Full Heart Kids Carnival

14-year old middle school student Casey Schaeffer, accompanied by all of her friends, is organizing her 3rd Full Heart Kids Festival, to be held Sat May 5th 2018 (rain date Sun May 6th), at the meadow on Lakeview Drive in Yardley PA. The carnival is sponsored by Advanced Merchant Group , Congdon Associates Distributing (Cadco) , Bucks County Business Connections, Yardley Makefield Lions Club, PECO, Team Toyota, Penn Community Bank, McCaffrey's, Edgewood Dental, Joe of All Trades and Baldasari Insurance Agency.

Proceeds from silent auctions will help raise necessary funds to cover costs for a pony ride, bounce house, game truck, large tent, cotton candy machine, t-shirts, and local team mascot appearance, with additional monies raised going to the following efforts:

- A Soldier's Hands, a 501-3(c) organization that provides needed skin care products for troops deployed overseas, founded by her mentor and former Yardley resident Trish Shallenberger
- Full Heart Music Scholarship, a music scholarship she's initiated for the most improved high school orchestra student of the school year at Pennsbury High School
- Joyce's Voice for Cats Adoption, a non-profit organization that raises funds to help pay for spay/neuter, provide vaccines, and necessary vetting in order to adopt out social felines into forever homes; and to control the feline population in a humane manner in order to stop the euthanasia at shelters

In May 2017, her 2nd carnival raised almost $3,000, of which nearly $2,000 was donated to A Soldier’s Hands. Casey has won eight awards at the local, Board of Education, Chamber of Commerce, county and state levels for her efforts; was featured on NBC 10 TV Philadelphia and local media outlets; and was invited to speak at the Yardley and LMT Veterans Day ceremonies. She hopes to raise at least $5,000 in 2018.

Full Heart was started in 2015 to promote community involvement by kids, and raise funds that benefit organizations in need.

Full Heart is the brainchild of 14-year-old Casey Schaeffer, an 8th grade middle school student from Yardley PA. Since the age of 9, through bake sales, lemonade stands, shoe drives and carnivals, she has raised over $2,500 for her mentor Trish Shallenberger's A Soldier's Hands (an organization that provides skin care products to troops deployed overseas).

She has also donated bags of used baseballs & softballs to old Morrisville Little League teammates; hosted Four The Paws Cat Rescue Group, collected school supply donations for hurricane victims, organized kids' activities for the Yardley Day of Peace Event, and more.

Casey has won multiple awards for her efforts; has been featured on NBC 10 Philadelphia, and was invited to speak at the Yardley and Lower Makefield Twp Veterans Day ceremonies.

She is co-captain of her school's volleyball team; involved in chorus, violin & orchestra; was the lead in her school musical The Wizard of Oz; enjoys sports, biking, baking, babysitting and petsitting; a new student orientation guide; and was a WXTU 92.5 FM Weatherkid.

Awards:
5/18 – YWCA Salute to Women Who Make a Difference Award
11/17 - Senate of Pennsylvania Citation - Commonwealth of PA
11/17 - House of Representatives Citation - Commonwealth of PA
11/17 - Champion of Commerce Award – Community Service - Lower Bucks Chamber of Commerce
10/17 - “Outstanding Citizen” Proclamation - Lower Makefield Twp, PA
8/17 - Youth Award Contest Winner - PA State Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS)
7/17 - Richard “Doc” Derstine Youth Award - Bucks County Association of Township Officials
6/17 - LYFT Pennsbury Character Award - Pennsbury School Dist. / United Way of Bucks County