Katie Kotulak

A few years ago, we got word that cousin Katie would not be participating in the Cousin's draw for that year.  She had decided to sponsor a child instead of giving/receiving gifts.  I remembered wondering if she was inspired by the story that Grandpa Bob had once sponsored a family over Christmas.

I asked Katie to share with us why she chose to sponsor a child and what she got out of the experience:

She was 18 years old  and going from store to store in the mall, trying to find the perfect gift for our grandparents.  It came to her, that maybe a perfect gift didn't exist - so she decided that instead of getting our grandparents gifts, she would sponsor a child.

Her name was Laura James and she was from Columbia. She was seven years old.

Katie had originally wanted to to help someone from Brazil because she had lived there, but Columbia was the closest. Katie sponsored her for two years and as school expenses rose, she elected to start giving other types of donations for Christmas for grandpa's birthday/Christmas gifts.

When I ask Katie to tell me about her reasons behind sponsoring a child, she told me it was no big deal - not a lot to share, but when I was writing out what she told me I got a little choked up.  I think it says something incredible about our family, and the legacy that our grandparents have inspired when instead of buying a gift certificate for a restaurant or fuzzy socks when we can't think of the perfect gift - she donated.  She helped a child for two of the formative years of her live.  Who knows?  Maybe that gave Laura James just the boost up in life that she needed.  Maybe it is a big deal.

Thank you Katie, for telling me about Laura.