Kids Who Care: Sammie Vance

Back in 2017, Sammie started her Buddy Bench Project after hearing about the initiative at church camp.

Kids who care, we're spotlighting eleven-year old sammie vance who started the local buddy bench project, but has taken her initiative countrywide.mallory beard joins us live in the studio with more.mallory..

Thank you hunter.sammie vance is known across the nation for her efforts to make sure no one feels left out.

I got the chance to meet with her today and we had a heartfelt discussion about taking steps toward friendship, and how she chooses to do it in an eco- friendly way.

You can see more in the story.

Eleven year old sammy vance says no one should go through life feeling lonely.

Sammy vance//the buddy bench project "it's not a good feeling and i don't want other people to feel that way."

So she did something about it.

Back in 2017, sammie started the buddy bench project after hearing about it at a church camp.

She says after feeling a little left out, she thought she couldn't be the only one?

Sammie vance//the buddy bench project "that kind of let me know that not only am i lonely but other people are lonely too.sammie established her first buddy bench at haley elementary school, but instead of wood, each bench is made from recycled plastic that others can save and donate to help the environment."so when i did hear about it and my mom mentioned the idea about the caps and lids, i thought it was a great idea because it's helping the environment and other kids."so far sammie has donated over 100 buddy benches nationwide, with 75 benches going to schools in indiana.

And she recently received a gloria barron award for her community efforts.

Heidi vance//sammie's mother"there are so many lonely kids and adults out there that really just want a friend and don't know how to get that."

And mayor tom henry commended her efforts on donating a buddy bench to fort wayne's promenade park.

Sammie's mother says she's inspired her younger siblings to be considerate of others too."she inspired my youngest daughter to get it started in her preschool and my then my son has initiated asking people to play that are on the buddy bench so i love seeing that.

But sammie says most importantly ...."you don't just have to be an adult to make a difference, you can be a kid too."

That's tonight for kids who care, i'm mallory beard fox 55 news.

If you know a child who is doing something extraordinary in the community..i'm happy to to hear about it and feature them in our kids who care segment.

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