8-year-old Brooke Trevett had saved up about $30 for her puppy fund when she visited the farmer’s market with her mom and noticed a protest at Oswego City Hall.
“She asked what was going on and I just explained to her that the mayor had proposed to cut 16…firefighters because the city was facing about a million dollar shortfall in the budget,” explained Rebecca Trevett, Brooke’s mom.
“My mom said that when you find out a problem, you try to solve a problem,” Brooke added.
So, she went to work making signs for a personal campaign, believing she alone can scrape together just enough change to balance the city’s budget without those job cuts.
Her mom says it’s not about picking sides. Brooke doesn’t really understand politics yet.
She has learned about tight budgets and making sacrifices.
“I have a great job now, but there was a point in time when I didn’t have work. So, for her to hear 16…people could be out of work, she really had a heart for that,” Rebecca said.
Brooke realizes a million dollars is a lofty goal. At one point the 8-year-old even offered up her college savings.
“Yeah, but that ain’t going to happen now because my mom said no,” Brooke notes.
Brooke wrote a letter to the mayor and city councilors with plans to read it at a public hearing before the budget vote Monday night. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at City Hall.
That’s when she hopes to hand over the pocket change she has scraped together.
“The lesson is – try to help other people fix other problems,” she concluded.
Words to live by for a 3rd grader who is willing to try.
