Submitted by Campbell and Campbell Events
For most ten-year olds, a birthday means cake, games and of course, presents. But Brody Noonan is not most ten-year olds. On February 21, he turned his tenth birthday party at Campbell & Campbell Events in Tenino into a shoe drive for people in need. By the end of the day, he’d collected more than sixty pairs of shoes which his family then donated to his elementary school and to a mission in Chehalis. “He always says he feels good when he can help people,” says his mother Marisa.
This wasn’t the first time for the shoe drive, she says. When he was turning eight, “He saw a commercial or something on television where kids were in need,” she says. “That’s when he originally came up with the idea.” His eighth birthday also became an opportunity to help the community.
What’s striking about his concept is not only its simple effectiveness, but the fact that it’s not connected with any larger organization or giving campaign. “He just came up with it on his own,” says Marisa. “This year he decided that he wanted to do it again.”
Campbell & Campbell was a natural fit for the party, she says, because “we know Mary and had already decided to have it there.” But once it was already booked, Brody shifted the focus from himself to making an impact for local families. “It was an honor to host the event for Brody,” says Mary Adams, the event center’s owner. “He is an exceptional young man.”
Campbell & Campbell Events hosts birthday parties, weddings, and much more. For more information, contact Mary Adams at 360-259-1495.
