By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

NAPLES— Madeline Stone, a young girl from Naples who was selling wreaths and decorations to raise money to buy gifts for a few children she knew, succeeded in making their Christmases better.

Giving to others seemed to make Christmas better for 9-year-old Maddy, according to her mom. 

“She learned that you can get a lot of happiness from giving and helping others in need. I think she was more happy about that than her own Christmas gifts,” Tammie Stone said.

“Our neighbor, the little boy who is five got a scooter, and all the little matchbook cars and the racetrack. It was fun to see him enjoy his toys,” she said. 

Before Christmas, Maddy sold 12 wreaths and 15 decorations plus received $180 in monetary donations. 

Amazingly after Christmas, people continued to contact Maddy to help out. People in the community purchased three wreaths and seven decorations. People donated more than $130 in cash.

“I was surprised. It made me happy,” Maddy said of the post-Christmas charity. 

On Christmas Eve, Maddy was feeling the last-minute rush as she and her mom shopped for the gifts at the crowded Walmart in Windham. 

“We ended up spending around $500. She wanted to take her money from her piggy bank. She brought her piggy bank in a little purse. We wouldn’t let her use it,” she said.  

“We were at Walmart as they were closing on Christmas Eve. She was not feeling well so walking around the store was difficult. She had a job to do. ‘I am playing elf,’ she told me,” Stone said. 

Another challenge was that Maddy was expecting a very exciting visitor, service dog Dolly Pawton. The dog’s owner Amy Sherwood had arranged a set time to stop by Maddy’s house to buy a wreath. But, the Christmas gift shopping took longer. On their way home, Amy called and asked Maddy if she needed anything. They had run out of wrapping paper and had forgotten to get more at the store.  

Sherwood showed up with two rolls of wrapping paper, additional gifts for the children and a gift for Maddy: cat ear headphones. 

“She loves Dolly, the service dog,” Stone said.

Later that evening, Maddy and her mom delivered packages to one of the children who was spending Christmas at his home nearby. 

“We had the other two come pick up their gifts from us because it was too hectic. We wanted to deliver to all three people, but we ran out of time,” Stone said.  

Although Maddy did a lion’s share of the work, creating decorations and decoratingwreaths, the cat got her tongue when it came to handing out the presents.   

“Maddie was shy about it. She was ecstatic about doing it, but when it came time to give the gifts, she got shy and had me do it,” Stone said.

In the mail on Tuesday, a letter and a check arrived from a woman in Sweden. 

“Dear Maddy: What a nice thing to do for your less fortunatefriends. I am so proud of you. Maybe this check will let you do more for them. I know you will find others in need,” the letter said. 

Maddy did not have anything in mind yet. After all, most elves need a break after the holidays.