Li’l Miss Sunshine gets surprised

ISHPEMING — One little girl with a very big heart is making a difference in her community that has caught international attention.

The story has caught all kinds of attention; the little girl who made a difference by bringing her savings to school to buy her best friend milk. The little girl’s name is Sunshine, a 5 year-old from Birchview Elementary School in Ishpeming.

Her story made headlines when her guardians and school found that she was using money saved for a snowmobile to buy classmates milk.

” We work on kindness and we work on helping peopleand that type of stuff. Now, I have to tell her no or what do I do. So, when I made the initial post on Facebook it was about so much hurt and anger in the world and I wanted people to stop and look around us. There is a five year old that, in her life, it is about a friend not having milk with her. In our house we share things, we don’t eat in front of others. That’s what is important to her, her friends, because she doesn’t want anyone to be left behind,” said her grandmother, Jackie Oelfke.

The story grew and people began to reach out from the business Arctic Cat Snowmobiles as well as the school.

“I think we as an elementary school and our teachers try to teach others and teach to do what’s right and treat others how we want to be treated, and this is a great act on her behalf that has really taken off and shown how to be kind to other people and caring for other people and all over a carton of milk is a great testament to the work the teachers are doing and the parents of Sunshine,” commented principal, Bernie Anderson.

The assembly on November 8th was in honor of the work and money Sunshine has raised for her classmates. A total of $10,000 has been raised thus far. To surprise her for her selfless effort and reward her actions Arctic Cat decided to make her dreams come true and gift her with her own snowmobile and snow gear.

“I want her to understand in the years to come that this was huge and that she really did make a difference. I don’t ever want her to think that she won’t. I think she will make a complete difference in life as she grows up but I want her to know that no act of kindness is ever too small,” added Jackie.

In addition to Sunshine’s thankfulness her grandmother is also grateful for everyone that has helped make this happen.”Thank you everyone who has helped with this.” she said.