American Idol alum and three-time GRAMMY nominee Danny Gokey and his nonprofit “Better Than I Found” partnered with sixteen-year-old Ruby Kate Chitsey and “Three Wishes for Ruby’s Residents” to provide much-needed renovations to the roof and kitchen at the Three Wishes Community Center. Danny’s fans also presented gifts to the senior residents at the Springs of Harrison nursing home.
Before coming to Harrison, Gokey encouraged fans to purchase items from Ruby’s Wish List on Amazon.com to be given to nursing home residents.
The “Better Than I Found It Foundation” paid to remodel the kitchen area for volunteers who prepare fruits and snacks for the residents’ wishes. The Foundation was also able to repair 80% of a leaky roof. Danny told Ruby that someone else would step up and pay the additional 20%.
Ruby Kate thanked the Gokey family for their generosity and shared that the roof didn’t leak during the last big rain.
Another part of the surprise was to fulfill three wishes Ruby might have had. When Danny handed her two gift bags, he said, “This is a very humble young lady. Her wishes were not extravagant.”
The first sack contained a gift card to a favorite place to shop. The second bag held a package of one of her favorite kinds of candy. The third gift was in a picnic basket. When she opened up one end of the basket, the head of a small puppy poked out. Ruby's immediate emotional response proved how much the gift meant to her.
Mayor Jerry Jackson thanked Danny and his family for coming to Harrison and honoring Ruby Kate and her foundation's efforts. Jackson told a group before the Gokeys arrived, “The city honored Ruby Kate a few years ago, but we realized she had already received every award anyone could receive. So we gave her a Key to the City.”
Follow Danny Gokey on social media to see videos of the day’s special events. The Kid Board of Directors for Ruby’s Three Wishes was interviewed, and the gifts and remodeled kitchen will be highlighted.
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