A 12-year-old rescued 114 stuffed animals for kids in crisis

Sadie Hutson, 12, donated 114 restored stuffed animals to the American Red Cross in North Carolina earlier this year, after the organization put out a call saying it was running low on toys for children affected by home fires and other disasters. She and her mother find worn bears and rabbits at thrift stores, then wash, restuff and repair them by hand. Toys headed for the trash end up in the arms of children on some of the worst days of their lives. "Hearing the stories was a little heartbreaking," Sadie said. "That's why I did it." Jon McCollum, a Red Cross disaster program specialist, said children often get overlooked in the first hours of an emergency. Volunteers recently gave Sadie an award at the Central Surry Volunteer Fire Department in Dobson. She was hesitant to go public at all, and agreed only because she hoped other kids might copy her. She has kept fixing toys since.