By: Jaime Rafferty
Preston Wilson is not just any 8-year-old boy. He is a boy on a mission– a mission to be a helpful citizen of Owensboro!
From the surface he’s a strawberry blonde boy, with glasses and a sense of humor that would have boded well on “Kids Say the Darndest Things.”
Apart from his humor, Preston loves football, four-wheeler riding and Taekwondo, in which he currently holds a brown belt.
He is son to proud parents, Kevin and Leslie Wilson. Preston is also big brother to sister Lauren, 2, who, he is quick to point out, “stole his thunder” when entering the family.
With all joking aside, Preston is a young man who has a heart for people. Not just the people in his family or those he knows, but even people he has never met.
It was in Mrs. Paula Naas’ third grade class at Deer Park Elementary, during a local government project, that this little boy did something many men and women have never done: he saw a need and decided to help.
Each student was given the task to show branches of local government and what it meant to be a good citizen. This could be accomplished in a few ways – making a mobile, a poster, or write a letter to local government on an issue.
Preston knew what he wanted to do. Write a letter to Mayor Ron Payne.
The school project could have been achieved by simply writing a letter to the mayor. However, this young man didn’t stop there. He not only had Leslie send the letter, he also informed Mayor Payne that he had mailed the city council members letters and that his Mom would be bringing him to the November 20th council meeting.
Preston decided, after talking to his Mom, he would raise money for the Daviess County Senior Services, Senior Christmas Wish project. This money would help all homebound seniors enrolled in the Meals on Wheels program to receive a Christmas goodie bag.
Preston pledged to give $25 of his allowance to help the project, but also challenged the Mayor and council members to do the same.
Leslie said, after the council meeting had concluded, several folks came up to Preston handing him five and ten dollar bills for the project.
It didn’t end there, Preston’s grandmother Janie, a hairdresser, posted the information at her station and clients began to give small donations. Other family and friends also heard what this young man was doing and gave.
In less than a month, 8-year-old Preston raised nearly $1,000 to give to the Senior Christmas Wish Project.
He presented the money to Tom Vittitow, Director of the Elizabeth Munday Center, prior to Christmas so that the items could be purchased. He told his Mom, “Man that sure felt good!”
Leslie said she was speechless at Preston’s initiative to exceed the school project and actually demonstrate being a good citizen. She said, “To watch your child want to help others is the most rewarding gift I have ever felt. It’s absolutely indescribable. I can only hope this is just one of many things he will do to help others.”
Preston was to aid staff in delivering the Christmas goodie bags, but was unable because he became ill. He said not being able to help made him, “sadder than when someone tells me I am going to get donuts and the next day I don’t.” That’s a pretty sad day for an 8-year-old!
However he did say that giving the money to Mr. Vittitow felt like, “I was getting my donuts!”
This young man has a bright future and we can only hope he remains in Owensboro and continues to help others.
Though Preston changes his mind about what he wants to be when he grows up, almost daily his answers vary from enlisting in the Air Force, to becoming an architect or even working with his dad as a brick mason.
After his attendance at the city council meeting, one might assume he has aspirations in politics. He smiled and said, “Hey, that just gave me a good idea! Maybe I could be the president or the person who protects the president!”
Preston is already an example to peers, but perhaps we adults could be challenged by his determination and look at how we too can be better citizens of our great community.