LAFAYETTE, L.a. — A helping handful of cocoa — all thanks to one Lafayette boy with a dream: to give instead of receive this holiday season, once again.
"If you walked up to me and asked me, 'Why do I want this hot cocoa?' I would say because it's helping the community, it's helping all of us, and it would put a smile on your face," said 12-year-old Emile Myers.
This isn't his first rodeo, either.
He started selling cocoa for a cause four years ago.
"I mean our first year, we came up with the idea in October, and we did it quickly because it was kind of small," Emile told KATC. "This year, it took us six months to plan this, this was hard."
And with a new year, comes a new goal... $10,000 — this time for the Junior League of Lafayette.
"Our community is so giving," Emile's dad, Brach Myers, said. "When people hear that a child's doing this, they just start sending money, so we've been getting a lot of money, just $50 dollars, $100 here, and it just continues to add up."
Brach and his wife Carly, Emile's mom, couldn't be more proud.
"I hear adults saying, 'I wanna be like him, I wanna be like a 12-year-old'", Brach said. "Yeah, he's an amazing kid, he puts people, others, before himself, his own needs," Carly added.
David Varisco is one of those adults.
"I'm inspired by this young man, I've met him a few times and I'm just inspired by him," Varisco said. "What a great, big heart he has, it's amazing."
Roya Boustany is the President-elect for Lafayette's chapter of the Junior League. She told KATC she is in awe of such kindness.
"We're so thankful that Emile, who is a leader of tomorrow, has blessed the Junior League with this type of donation, and this type of event," Boustany said. "I mean, it really has brought the community together."
Blessed the Junior League has been, as Emile not only reached, but surpassed his $10,000 goal by more than $1500 at last check Friday night.
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