Ribbons help tie her to victims

Local stores have offered to help the kindergartner raise funds for New York City victims.
By JoANNE VIVIANO
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
CAMPBELL -- On Sept. 11, Selena Gonzalez saw images on television that her 5-year-old eyes had never seen before.
She didn't understand, so she turned to her mother. "Why did this happen?"
Christina Gonzalez explained the terrorist attacks as best she could to her daughter, but she wanted to help her a little more.
So she bought some ribbons --red, white and blue -- and twisted them into lapel pins. Selena has sold 115, for $1 each. She'll save the money and send it to agency helping victims of the World Trade Center attack in New York City.
"She was asking a bunch of questions. I couldn't answer her very good and I was thinking, 'What's a way she can help?'" Christina Gonzalez said. "So I thought of this and she feels like she's helping."
Selena was given options of where she wanted to donate her collections. The Campbell kindergartner chose New York City.
"I'm really proud of her," Christina Gonzalez said. "I know it's making her feel better about the whole situation, so I feel better."
Sales: Selena has sold her "Support America Ribbons" to family, friends and neighbors. She also toted her cardboard box full of the pins to the King's Motel in Coitsville, where her godmother Tracy Moore works. There they sold ribbons to employees. Selena also took her box to the neighboring Bull's Eye restaurant and Tic Toc Food Mart, where she found more donors. Moore said employees at all three places have been wearing the ribbons.
"People were just amazed that she's just 5 years old," Moore said. "They were just tickled pink."
Some of the businesses have said they'll help Selena collect donations. Bull's Eye owner Ted Burrows said he'd be willing to sell the ribbons to interested restaurant customers.
"It's nice to see even the kids getting involved in something like this and that they understand the importance of it," Burrows said.
But, those orders may have to wait. Christina Gonzalez said local stores are sold out of anything red, white and blue. She's had to order more ribbon through the Internet.
Feels better: Since Selena's questions, Mom has turned off the TV and told her daughter that things like this don't happen very often.
Now, Selena feels good because she is helping.
Moore calls her goddaughter "something special."
"She's very talented, and she's got a big heart," Moore said. "Big time."
viviano@vindy.com