Charitable birthday presence

When Julia Leck of Land O' Lakes celebrates her ninth birthday today, she'll be giving away her gifts and throwing in a few she bought herself to help children in need.

The gifts that Julia receives at her birthday party this year will be donated to the children of the Heart Gallery of Tampa Bay, the local office of a national organization that posts photo and video exhibits of foster children in need of adoption.

"We are seeking forever homes for these children," said Melissa Twomey, spokeswoman of Heart Gallery of Tampa Bay.

Julia said that she and her mother, Sandra, discussed donating the gifts she received at her birthday party this year to a charitable organization that helps children in need. After visiting the Heart Gallery Web site, Julia chose to give her presents to the foster children served by the agency.

"I just saw that they needed help," Julia said. "I compared what I had and what they had, and I wanted these kids to have some stuff because they don't have anything."

The Heart Gallery of Tampa Bay, a project of The Children's Board of Hillsborough County and Hillsborough Kids Inc., provided Julia the tools needed to solicit donations. They provided photos of foster children that she placed on a poster for presentation at her party as well as a list of suggested age-appropriate gifts, organizational brochures she included in her party invitations and temporary "Adopt" tattoos that she can place in goodie bags for children who attend her party.

"I think it is amazing for Julia to help out this way," Twomey said. "Her family has encouraged her to think of others and to be grateful for what they have."

Sandra Leck agrees that giving is a priority for her family, which includes her husband, Charles, and daughters Isabella, 4, and Gabriella, 1. On the morning of Julia's party, in fact, the family will participate in the Making Strides walk for the American Cancer Society in Dade City. They have participated in the Pediatric Cancer Foundation Cancer Walk and Pasco's Coastal Cleanup.

"We're so fortunate, and there are kids who would be grateful to get what we have," Sandra Leck said. "I want my kids to see the world in the special light of helping others and to reach out to other people."

Aside from soliciting donations from friends, Julia and her sisters have selected gifts to give to the children of the Heart Gallery. Julia bought a journal with a "magic pen" for a girl and a Battleship board game for a boy.

"So many people look back at the birthday parties they had as children and don't remember their gifts," Sandra Leck said. "This party is something she'll always remember. She'll remember that she helped someone."

Twomey hopes that Julia's example will set a precedent for giving.

"We want to start a Birthday Buddies program to ensure our children have presents on their birthdays," she said. "Julia is setting an example to help us get the message out."

Julia says she enjoys helping Heart Gallery of Tampa Bay and that she looks forward to personally dropping off her collected gifts at the Heart Gallery of Tampa Bay office next week.

"I love to give," she said. "It makes me feel really good, and it makes me happy to help kids."

To find out how to help Heart Gallery of Tampa Bay, visit www.heartgallerytampabay.org.