Heroes don’t have to wear capes and they don’t have to fly across the night sky, saving unknowing citizens from the dangers of the night. Heroes don’t have to be on the forefront of war, and they don’t have to risk their lives fighting blazing fires. Heroes can come in just about any size, shape, or age. They can be your next door neighbor, or the person standing in front of you in the grocery line. But this story is about a hero that isn’t even old enough to buy her own groceries. This story is about an 11-year-old girl who has turned herself into a genie of sorts, and in doing so, she has made the wishes of many different people come true.You see, Ruby Kate’s mom runs a company where she visits and assists the residents of five different nursing homes in Harrison, Arkansas. Ruby Kate sometimes goes with her mom on her visits to the nursing homes, but one weekend, in particular, changed Ruby Kate’s life forever.
Ruby Kate has learned this at a very young age and has decided to do something about it. While she visiting one of the nursing homes with her mother, she had a very interesting interaction with a resident named Pearl.
Ruby Kate looked out of the window to see what Pearl was staring so sadly at, but all she could see was someone walking their dog out to a car. Ruby Kate decided to ask Pearl what she was looking at.
“She told me that it was her dog of 12 years, and she didn’t know the next time she would see it,” she said. “Pearl’s face was so sad. I thought that of all the things in this world Pearl could have, she would probably just ask for more visits with her dog,” continued Ruby Kate.
Elderly people who can’t afford to pay for private accommodations must live in government-funded nursing facilities. Because they’re funded by the government, people are typically only allotted $40 a month for “extras,” which include haircuts, dog food, snacks, and even hearing devices.
Ruby Kate then decided to try to make the dreams of other nursing home residents come true. With her notepad and pen in her hands, Ruby Kate began to make her way to the rooms of other residents to find out what their dreams were.
Ruby Kate quickly learned that the residents wanted pretty simple things. One resident wanted a pair of pants that fit. One other resident wanted to take a trip to a water park to watch the families have fun. One of the most common requests was to have some fast food.
“It was a great experience for everyone. You expect people to tell you they want a million dollars or a new car, but they don’t. They want snacks or a pair of pants that fit.” With her mother by her side, Ruby Kate then decided to launch her Three Wishes project to attempt to raise some funds for the elderly.
Since November, Ruby Kate has managed to raise over $30,000 for the wishes of nursing home residents. She has been able to help people purchase their dog/cat food, corrective hearing devices, clothing, and snacks.
“The response so far has been amazing. There are a lot of fundraisers for everything, but not so much for the elderly. It’s been refreshing to see attention shine on this group,” said Ruby’s mom. Ruby Kate is an inspiration to us all. If this little girl can figure out to help those in need, then every single one of us can!
