LOVELAND - Soldiers in Iraq received 733 pounds of jelly beans for Easter, and Loveland resident Alexis Wiles received the first Blue Chip Champion Award for showing there's love in Loveland by collecting and sending them. Wiles attends fourth-grade at Loveland Elementary School.

Conner Mansfield and Rob Wynn, eighth-graders in Loveland, also received Blue Chip Awards during a ceremony April 25 at the Blue Chip Cookies store in Loveland.

The winners were selected by the store's ownership team of Donna and Bob Heine and Greg and Sonia Smith, according to Donna Drury-Heine, for their acts of kindness and leadership.

"We brainstormed the idea of celebrating and recognizing kids for doing extraordinary acts of kindness," she said. "We want to ensure our marketing program is community-focused and gives back to the community."

Those ages 8-18 in the Loveland community can be nominated for the award. Selection criteria include making a positive difference for others in the community, using talents and resources to deliver an act of kindness, taking leadership/initiative and demonstrating high personal integrity and morals. The April ceremony is the first of what Drury-Heine plans as a quarterly event.

For her efforts, Wiles received $200, a recognition plaque, a picture with her story on the Blue Chip Champion Wall of Fame in the store and a free dozen cookies every month for one year.

Mansfield and Wynn also received plaques with their stories and photos for the store's wall and a dozen cookies per month for a year.

Wiles said receiving the award was pretty neat. "Thanks to everybody who helped out," she said. "Thanks to my mom and my grandma, because I couldn't have done it without them."

The idea of sending jelly beans to the soldiers evolved out of Wiles' conversations with her grandmother, Linda Pennington of Loveland, about the Iraqi war and deployment. They talked about things kids could do to make a difference, said Wiles' mother, Gina Ogden.

They discussed different ideas, such as writing notes or sending candy-coated chocolate. Easter, however, was coming up, so they thought of sending jelly beans.

"It was a very cool thing. Her little sister helped her. They were very excited through the whole thing," Ogden said.

Wiles said she had only a short time to conduct the project.

"I didn't get to start it as soon as I'd planned," she said, because of school snow days.

Once she got going, however, the community pitched in.

"I got to make the announcements at my school," Wiles said. Wiles created flyers and someone donated the copying expense. Articles in the Loveland Herald and the Cincinnati Enquirer helped spread the news. Drop-off sites were set up at schools and New Hope Baptist Church in Loveland. Employees of car dealerships and plumbing service companies contributed bags as well.

Wiles requested that each bag of jelly beans include a personalized note to a soldier and a return address label in case any wanted to correspond back. Donations for postage also arrived.

They ended up sending 822 bags, with a shipping charge of $391.80, to 28 soldiers. Among the recipients were six Loveland High School alumni, church and family members, and names received from Ohio Operation Thank You.

Wiles has heard back from nearly 10 soldiers, including a colonel who made up a certificate for her. She's also been recognized by the Women's Auxiliary at the American Legion, Ogden said.

"It's unreal how much a little girl with an idea impacted people's lives. I'm very proud of her and how the community came together."

Wiles' award nominator wrote, "I believe children like Alexis can teach us all a valuable lesson in loving and caring for others."

Ogden said Wiles plans to make this an annual event, and expects to team up next year with Ohio Operation Thank You.

Award winners Mansfield and Wynn both volunteered at the Cool School, mentoring and tutoring children as part of the Loveland Initiative, which assists low-income children and their families.

Wynn said Mansfield got him involved in the Cool School a few weeks before Christmas. They tutored for two hours a week.

"We just helped less-privileged children with their schoolwork and other things they needed help with," he said. "We helped with reading, math and science. I enjoy seeing them progress over time."

Wynn, a paper carrier for the Loveland Herald, plans to attend Moeller High School next year. He wants to continue tutoring.

E-mail this

Printer-friendly