Hero of the Week – 7 year old Charlie Simpson

By Dan Samaria
Publisher/GCC
Jan. 25, 2010

Editor’s Note: Each Week we will be Honoring people or groups that are making a difference in helping others especially during this tough times in America.

When we as Americans are put through a test, we come out in flying colors on the other side.

We would like to know what you think. And if you know someone or group that we can Honor. You can contact us at  dan@youngchronicle.com

This week we will be honoring: Charlie Simpson.  Here is his story:

 

By Warren McLean Bundanoon

Australia     

The other day I posed the question: “who is the more sustaining? Those who only care about themselves, or those who look out for others?”

The story of Charlie Simpson, gives me hope it is the latter.

Young Charlie, all of seven years old, saw the images of the Haiti earthquake survivors and wanted to do something to help. He told his folks he wanted to organize a sponsored bike-a-thon around his local park in London, UK.

He hoped to raise £500 ($800 USD). At the time of writing he’d amassed donations for UNICEF worth over £67,800 ($109,000 USD).

According to a spokesperson for the UK branch of the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, Charlie now holds the record for most funds raised in a single day.

When Charlie had raised just £9,000, UNICEF told BBC News (see video here, with Charlie also being interviewed) that money could help 900 families protect themselves from waterborne diseases.

We assume £70,500 (as it now stands, by the time we had this post written up) goes much further.

To get up to his eight kilometers (five miles) of cycling, Charlie rode laps around South Park in Fulham with his dad and a friend.

The BBC reported that at the 1.5 mile mark Charlie was finding it “quite tiring.” But on he went. (See BBC News footage of Charlie pedaling in his park.)

“My name is Charlie Simpson, I want to do a Sponsored Bike Ride for Haiti because there was a big earthquake and loads of people have lost their lives. I want to make some money to buy food, water and tents for everyone in Haiti.”

From his Just Giving page, which is still open for donations? So if you want to help UNICEF support the children of Haiti, go donate, so that Charlie’s passionate pedaling feat is appropriately rewarded.

Go Charlie, you rock.

Put a bicycle in the right hands, and its power to do good never ceases to amaze.

Source: Tree Hugger    Just Giving