FREMONT, Neb (KMTV) — When Fremont author Julia Cook isn't writing her newest children book, she's out visiting schools all across the world, making contacts along the way. Now she's out using those connections to give back to kids who have lost everything in the flood.
"She wanted kids from across the world to have the opportunity to give back to her hometown of Fremont, Nebraska,” says Shawn Shanahan, executive director of the Fremont-area United Way.
Shanahan, who is also a friend of Julia’s, says schools are encouraged to let kids wear a hat to school if they donate a buck, which seems to be an intriguing option for many youngsters.
So far they've gotten over $6,000 for flood victims.
"It's actually a donor deciding how they want their donor dollars used and having the opportunity and the privilege to carry that out,” says Shanahan.
The donated money will be spent on buying the roughly 925 kids affected, backpacks, inside those backpacks kids can find books and other toys to play with.
"Some people wait an entire life to impact someone's life and we're going to have the opportunity for local kids to impact another kid's life,” says Shanahan.
It's not just Fremont flood victims getting the backpacks. Kids hit by the flood in North Bend, Arlington, Inglewood and Winslow should also be getting some backpacks.
