When the owner of The Fireplace Guys in Grande Prairie Sandra Reimer told her grandson, eight-year-old Rylan Reimer he could cut up some pallets to make kindling, it was to help him make some extra cash for Christmas. When “Kid’s Kindling” took off, it turned out young Rylan wanted to spread the wealth.
“He did so well with it before Christmas, I said we have to think about social responsibility,” she says. “You have to decide how you’re going to spend it, and we will talk about it.”
Rylan first decided to spend $40 to sponsor a child to take part in the Zulu Challenge, an obstacle course for children aged four to 13 years old. Reimer suggests it is because the youngster thought it would be fun to do something for another kid.
Reimer says after Christmas came and went, they decided to keep the remaining kindling bundles in place and continue to raise funds.
“He was then able to sponsor another kid for Zulu Challenge, and I think he’s got another $25 put aside for the playground at Parkside School,” she says.
Reimer says she believes that being raised by a single parent has given Rylan a better understanding of how much a little can go a long way when it comes to lending a hand.
“His mum has raised him mostly, alone, and he knows how hard it is for mums to have to go out and work to provide and to see that other parents don’t have that support,” she adds.
The Kid’s Kindling sells for $5 a bundle at the store’s Grande Prairie location.