Columbus child donates birthday money to hospital

COLUMBUS, Neb. -- A child from Columbus donated her remaining birthday money to a local hospital.

Etta Nelsen said all she wanted for her 8th birthday was a new Junie B. Jones chapter book. After getting the book, Nelsen had leftover birthday money from her grandma and decided to donate the money to help someone in need.

After talking with Cori Fullner, executive director of the Columbus Community Hospital Foundation, Nelsen chose to give her money to Wiggles & Giggles Therapy for Kids™.

Fullner said the donation was a wonderful and unexpected surprise.

"To have an eight-year-old girl give her birthday money to help others is an incredible gesture," Fullner said. "Kudos to her parents for teaching her the gift of giving."

The foundation raises and manages donations like the one from Nelsen. Donations are used to purchase medical equipment, make facility and campus improvements, provide beneficial programming for patients and their families, and fund scholarships for local students pursuing medical careers.