Shelby Coffey

loves drinking BellyWashers and after a year of serving on the BellyWashers

Kids Board it is quite possible she loves it even more.

Coffey was

one of 15 children chosen last year to be a part of the BellyWashers Kids

Board program. The process started with an internet application and included

references from her parents and teachers, phone interviews and more paperwork.

Eventually, Coffey received a package that included a message on a tape

recorder that told her she had been chosen for the program.

The Kids Board

program has two main functions: to act as a think tank with the BellyWashers

marketing team, and to act as ambassadors for BellyWashers while establishing

kid-focused community service events. Coffey took to both tasks exceptionally

well, helping BellyWashers come up with some new designs (though she could

not disclose any details), and forming a local club that has done a number

of good deeds in the community over the past year. The Kids Board members

had a board meeting at Universal Studios in Florida and got to enjoy the

park when not in the meeting.

Though her

work with BellyWashers marketing team is impressive, it is her work in

the community that should be commended. A former student at Peachtree

City Elementary School who is currently being homeschooled, Coffey recruited

a number of her friends from school to help doing some community service

projects.

One of the

first things her club did was throw a Christmas party for students at

the Joseph Sams School, raising money for presents, games, decorations

and more. The group also had a yard sale and used the money raised, $375,

to present Easter baskets and a check to the Fayette Youth Protection

Home.

"It was

hard to decide which group to support," Coffey admitted. "I

heard of these two groups and thought they were nice organizations to

help."

Coffey and

her group did not stop with these two projects. They adopted Pebble Pocket

Park in Peachtree City and clean the area once a month. They also collected

300 fast food toys and delivered them to children at Children's Healthcare

of Atlanta. The group has also made valentines for residents of the Ashley

Glen Assisted Living Facility, spent time with students at the Sams School

and has made and sold crafts to raise money to donate to the school as

well. Members of the group are Drake Ford, Drew Ford, Jay Patrick Wormer,

Emily Tackett, Martine Van Voorthuysen, Courtney Walker, Courtney Rosa,

Matthew Winn, Clay Reindl, Jessica Yelton and Paige Curasi.

When not studying

or doing activities associated with the Kids Board, Coffey plays piano,

dances with Dance Contempra and takes photography classes at Summerhill

Academy. She has also recently joined the middle school youth group at

Peachtree City United Methodist Church. Her favorite subjects are math

and reading and her favorite flavor of BellyWasher is the watermelon-flavored

drink with the Spider-Man top.

Though her

time on the Kids Board is nearing its end, as ambassadors can only serve

a one year term, Coffey is looking forward to doing more in the community.

The program has also given her a better understanding of business and

marketing. Coffey got to tour the facility that makes BellyWashers, located

in Austell, and met with the people who design the tops among other employees.

Coffey's mother,

Amber, has seen the community service projects give her daughter and the

other children in the group a better sense of community. "I think

if they start volunteering at a young age, they are more likely to continue

it when they are older."

Coffey and

the other 14 board members are being considered for a $5,000 educational

scholarship that will be presented to the board member who has demonstrated

the most initiative over their term. While Coffey has undoubtedly done

a lot for the community over the past year, it is clear the scholarship

does not weigh heavily in her motivation.

"It is

important to make other people feel good," said Coffey, who watched

her group grow from the first meeting and would like to see it continue

to grow. While she admits it was hard to think of projects at first, more

come to mind much easier now and it is something fun to do.

"Volunteering

is a good thing to do," said Coffey. "More people should do

things for others."