Changing The World One Tree At a Time

student , 12, was recently named a “Leader of Tomorrow” by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Long Island Chapter for her prolific volunteerism and environmental advocacy efforts.

Sarah started volunteering at six months, when she spent Tuesdays visiting Saint Catherine’s Nursing Home as part of their Surrogate Grandchild program. At three, Sarah participated in a mini Walk-a-Thon for the March of Dimes with her pre-school.  

In 2005, Sarah raised $280 for the children affected by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and Project Lemon Aid was born. Since then Project Lemonade has raised more than $6,000 for various causes, including Save the Children’s funds for the tsunami in Southeast Asia and the earthquake in Haiti, the American Cancer Society, the Little Angel Fund, UNICEF, and the American Red Cross.

At age seven, Sarah learned about climate change and decided to devote her fundraising efforts to saving the earth. When Sarah learned that trees were being taken down and not replaced in Northport, she turned her energies to replanting every tree. This year she reached her goal of planting 20 trees in Northport, including , and is currently focusing her energy on replacing every tree lost in Tropical Storm Irene.

Sarah is also raising money to help tornado-ravaged Joplin, Missouri replant the thousands of trees they lost in May.  

“I can’t imagine a world without trees. Everyone knows how trees suck the carbon dioxide out of the air. They store the carbon dioxide in their roots, and when they’re cut down they release all of it back into the atmosphere. And nature needs trees, without trees the animals would disappear and it might set the whole thing off balance.”

In 2010, Sarah was presented with the Environmental Quality Award from the Environmental Protection Agency, the highest award given to members of the public by the EPA. Sarah was the first child to receive this prestigious award. That same year she was named an International Eco-Hero by Action for Nature. In 2011 she was named New York State’s top middle school volunteer and received the Prudential Spirit of Community Award.

In her free time, Sarah likes to draw, read National Geographic, and play MineCraft. Her favorite class is art and she’d like to be a fashion designer when she gets older.

Sarah hopes to encourage other young volunteers by reminding them that, although individually they are small, together they can make a big difference.

“We’re the ones who are inheriting this earth: all messed up, and beaten up and in need of repair. I think if we start working at it now and we all do our part, we can help fix it up before we actually inherit it.”

Sarah’s accomplishments will be celebrated at Philanthropy Day 2011’s Awards Luncheon on Friday, Nov. 18 at the Huntington Hilton in Melville.