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11-Year-Old Plans Service Fair To 'Change Everything'

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - If you've got some spare time on Saturday, there's a fifth grader who'd like to use it.

Crayons and lunch sacks are common in schools, but not for a purpose like they are being used at Harriet Bishop Elementary in Savage.

They're for Meals on Wheels recipients who could use some color in their day.

"They really like seeing all the kids' decoration," Shrey Pothini said. "They light up when they see it."

The precocious 11-year-old pitched his grand plan to the mayor of Savage Janet Williams.

"He was very professional," she said. "He called and he wanted an appointment with me."

He also ran it by his school principal, Erika Nesvig.

"I'm just watching him and watching those things that he does, and he has a presence about him I've never seen in a fifth grader before," she said.

He's spearheading a day of service on Saturday. For the entire town, collections are already coming into the town library.

"I thought, 'These are only elementary schools,'" Pothini said. "What if we could do a bigger, better, more collective impact? So I thought, 'Why not just have all of Savage do something like this?"

All ages and all zipcodes are welcome and the possibilities are endless.

From helping make plastic pieces for villages in Africa to sending rice to hungry families overseas to dental hygiene kits, he will have a list of activities for anyone who shows up.

"It's only one day, but I know that this one day could change everything," Pothini said.

He's hoping to plant a seed -- a desire -- so people find their own ways to serve.

"It doesn't really matter what age you are, you can do something really little or really big that can help make a difference," he said.

His words and actions prove sometimes wisdom comes before age.

Pothini also started a service club at his school that now has more than 100 members and instead of getting on his birthday, he collects towels for homeless shelters.

If you'd like to join in on the service fair Saturday, visit the website.

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