By Susan Shinn
sshinn@salisburypost.com
MOUNT ULLA ó Chloe Patterson is a second-grader at Millbridge
Elementary School, and she has to use a lot of adjectives in her writing.
So if you ask her to describe her 8th birthday, she’s ready.
“Terrific!”
“Awesome!”
“Wonderful!”
“Exciting!”
Teacher Joy King would be proud.
And so are Chloe’s parents, Michelle and Doug.
Because instead of requesting presents, Chloe asked that her friends bring canned goods for Rowan Helping Ministries-West.
Chloe is part of the Soup Singers at Thyatira Presbyterian Church, whose mission is to collect canned goods for RHM-West. Millicent
Hoffner is the choir’s director.
The singers have a goal of raising 500 pounds of food, so Chloe thought she could collect at least 50 pounds to contribute to that total.
Chloe admits that she already has a lot of stuff.
“A little too much,” she says.
Doug says they told Chloe that she could have a lot of friends over ó just no presents.
That was fine with Chloe. Thirteen girls came for a spa party ó along with Chloe and her twin sisters, Victoria and Claudia, 11.
So did the food.
Chloe weighs 53 pounds.
She collected 222.1 pounds of food.
“I couldn’t even carry a bag,” says the petite Chloe.
“I was proud that she decided to do that and it was so successful when her friends and her friends’ parents stepped up to the plate,”
Doug says. “We weren’t expecting that many cans.”
He adds, “With all the news everyone’s hearing, I hope children realize that if they are fortunate, they can help others.”
Linda and Paul Rogers, members of Thyatira, have headed up the collections at their church. They took Chloe out to RHM-West so she could see where her donation was going.
“Before we filled up the pantry, it was kind of empty,” Chloe says.
“And then it was full!”
“And how did that make you feel?” Doug asks his youngest daughter.
“Cool!” Chloe says.
(Another good adjective!)
“We may not have everything we want, but we have everything we need,” Michelle says. “We are trying to teach the girls to make the world a better place.”
When she’s not busy being a good deed-doer, Chloe is dancing with her sisters at Absolutely Stars in Mooresville.
“Sometimes I play sports,” she adds. “I just finished with basketball. I normally do soccer and sometimes I do softball.”
And now the competition’s on for her sisters to do as well at a collection for their birthday in November.
“They may not do as well as you,” Doug says. “You may have bragging rights.”
“Bragging rights,” Chloe says. “Cool!”
A volunteer appreciation dinner for all Rowan Helping Ministries volunteers is set for Tuesday at First United Methodist Church. For more information about Rowan Helping Ministries or Rowan Helping Ministries-West, call 704-637-6838.