Cas (6) from De Goorn is very sad. And his mother Amanda doesn’t get it. Who stole his happy stones and the proceeds intended for Ukraine? “Who does such a thing?”
Last week the family from De Goorn was still sick at home: corona. And the war in Ukraine kept the family glued to the TV. Amanda Koppes’ son, six-year-old Cas, was captivated by the images. He follows the news daily. “The war really makes an impression on him. He feels so sorry for all those children and mothers, who had to leave everything behind.”
Cas is so touched that they can even come and stay with him, if it is up to him. “He said they could sleep in his room if they couldn’t find a place to sleep.”
But all that took him too long. He didn’t hesitate for a moment and decided to put in the effort. Something that makes him cheerful and happy, namely happy stones. “They could use some encouragement,” Cas said.
set up
So Cas looked on the street and on the beach for stones, to transform them into happy stones. A day later he made fifteen pieces in the garden, painted in cheerful colours. When his collection was complete, Cas took a stool and a rug from the attic, after which he made a small plate. The donation campaign has started. “And every day he sat neatly in front of the door”, Amanda looks back. “He had already sold nine and the proceeds would go to Giro555. But even better to someone from Ukraine, a mother with a baby,” she says.
But Sunday evening, a little after eight, Amanda and Cas made a nasty discovery. The stool and happy stones were gone. “Everything was gone, including the tray with the money he had collected.”
Amanda doesn’t understand anything about it. “Who does such a thing? Let alone in a village.”
Amanda’s son has recovered from the shock, she says. “He is still sad. But don’t give up? No, then you don’t know Cas yet.”
He is determined to create new bricks. The applications are pouring in, says Amanda. “Cas and Niek, a friend from school, immediately wanted to get back to work. And our neighbors all want one too. So there is work to be done.”
no boxes
And when they’re done? “Then we just put everything back in front of the door. We don’t let ourselves be boxed in.”
Amanda also addresses the perpetrator or perpetrators. “If you regret your act afterwards, we would like them back,” she says. “You can just put them back. Anonymous is also allowed.”