'Tis the season for giving

Lynbrook student collects holiday gifts for Tennessee fire victims

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The inside of the Brown family’s house on Lyon Place in Lynbrook resembled a scene out of the North Pole this December, with boxes upon boxes stacked up just beyond the entrance.

Though she’s only a fourth-grader at West End Elementary School, Chloe Brown, 10, took on the role of Santa Claus this holiday season, starting a gift donation collection that totaled more than $5,000 worth of goods for victims of the wildfires in Gatlinburg, Tenn.

“Ever since Chloe was little, she’s always been an individual,” said her father Bryan Brown. “She has her own independent thoughts and something like this clearly demonstrates that independency — and it’s all positive.”

The Browns took a family trip to Sevierville, Tenn., in August 2015 and regularly passed through Gatlinburg — which is roughly 221 miles east of Nashville — during their vacation. On Nov. 28, it was reported that two juveniles intentionally ignited wildfires, killing 14 people and causing $550 million worth of damage. They were eventually charged with aggravated arson, according to ABC News.

Chloe’s mother, Renee Brown, said her daughter brought up the collection idea while watching news reports. The story of Michael Reed was one of the reasons that Chloe got involved. Reed searched frantically for his wife and two daughters — one of whom was named Chloe — only to learn they died in the fires. “That’s where it kind of hit home,” Renee said.

Chloe’s fond memories of her family vacation to Tennessee was another factor for her project. “[My favorite part] was when I got to go hiking,” she said of the trip, “because I got to climb a waterfall.”

Chloe was also inspired to help because she was upset that the people who lost their homes wouldn’t have gifts on Christmas. Renee said the Browns understood the impact of the fires on a personal level because her parents stayed at her home for a few months after Hurricane Sandy wiped out the entire first floor of their home in Merrick in 2012.

On Dec. 1, Renee posted on Facebook about the collection. After word spread, people — even strangers — began donating necessities such as diapers, toiletries, and wipes, along with bags of brand new toys from “Toys for Tots.” A television and bicycle were also among the donations.

“We had people from Massachusetts sending us stuff,” Renee said. “People from [Florida] sent stuff up. It’s the power of social media, I guess.”

Many people helped the cause. Maureen Boyce, a teacher at Valley Stream Central High School, heard of Chloe’s project through Rockville Centre Recreation employees Maura Ressegger and Ginger Creegan, and alerted her school about it. The social studies classes and National Honor Society then began collecting goods. Girl Scout Troop 2570 also got involved by making care packages.

Pat Cardone, of the Lynbrook Veterans of Foreign Wars, helped by getting the Browns in contact with Doyle Sheppard, a Marine who lives in Tennessee. Sheppard works with the New Hope Church in Kodak, Tenn., just outside of Gatlinburg, where many of the items were shipped. The VFW also served as a drop-off point for donations along with Rockville Centre Recreation and the Brown’s home.

Erin Castellano, a friend of the Brown family who grew up in Lynbrook, is the treasurer of Opsales, a store that sells sunglasses in Island Park. Her company shipped all of the boxes. The Lynbrook Fire Department also helped, donating a fire truck to transport the boxes from the Brown home to Opsales. “We never anticipated the amount we wound up getting,” Bryan said.

The Browns were shocked by how Chloe’s idea spread, but they weren’t surprised that she initiated the project. Renee said Chloe has been a giving person throughout her life. She has twice grown out her hair, cut it and donated it to Pantene Beautiful Lengths, a company that doesn’t charge women battling cancer for wigs.

“We’re very proud of her,” Renee said. “It’s a great feeling that you’re raising a kid who has a big heart and is concerned more about how other people are.”

Chloe offered a heartfelt message to the people impacted in Tennessee as her family prepared to ship the gifts. “Your life will turn around,” she said. “Merry Christmas.”

Comments about this story? Msmollins@liherald.com.