Eastside student’s art entered in charity auction
Published 5:04 pm Tuesday, December 6, 2011
At age 7, Layla True has done more work for charitable organizations than most people do in a lifetime.
The Eastside Connections second-grader has rang the bell for the Salvation Army, made cards for the Meals on Wheels program and stuffed envelopes for the local Ronald McDonald Family Room.
She is about to add another service activity to her list.
On Thursday, True’s art will be featured in a fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital sponsored by the Pottery Barn in Chicago’s Lincoln Park.
Mark Borst, a 1996 graduate of Niles High School, is the human resource manager for the Lincoln Park Pottery Barn and a friend of the True family.
Borst asked True to create a piece for the store’s Picture A Cure fundraiser. The benefit features mostly Chicago artists, but, for True, an exception was made.
The Pottery Barn raised about $3,000 auctioning the art at the event last year, but organizers said they are hoping to get $5,000 this year.
True’s mother, Kim, said Layla worked on the project for 2½ weeks. Her art, “Caring about Earth,” is made of recyclable materials, including plastic bottles and pop tabs.
“Taking care of the plants and animals that live here is very important to her,” Kim said. “She gets very upset if she sees someone litter.”
Encouraged by her family, Layla began doing community service work when she turned 4.
Instead of getting presents for her seventh birthday party, Layla asked partygoers to donate to the Ronald McDonald Family Room. Layla asked friends to donate books to her school library for her sixth birthday.
“I’ve always wanted to raise money for kids, like at St. Jude, and help with other stuff,” Layla said. “There are a lot of people out there that don’t have stuff like we do or have something wrong with them.”
The fundraiser is at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Lincoln Park Pottery Barn, 100 W. North Ave., Chicago. To place a bid on Layla’s art, call Borst at (312) 944-0467.