Michala Riggle

Michala Riggle (www.barronprize.org)

“You Gotta Believe”, is the motto for Michala Riggle, a 13 year old from Louisville, Kentucky. When Michala was just 10 years old she started making bracelets to raise money for the experimental treatments at the local Children's Hospital, but Michala didn't always do this. It wasn't until Michala's younger brother, Evan, an autistic child who couldn't speak, started some of the experimental treatments. Then she started making bracelets.

When the treatments showed promise the hospital wanted to do more. They wanted more tests and more kids to participate, but they did not have the $200,000.00 needed to do so. When Michala heard this she wanted to help. She realized that this could help her brother and other kids as well. She took all the money from her piggy bank and started doing the only thing she new how to do. Make bracelets. She sold the bracelets for $3.00 and slowly gathered the money needed for the treatments. Michala inspired people everywhere and she soon rallied dozens of volunteers. In just 6 months Michala reached her goal along with an additional $150,000.00.

But Michala hasn’t stopped there. Her new goal is $300,000,000.00 to fund a new autism research and treatment center. The center will be named We Believe and will be located in Michala’s hometown.

Today Michala has her own foundation called Michala Riggle Beat Autism Foundation, Inc. She has inspired people everywhere from church groups to school children, even women in correctional facilities, and she is still going.

(www.beadingtobeatautism.org)

Michala would like to sell 1 million bracelets in each state and continue raising money. It is amazing how determined and undaunted Michala is by the number of bracelets she will need to sell to reach her new goal. But she says, ”One small snowflake might not amount to much, but when a lot of snowflakes get together they can stop traffic!”

Michala inspires people to believe, be determined and set goals for themselves.

“You Gotta Believe!”

Bibliography

www.barronprize.com
www.beadingtobeatautism.org