Youth leadership class pays it forward

Coshocton County Youth Leadership Class of 2017 members were given $100 to use to make someone happy. Class members Liz Porteus and Tara Salmans decided to put their money together to help the local animal shelter. They presented on their project during their Feb. 15 program day. Josie Sellers | Beacon

COSHOCTON – Members of the Coshocton County Youth Leadership Class of 2017 were each given $100 and one simple instruction. They had to use it to make someone happy.

The project was funded by the Coshocton Foundation Trustees who borrowed the idea from a similar project done last year at River View Junior High School. Bob Pell, executive director of the Coshocton Foundation, presented the project to the class during their retreat and they received their money around Christmas time. The class members reported on how they used the money during their Feb. 15 joint program day with the adult members of the Leadership Coshocton County Class.

Madison Miller used her money for several random acts of kindness including giving her last $10 to a person digging through the dumpster behind her family’s funeral home. The person didn’t want to take the money at first, but when Miller insisted and they eventually accepted.

“I want to thank the Coshocton Foundation for this opportunity,” Miller said. “You never know how an act of kindness is going to impact someone.”

Sawyer Neal decided to use his money to help Mike Burr, a coach at River View who is battling cancer. With the help of River View’s principal and the school’s staff, Neal sold tickets for a Boost for Burr raffle that in the end raised $4,855 for Burr because the person who won donated their money back to the cause.

“It was an incredible experience,” Neal said. “I went door-to-door selling tickets and even people who had already bought them told me what a great idea they thought this was. I have never seen the community come together like this. It was inspiring. I’m so thankful for this opportunity to help someone else in the community out.”

Luke Brown who played soccer for Burr also used his money to help the coach out by giving him a gas card.

“This may have been something small to do, but it still felt great to help out a little bit,” Brown said.

Some of the youth used their money to help people at Christmas time and two even randomly selected people at Wal-Mart to give gift cards to.

Milena Cognion put half her money in gift cards that she placed in Christmas cards where she had written about who she was and this project. The three families she presented them to were a little skeptical, but one did find her afterwards in the store and thank her.

“It just felt so good that I could help someone in the community and give back to people,” Cognion said.

Elle Coffman gave her $100 to Jodi Lowe who she worked for at Shelby Theaters this summer.

“Her heart is so big and she is so kind,” Coffman said.

She decided to stop by and talk to Lowe one day and give her an envelope with the money. Lowe didn’t open the envelope before Coffman left and she didn’t tell her how much was in it.

“She called me crying,” Coffman said. “She was just so happy and thankful. I told her to do whatever she wanted to with the money.”

Being able to help Lowe made Coffman very happy, but her heart was also warmed by everyone else’s stories.

“This makes me really hopeful for our future,” Coffman said.

Some of the students made donations to local nonprofits and others helped national or worldwide organizations. A few even got teary eyed when sharing how their $100 helped someone else and some of their faces lit up when they explained how the project inspired them to give back in the future.

Betsy Gosnell, executive director of Leadership Coshocton County, wrapped up the presentations by expressing her gratitude for the Coshocton Foundation Trustees.

“Thank you for allowing our youth to be able to experience philanthropy first hand,” she said.

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