Giving Tuesday nets thousands of dollars for Five Hills royalty’s charities

Special to Leader-Press 

The Copperas Cove Five Hills royalty host events, conduct fundraisers, collection drives and more to support and advocate for their chosen charities during their yearlong reigns. For the second consecutive year, the titleholders took advantage of Facebook’s Giving Tuesday to raise additional funds and awareness for a variety of causes. 

Copperas Cove Five Hills Ambassador Dawn Hale raised money for Meals on Wheels again this year, surpassing last year’s contribution. 

“Last year, I was able to raise $600. This year, I raised $615 with the wonderful giving hearts of family and friends,” said Hale who is a tireless advocate for the elderly. “This money will go towards providing nutrition food to the senior citizens in our community. Personally volunteering and delivering meals and visiting with residents is what really made me want to help more.”

Bo Roldan heads up the Copperas Cove Meals on Wheels program. 

“We are grateful for this monetary donation that will help deliver meals to seniors 60 years of age and older and homebound in Copperas Cove and Kempner,” Roldan said. 

Young Miss Five Hills Emily Kimball raised $300 for the Alzheimer’s Association.

“I was very surprised at the amount we raised this year,” said Kimball. “It was my first year participating, but I will continue to raise money every year in honor of my grandmother who suffers from Alzheimer’s. My hope for this donation is that it goes towards finding a cure, so that families no longer struggle with losing a loved one to Alzheimer’s and dementia.”

Teen Miss Five Hills Angelica Torres was surprised to learn that a donation was made in her honor on Giving Tuesday. 

“I was beyond blessed that a donation of $1000 dollars was given to American Heart Association because of the two different heart conditions that I work to overcome daily,” Torres said. “This donation will fund research to find more cures for people like myself with heart conditions and with creating medical breakthroughs to prolong peoples’ lives. I am humbled and grateful that my challenges have inspired someone to make a charitable donation in my name.”

Little Miss Five Hills Braelyn Liles, 5, raised $100 for Fostering Hope to help children in foster care. Braelyn’s mother, Christy, said the kindergartener is now collecting pajamas for children in foster care and especially needs sizes for infant to 3 years and all adult sizes. 

“Braelyn knows that every donation, whether big or small, makes a difference and they all really add up to help children who often are removed from their homes with nothing but the clothes on their backs,” Liles said. 

Collectively, the Copperas Cove Five Hills royalty raised more than $2,000 on Giving Tuesday. Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving to help raise awareness of charitable causes and encourage donors’ generosity to begin the holiday season. Giving Tuesday occurs on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving.