Sophie Kartzman

A sixth-grader at Horseheads Intermediate School in upstate New York has captivated the spirit of her community during the holiday season, bringing a message of gratitude to military men and women serving abroad.

Sophie Kartzman initially began her project last year, when she and a friend made 100 greeting cards for the local chapter of the American Red Cross through their Holiday Mail for Heroes program. Seeing how the impact of this gesture could grow, Sophie raised the bar for her 2014 effort, establishing a goal to round up 1,000 greetings cards and enlisting the help of area businesses.

Her work drew attention from local media. People brought cards to drop-off points around town. Then Sophie visited a local adult care home and a book store to bring more volunteers into her effort. From there, social media chatter began to spread about the young girl and her goal. Cards began streaming in from all over, including local schools, schools in other states, church groups, and individuals. She received packages of greeting cards from as far away as Florida.

All told, Sophie’s efforts yielded more than 9,100 holiday greeting cards that the Red Cross will send to military servicemen and women overseas and to the local VA hospital in her community.

This precocious changemaker set a goal and rallied her community around a cause to show military members that others are thinking about their sacrifice. That makes Sophie Kartzman a Daily Point of Light. Who are the people in your community that are performing exceptional volunteer work for the greater good? Nominate someone for a Daily Point of Light Award at http://www.pointsoflight.org/programs/recognition/dpol/nomination