ENOCH — An Enoch fourth grader who conducted a fundraiser to help local families in need ended up raising $7,500, which will be divided among three families.
At a short assembly held at Three Peaks Elementary School on Monday afternoon, Briley Orton, 10, handed out three oversized checks for $2,500, one for each of the families.
“When my little sister Kloe was a baby, we found out she had Down syndrome, and a lot of people helped us with that,” Briley told the audience as she explained her motivation for the fundraiser. “I wanted to give that to someone else.”
Each of the recipients had been selected by school staff and administration as needing financial help while dealing with cancer or other issues.
“I’m not sure what their main needs were,” said Briley’s mother, Brittney Orton. “We never asked; we just thought they’d use it for whatever they need.”
In her brief welcoming remarks, Principal Paula Burgoyne noted that Briley came up with the idea for the fundraiser herself.
“Her mother did come to me and find out some ideas, but she (Briley) is the one that came up with this on her own and came up with a way to fundraise,” Burgoyne said.
Briley’s campaign, which started in March, included a bake sale, she said.
As they took the stage to receive their checks, the respective recipients in the Bailey, Dalley and Clayman families expressed their appreciation to Briley and her family for raising the donations.
McKaylie Ruhr, Brylie’s fourth-grade teacher, commended Briley for her hard work on the fundraiser.
“I think it’s amazing that you’re setting such a good example for everybody else,” Ruhr said. “It is possible to set a goal and work hard to achieve it.”
“Are you guys proud of her?” Ruhr then asked Briley’s classmates, to which they collectively responded with applause, cheers and a resounding “Yeah!”
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L-R: members of the Bailey, Dalley and Clayman families each receive ceremonial $2,500 checks representing money raised by fourth grader Briley Orton, Enoch, Utah, May 17, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News Three Peaks Elementary check presentation assembly, Enoch, Utah, May 17, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News Three Peaks Elementary Principal Paula Burgoyne introduces fourth grader Briley Orton at check presentation assembly, Enoch, Utah, May 17, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News Members of the Dalley family receive a ceremonial $2,500 check representing money raised by fourth grader Briley Orton, Enoch, Utah, May 17, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News Members of the Bailey family receive a ceremonial $2,500 check representing money raised by fourth grader Briley Orton, Enoch, Utah, May 17, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News Members of the Clayman family receive a ceremonial $2,500 check representing money raised by fourth grader Briley Orton, Enoch, Utah, May 17, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News Fourth grader Briley Orton tells her classmates about her fundraising efforts, Enoch, Utah, May 17, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News Three Peaks Elementary teacher McKaylie Ruhr hugs fourth grader Briley Orton as she commends her for her fundraising efforts, Enoch, Utah, May 17, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News
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