LOCALadk Magazine

Cousins That Care Story by Melanie Levi Photos by Scott Mierop Sometimes making other people happy fulfills your own happiness. In 2009, when I was eleven years old, I experienced the feeling of giving to others for the first major time. My grandparents' restaurant, The Ole Barn, in Inlet, New York, was hosting The Pink Ribbon Riders, who are a charity group who raise money by having a nationwide snowmobile ride in support of breast cancer research. Many people from all over the state and country came to ride and support the cause. The thought of people coming together to help other people really opened my eyes. I became pretty close to the Executive Director of the group, Jody McKay, and for that weekend I was her shadow. I loved the feeling of giving so much that following the event I talked to my grandma. I told her how I wanted to do something similar to what Jody was doing. I just really wanted to make a difference. We thought about what kind of group I could start up, and decided that having a close-knit type of group would be best. So I asked several of my cousins if they would be interested in joining me. All of them happily agreed. Shelby Townsend, Shawn Hansen, Laura Levi, Britney Levi, Cory Hansen, Thomas Levi and I started the early years of our organization by making bracelets to sell at The Ole Barn. We soon decided that it was best if we didn't focus on only one charity, but gave to many: big or small. Over the past five years, we have raised about $39,000 and 100% of all proceeds go to great causes in and out of the local area. LOCALadk 8 Winter 2014

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