A Small Christmas Ornament Speaks From the Heart

If you are around the Butler Elementary School before school begins today or tomorrow – that would be around 8:30 a.m. – stop by and see Brian Lin and his mom, Betty Tang. They'll be selling a glimmer of hope this Christmas for others as they embrace the lessons of the holidays.

Lin, a student in Helena Chan's third grade class, is working on a project with his mother to raise money to fund holiday gifts for children who are ill with cancer.

They are selling crochet hats and tree ornaments before school starts on Tuesday Dec. 11 and Wednesday, Dec 12. The money raised will be used to buy holiday gifts for children from Belmont and surrounding towns battling this disease.

But the sale is a much more than just an act of kindness during the holidays. Tang is fighting ovarian cancer and learned how to crochet hats in order to keep herself distracted as she undergoes various treatments.

It is important to Tang that she teach Brian about the power of love and giving back, as she feels that the love and support she has received from friends and family has helped her to fight her illness, according to Butler's Principal Michael McAllister.

Hats are $8 or $10 and ornaments are $1 or $2.