A thirteen year old community star has raised thousands of dollars for a veterans charity in Rifle, Colorado.
Rylan Petree, 13, raised approximately $3,315 during the 2021 Garfield County Fair by directing fairgoers to extra parking spaces in lots across Railroad Avenue. Along with her grandparents, parents, and her older sister, Rylan guided cars throughout the four-day period and took in donations.
Her plan for the money is to donate it to the Colorado Veterans Community Living Center in Rifle. Rylan has a personal connection to the military community, as her grandfather Ray Petree served in the Vietnam War.
“I wanted the money to go to the people in our community who fought for our country,” Petree said. “I wanted them to have birthday and Christmas presents.”
The thirteen year old community star and her family encouraged a $10 donation per vehicle. The family parked 63 vehicles on Wednesday, 67 on Thursday, and 55 on Friday.
On Saturday, thanks to the demolition derby, the family parked a total of 99 vehicles.
With the money from each car, plus a $100 donation from Tee’d Off Bar & Grill in Battlement Mesa, Rylan collected around $3,315.
“I’m proud of her patriotism, her love of country and her civic-minded attitude,” Rylan’s mother Shawna Petree said of her daughter. “I love her big heart and wanting to help the older people in our country. We need to take care of our aging population.”
Rylan got the idea for this plan from her older sister, Jadyn, who raised money the same way six years ago for the Rifle Heritage Center.
“She has all these good ideas, and she helped me make them all come true,” Rylan said of her older sister.
When the thirteen year old told the Colorado Veterans Community Living Center, a local veterans nursing home, that she was donating the money, Rylan said that their response was “happy” and “excited.”
“[The Colorado Department of Human Services], and our veterans and staff, are appreciative of the fundraising efforts of Rylan. What an inspiring effort,” Ashley Trujillo, the administrator of the Veterans Community Living Center at Rifle, said in a statement. “Since 1986, we have been proud to serve the needs of veterans in the Rifle and Western Slope community, and community members like Rylan are a valuable part of that.”
Colorado GOP Representative Lauren Boebert also celebrated Rylan’s actions in a post on Twitter.
“So proud of Rylan and what she is doing for our veterans. Keep up the great work! Our veterans are the best of America, and they deserve the best America has to offer,” Boebert wrote.
So proud of Rylan and what she is doing for our veterans. Keep up the great work!
Our veterans are the best of America, and they deserve the best America has to offer.https://t.co/P1KfwW0mSj
— Rep. Lauren Boebert (@RepBoebert) August 23, 2021