KARE 11 Honors a St. Joe's Volunteer
Young Volunteer Seeks to Inspire the Community by Her Example
Kristina Tester, shown to the right, has raised thousands of dollars and donations for the youth at St. Joseph’s Home for Children. 
And she’s only 15.
Because of her extraordinary commitment to service, Tester recently received the Eleven Who Care award from KARE 11. The award honors outstanding volunteers in the community. “Being a volunteer allows me to truly give back to my community,” said Tester. “I feel the most ‘myself’ when I am donating time and energy into helping others.”
When Tester and her twin sister Annalisa learned that youth abruptly removed from their homes and placed at St. Joe’s transported their belongings in garbage bags, they formed an organization called “Kids for Kids” to provide a more suitable alternative. At the age of 10, the service-minded Testers collected more than a thousand duffle bags for their peers at St. Joe’s.
In the past four years, Kids for Kids has collected duffle bags, dental supplies, books and monetary donations for St. Joe’s. Kristina also organizes drives for other local organizations and a school in Africa.
“I have been absolutely amazed by the generosity of the people who have responded to my projects and fundraisers and am convinced that everyone has a desire and a willingness to give — they sometimes just need a little inspiration or the right opportunity to make an impact,” said Tester. “My goal is to continue providing that inspiration and opportunity so that, together, we can meet the needs of less fortunate kids and teens in our community.”
|
