The best part of a birthday for most 11-year-olds is getting. Madison Tix of Plymouth is celebrating her 11th birthday by giving.
The 70 or so friends and relatives that are planning to attend Maddie’s 11th birthday party, which happens to fall on 11-11-11, are being asked to donate $11 to the Animal Humane Society in lieu of gifts. Wait a second, no gifts? What gives?
“I feel really good because I don’t need any more gifts,” explains Maddie, who chose the charity based on her love for animals and in honor of her loyal friend, Truman, a rescue dog. “I wanted to provide for other animals that need help rather than have more stuff I don’t need.”
The large guest list isn’t typical of Maddie’s birthdays.
“We thought with the uniqueness of the day, we wanted to make a memory,” explains Maddie’s mother, Ami. “What are the chances that you turn 11 on 11-11-11?”
Maddie, who struck a deal with her parents to sacrifice her 10th and 12th birthday parties to go all out on her 11th, has cousins flying in from Chicago for a DJ/magician party with Kevin Hall. Among other tricks throughout the night, the man behind Halls of Magic Entertainment plans to put the birthday girl in a box…before impaling it with swords.
Just to summarize, an 11-year-old is sacrificing two birthday parties, gifts and possibly (depending on how good Mr. Hall is) physical wellbeing—for charity.
“It feels good to be donating to a worthy cause that I feel passionate about,” Maddie says.
Have a happy birthday, Maddie. You deserve one.
