Zayla Bolin has proved to be a ray of sunshine for one local charity after giving up her tenth birthday presents to help needy children on the Island.

The Warwick Academy student asked her friends and family to help her donate cash to The Sunshine League after her recent birthday. She was able to collect $250 for the charity, while her mom Kim Bolin’s job Ironshore Insurance Ltd matched the sum.

Since then more money has trickled in, including a $100 donation from her school — and at last count the running total for the charity was $850.

Asked why she had given up her presents, Zayla said: “I guess I just thought that they needed it more than me.

“I actually wanted to do it when I was younger, but my mom thought I might be too young. I knew I wanted to donate to some place that helps children, so I thought Sunshine League would be a good place to give to.”

Glenn Faries, the managing director of Sunshine League, said the donation has sparked an even bigger campaign that they hope will inspire hundreds of other Bermudians in their charitable giving.

Through ‘Zayla’s Challenge’ the charity is aiming to get 1,000 people to each donate $250 over the next six months.

“We believe this is really a good example to Bermuda of what we can do if we work together,” Dr Faries said. “One individual can make a small change, but a lot of people can contribute to something big.

“We are challenging Bermudians to match what this ten-year-old girl was about to give, $250, which isn’t a big deal to a lot of people and is something manageable for most.”

People can even get creative about what they do to raise this sum — be it a car wash, bake sale or giving up their birthday or other special occasion gifts.

He said Zayla was a great example of how Bermudian giving values are still being passed down to the next generation.

“The other thing that struck me about me is that it’s a sacrificial gift,” Dr Faries said. “This isn’t a situation where she just had a few extra dollars and dropped it into a tag day bucket, she said ‘I will do without my gifts and I am donating to people whom I don’t even know so I can pass on the blessing to them’. It’s particularly special when it’s someone as young as this doing it.”

Mother Mrs Bolin said she was initially hesitant about it and wanted Zayla to be old enough to appreciate the move and make the decision on her own.

However, her daughter remained persistent and demonstrated it was something really on her heart.

“I was very proud of her and thought it was a great idea for her to chose a charity that impacts children,” Mrs Bolin said.

“There were other charities we looked at, but this was the one she decided on. It makes me very proud because she is a very heartfelt child and very caring.”

She said her daughter was always looking for ways to help out.

Both her and husband, Zaine Bolin, raised their children to understand the value in giving. Each year around Christmas, Zayla and her younger brother Kayden, age six, donate their old toys to the needy.

This year Zayla has also decided to save money collected from her household chores to help her parents pay for a drama camp next summer in New York.

Zayla said giving back made her feel good inside and encouraged others to give whenever possible.

“I would encourage others to do it because you’ll feel good afterwards and you are giving to people you know need it and can make a difference in their lives,” she said.

Amatullah Bashir, the administrative coordinator at The Sunshine League, said Zayla had the same kind spirit as the charity’s founder Agnes May Robinson.

“Zayla is definitely a personification of the kind of heart and giving that Agnes May Robinson had,” Ms Bashir said.

“And to know that the legacy of the Sunshine League in giving back to the community and those that need it most is being continued by people like Zayla means a great deal.

“Zayla represents those principles that this establishment was founded on.”

For more details on ‘Zayla’s Challenge’ or to find out how you can donate to the Sunshine League, visit www.sunshineleague.bm.

You can also visit the charity’s Facebook page: The Sunshine League.