7-year-old holding toy drive for kids affected by Woolsey Fire

ByABC7.com staff KABC logo
Sunday, November 18, 2018
7-year-old holding toy drive for kids affected by Woolsey Fire
Many families have been affected by the Woolsey Fire, but a local second-grader is using her own tragedy to help others.

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (KABC) -- Many families have been affected by the Woolsey Fire, but a local second-grader is using her own tragedy to help others.

Seven-year-old Sophia Novotny and her family are among those who lost everything in the massive brush fire that destroyed homes in areas of Ventura and Los Angeles counties.

While she was devastated by the loss, she was more concerned with her friends who also lost their homes. That sparked the idea for Sophia's Wishes, a toy drive to help replace toys lost in the fire.

"Very quickly she realized that our things were gone, so the day that we lost the house, she said...'Let's get some toys for the other kids who lost their house,'" recalled Sophia's mom, April Novatny.

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President Donald Trump visits a neighborhood impacted by the Woolsey Fire, Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018, in Malibu, Calif.
Evan Vucci/AP Photo

"I just want to help other kids 'cause I know how it feels to lose your things," Sophia shared.

The Sophia's Wishes toy drive will take place Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at RadNet, located at 415 Rolling Oaks Drive in Thousand Oaks.

Spark of Love will be there, and any child who lost toys in the fire will be given new ones on site.