse anywhere between $4000 and $5000. To offset the cost, Rist-Petrovic, family and friends held a giant yard sale over the passed weekend. Scotiabank jumped in full hands on deck promising to match any money made at the end of the sale. The support was overwhelmingly positive, pulling in a much needed and appreciated, $2,203.75 and with Scotiabank’s contribution, Rist-Petrovic brought in over $4000 towards achieving her goal.
According to single Mom, Michelle Mayo, her daughter is still shy approximately $700 and reports that many items from the yard remaining found their way to those who really needed the items, commenting, “It’s great when that kind of thing happens. What goes around, comes around, paying it forward. I really can’t thanks everyone involved enough. Support from the community was amazing. Some people stopped and just donated without even buying anything. We’ve always supported Nicole in all her goals and this is no different. She’ll be 15 years old when she goes and though I will have little contact, I will receive pictures sent that will likely be three days delayed. I’m very proud of Nicole.”
And it seems by the response to the yard sale, Rist-Petrovic’s community will be travelling with her to Kenya in supportive spirit.
If you would like to help Rist-Petrovic achieve her goal, contact, Michelle Mayo at 705-302-6574 for more information.
Is Rist-Petrovic nervous about making the long journey at such a young age? Fearlessly, “Pretty sure I am really going to enjoy the experience, and I think one time will not be enough!”
Steele determination and a heart of gold by description, the Shelburne Free Press will be following the trip scheduled for next year and provide updates to the community who generously supported a young girl’s dream to help others across the world.

By Wendy Gabrek