WHEN Mona Chappell came across her late husband’s Lego model of the Harry Potter Hogwart’s Express steam train she wondered, at first, what to do with it.
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Her husband was a keen model steam train enthusiast, and so, after reading about the Library’s Lego Club in The Inverell Times, Mona decided to donate the train to the library.
What followed was a rarely seen, absolutely selfless act by a young boy that should make this community proud.
Library Children’s Officer Leanne Schuhmacher supervised the Lego Club and said it was decided to give the model train to a home that would use it as Mona’s husband had intended.
Written entries were taken for the competition from young Lego Club members who had to explain why they should win the train.
Leanne said 29 entries were received.
“We received entries that were written as poems, entries that told how they would look after the Lego and how they would build it with their brothers and sisters,” Leanne said.
“It was touching to have one child write that if they won, they would tell their children one day of the great man who once loved trains, and his wife who loved him so much that she wanted the train he collected to go to a loving home.”
Library manager Sonya Lange said the stand-out entry, however, came from Caleb Graham, who wrote about why he thought someone else should win the prize.
We were just so touched that he said ‘My friend should have this’, and we were very happy that we could make that decision and give it to Lorenzo
- Inverell Library manager Sonya Lange
“My friend Lorenzo (Mudaliar) loves trains,” wrote Caleb.
“He knows a lot about trains, he has books about trains, he watches shows about trains, he even has some toy trains. Lorenzo can tell you lots of facts about trains.
“I think it would be nice if Lorenzo was to win the Lego Harry Potter train.”
Sonya said it was Caleb’s selfless act that stood out.
“We were just so touched that he said ‘My friend should have this’, and we were very happy that we could make that decision and give it to Lorenzo,” Sonya said.
She said she thought it was a great example of how Lego Club tries to get kids to interact, share and have a wonderful time.