Final Bid = 300 Meals

Tyler never ceases to amaze me. Last night, his school held an Empty Bowl fundraiser to benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank in Charlotte. Tyler started asking me a couple of weeks ago if I would take him to the event and of course I agreed. Each class at Torrence Creek made a bowl with the help of their talented art teacher for the silent auction portion of the event.  Yesterday morning he asked if I was prepared to bid on his class bowl, I assured him we would place a bid and we would also buy one of the bowls that was for sale.

Our bid of $25 was the second bid on his first grade class bowl. As he began to understand how the bidding worked, he asked me how much money I had to bid. I told him I couldn’t spend more than $50. That is when I saw the gears in his head start turning. He looked at me with his big brown eyes and said, “Would you be willing to bid a $100?” I told him I was sorry but that I couldn’t right now. He responded with, “That’s okay, because I have $100 I could spend.” I know I looked puzzled and before I could react, he jumped in with: “Remember I won $200 in the Super Bowl pool at daddy’s work.” This is true and a whole other story that a 7-year-old won his daddy’s office pool.

I was stunned, that he was willing to give up the money, as his original plan was to buy a new baseball bat. If you know my son, the only thing he loves more than baseball is…well I don’t think there is anything. I explained that he could never get the money back. He told me he understood and that there were hungry people who needed the money from the bowl. After calling his dad for a quick consultation and wiping tears from my eyes, I said okay.

That sweet boy kept his eye on the bid sheet, adding $5 here and there as necessary. We also went to talk to the representative from the food bank to help Tyler understand the impact his money could have in the community. We were all a little surprised to find out that $1 provides four meals. His eyes seemed to grow larger by the possibility and he was more determined than ever to win the bowl.  

When the silent auction ended, Tyler was announced as the highest bidder for the bowl made by Mrs. Yearous’ first grade class. He generously and selflessly donated $75 dollars to the food bank, which equals 300 meals (he calculated it on the iPad when we got home).

I am truly proud of my son and pretty humbled to be his mother right now. Not only does he have a kind soul, but he expects nothing for it. He didn’t understand why everyone was hugging him and thanking him. He looked at me and said, “I still have $125 dollars and people can eat.”  

True confession of the day: I wouldn’t have done that when I was 7 years-old.