Geneva girl's fundraising for shelter draws to a close
The 10-year-old Geneva girl who held a garage sale to raise money for a homeless shelter is now a senior at Geneva High School, with her last Ellen's Excellent Sale behind her. But she and her family hope others are inspired to take up the cause.
“It is so much fun,” Ellen Wildman said of the project, despite the stress each year of wondering if she would collect enough items for a sale, sign up enough volunteers, and be blessed by good weather.
The girl's idea has netted more than $60,000 for Lazarus House in St. Charles, which provides emergency shelter and a transitional living program. It also led to Ellen becoming a youth representative on the organization's board of directors.
“Ellen is just a very remarkable and outstanding young woman,” said Liz Eakey, executive director of Lazarus House. “At a very young age, she realized the power of a person to accomplish great things.” Eakey said the directors and volunteers are very proud of Ellen. “We anticipate great things out of this young lady.”
Ellen started the sale in 2004. She had seen conditions at Lazarus House when her family was doing some volunteer painting work at the facility at Third and Walnut streets.
“I was able to see real people like me that didn't have a home,” Wildman said in an email to the Daily Herald back then. “Sometimes people need to help each other out and that's what I want to do. I have more toys, clothes and stuff than I need, so I thought, ‘Why not sell some of it and give the money to Lazarus House?' ”
Ellen said her service on the board of directors was inspiring; “I love to hear their positive ideas,” she said.
Ellen said that in the early years, her parents probably did most of the heavy lifting on the garage sale with her taking over more duties as time went on. This year's sale involved 65 volunteers.
“I think that Ellen's Excellent Sale has been a great experience for a lot of us,” said her mother, Amy Wildman. “It took a lot more than Ellen to do it. ... In some ways, it is sad to see it end because it brought so many people together.”
The Wildman family decided this was the last year for the sale, because next summer Ellen will be busy getting ready to go to college, including working a paying job.
Ellen wants to attend Moody Bible Institute to study for children's and youth ministry.
Amy Wildman said people ask her “What happens next?” One family did shadow them this year to learn about the sale. But Amy Wildman has another idea: You don't have to have a gigantic event to help. “Have your own sale and give the proceeds to Lazarus House,” she said.
Ellen echoed that thought — even raising a few dollars at a lemonade stand will help, and count as a success just because you tried it.
“You never are too young. If you have a good idea, do it,” she advised.