Little girl rejects birthday gifts, wants to help others

A celebration marking the birthday for a Mountain Home child this weekend also brought with it the gift of hope for others in the community.

Aubrey Gahagan, a first-grade student at North Elementary School, turned away offers of gifts from her friends attending her party on Saturday. Instead, she asked them to bring gifts of non-perishable food and other items to help less-fortunate families in the Mountain Home area.

Turning seven years old last Thursday, the youngster enjoys the idea of helping others, according to her mother, Laura Howard. Each Christmas, for example, she helps her family buy clothes and toys for children through the city's Giving Tree program.

The idea of collecting food and personal hygiene items for others instead of gifts for herself just came naturally, her mother added.

"I asked her if she wanted to do it, and she thought it was a great idea," her mother said. A child with enough toys and possessions, "she knew she already had enough" and decided she didn't need 15 more presents.

Just to be sure, her mother continued to ask her daughter over the next several days if she still wanted to go through with the idea. Each time, Aubrey answered with a definitive "yes," Howard said.

Food and other items brought to Aubrey's party will benefit the Grace Lutheran Food Pantry.

Aubrey celebrated her birthday with friends as her family prepares to leave Mountain Home in coming weeks for their new assignment to Beale Air Force Base, Calif.