Never too young

Joshua Lynn used his birthday as a way to raise money for Relay for Life. He was able to raise more than $300.

By: Susan Pugh | Lynchburg News and Advance
Published: May 12, 2009

Joshua Lynn wanted Planet Heroes for his eighth birthday. Plus, maybe something from “Pokemon” and “Star Trek.”

Planet Heroes action toys’ mission is to save the world. Joshua has a mission, too: to help people like his late grandfather, Lewis Tyree, and late great-grandmother, Nannie Jones, whom he called Gummie.

Both died of cancer.

Instead of gifts, Joshua asked that people donate to Relay for Life for his birthday this year.

He set a goal: to raise $200.

On his birthday, April 23, his family threw him a party at the Fairview Christian Church. Joshua’s interest in the Relay grew from his mom, Nannette Boswell, who is team captain of the church’s Disciples Women’s team for Relay for Life, the annual anti-cancer fundraiser.

“I wanted a lot of people to come and bring money, but only my family came,” Joshua says. He had hoped more of his friends would give.

Still, he exceeded his goal, raising more than $300, his mom says.

“It was kinda fun,” Joshua says, “because I’m actually raising money for people like” his grandfather and great-grandmother.

He matter-of-factly says his grandfather died when he was 3 and his great-grandmother, who took care of him, died when he was 6.

Stephanie Andrews, marketing and publicity chair for the area Relay for Life effort, says some kids do walk during the relay with their families. But what Joshua did, “we just thought it was amazing at his age,” she says.

Joshua’s mom says his request fits his personality. When there’s a canned food drive, for instance, he wants to make sure they give as many cans as possible, she says.

Aside from having a big heart and making the second-grade honor roll at Thomas C. Miller Elementary School for Innovation, Joshua is pretty much a normal kid.

He typically wears jeans and a T-shirt, plus his “Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man’s Chest” black sneakers, which have red lights in them that flash each time he takes a step.

He likes to play games, watch TV and go to Hillcats baseball games at Lynchburg’s City Stadium. (“We’re big Hillcats fans,” his mom says.)

He’s also a big brother to Sarah, 5, and Sam, 10 months.

Even though his birthday has passed, Joshua’s not done with Relay for Life. He goes to his mom’s team meetings, and “he’s not there to play,” his mom says; he helps.

Joshua is “really gung-ho,” she says.

He says he wants to participate in the Relay itself on May 29 at Heritage High School, both the children’s walk and the all-night actual Relay.

“He’s planning on staying up all night,” his mom said. “I don’t know how we’re going to manage it.”