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Naumann student starts nonprofit charity - Brianna's Pennies of Love

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Most children dream about something they want to do when they grow up. Brianna Vogel, a third-grader at Naumann Elementary, wasn't willing to wait that long. Although she is only 8, Brianna has founded a nonprofit charity, Brianna's Pennies of Love.

The charity distributes art supplies to children in hospitals and has raised more than $3,000 so far. She got the idea when she was only 5, after visiting her brother Devon in the hospital. Devon must have monthly treatments for a disease known as Common Variable Immune Deficiency (CVID). After getting bored in the waiting room, wishing she had a way to draw, Brianna realized the hospitalized children had it even worse.

“I wished there was something for the kids to do who are staying longer,” she said. “I wanted to do something so they could forget about where they are.”

Brianna started collecting pennies from friends and family members to buy art supplies. She has given up birthday presents since age 5, asking that donations go to charity instead.

Last year, Brianna decided to turn her charity into a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation as a project for her QUEST class. She attended classes at Austin Community College and rounded up a board of trustees made up mostly of friends from church.

She was awarded for her achievement on Jan. 30, receiving the Kelly Davidson Memorial Outstanding Philanthropic Youth award. She was also one of KVUE's Five Kids Who Care.

Pennies of Love made a large drop-off last summer, donating easels, dry-erase boards, markers and other art supplies to the Dell Children's Hospital. Brianna has held numerous fundraising events, including a Skills for Bills Night at the Dell Diamond. She also speaks to churches and business groups to promote her cause.

Brianna's mother, Tammy, has been impressed by her daughter's determination. “She went herself to the Secretary of State's office to file for nonprofit status,” she said.

Grandmother Joyce Geers said Brianna had been pestering family members for a long time, saying “God wants me to make this bigger.” Geers believes the nonprofit charity has come together in a miraculous fashion. “Things have fallen into place,” she said. “It can't be a coincidence.”

A Pennies of Love website is still under construction. In the meantime, those who want to learn more or make a donation can e-mail pennies oflove@hotmail.com.

E-mail charles@hillcountrynews.com

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