Ten Year-Old Raises Money for TI
Destiny Bullard finishes the manufacture of a Tix destined
for the Bristol Fire Department.
Bristol, Connecticut (pop. 60,000) -- Ten Year-Old Destiny Love Bullard (no relation to the company) of Bristol, Connecticut, single-handedly raised awareness for thermal imaging in her community and collected enough money in ten months for her local fire department to purchase a Bullard Thermal Imager. On June 16, 2003, she presented a check to the Bristol Fire Department for the full amount needed to buy a TIx.
Destiny, whose father died when she was nine months old, lives with her mother Kathy and her grandparents Donald and Joan Tilley. Despite the family’s modest income, Destiny has such a heart for charity that she has requested charitable donations in lieu of birthday gifts since her eighth birthday when she asked friends and relatives attending her party to bring cat and dog food instead of gifts. She donated the food to a local animal shelter. When she turned 9, Destiny asked for stuffed animals and donated 30 of them to the Bristol Police Department, to help officers comfort children victimized by crimes and accidents. Next, Destiny plans to raise $8,000 for the Bristol Hospital pediatrics ward.
Destiny’s “Sight For Life” campaign for the fire department is by far her most significant charitable effort. She became interested in thermal imaging after she learned of the need for updated technology during a class field trip to the Bristol fire station. Destiny raised the money through a grassroots effort that included a can drive, candy and soda sales at public events, a home show raffle, and bottle recycling. At one point, she spent three hours feeding bottles into a recycling machine to garner $44.60. An anonymous $4,500 donation greatly helped her efforts.
Destiny and her family visited the Bullard plant in Cynthiana, Kentucky, on June 23, stopping through while traveling across the country. During her visit, Destiny met Bullard employees and finished manufacturing the Bullard TIx destined for the Bristol Fire Department.
Funding Tip -- In the course of our work with local TI fundraising campaigns, Bullard managers have determined that the leadership abilities, focus and enthusiasm of the campaign leader most significantly influence the outcome of the campaign – more than size of community, size of department or any other factor. Destiny Bullard had the passion and focus to carry out a campaign, and she succeeded, though only 10 years old!
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