4-year-old continues donations

For The Madera Tribune

Leia Garcia shows off a “Thank You” sign to the many people who came to her “Donut You Know I Love to Donate” birthday drive-thru event. She collected toiletry items to help out the homeless and ended up with more than 2,000 items.

---

Last year, Leia Garcia celebrated her third birthday in COVID-19 style — with a drive through celebration.

However, instead of asking for presents for her birthday, she asked for canned food donations for the Madera Rescue Mission.

She initially asked for 103 cans for her third birthday, but she ended up donating 324 items.

This year, for her fourth birthday, Garcia, the adopted daughter of Angela and Gerardo Garcia, wanted to help the homeless and collect items to help them out. So, the call went out for toiletry items to fill in a bag for her birthday-themed “Donut You Know I Love to Donate” party.

According to Angela, Leia saw homeless people in the river and said they need soap and treats.

At the end of her drive-by celebration on May 2 and a week of gathering, Leia ended up collecting 2,042 items, including over $200 in food and snacks.

She also received a donation from dentist Dr. Tim Peffley with toothbrushes and toothpaste. Home Depot also donated hand sanitizer and masks.

She collected 212 toothbrushes, 160 tubes of toothpaste, 66 bottles of deodorizers, 155 shaving razors, 150 masks, 156 packages of facial tissues, 134 pairs of socks, 184 brushes and combs, 89 beauty care products and other products.

The donations were given to Clear View Outreach and the Madera Rescue Mission.