During Winter Vacation, Pine Lake Middle School Students Raise Money for Charity, shy Away From Recognition

It might have been a healthy dose of modesty. Or it was indecision, at certain moments, that comes along with being in the sixth grade.

Call it what you want.

The context, in this case: A group of five students stood in front of  in Sammamish on Tuesday with a worthwhile goal.

The girls were selling home-baked marble, sugar and chocolate chip cookies, as well as brownies, to raise money for their school's community service project.

They were doing so during the second winter break in the . The 36-degree weather left a chill in the air.

The girls had selected the Make-A-Wish Foundation as their charity.

There is that thought that good deeds should be recognized in communities, both large and small. So, Sammamish Patch stopped and chatted with the girls about their project.

Their parents were not there. But Sammamish Patch wanted to take some quick photographs of the girls in action - to reflect a good deed being done, especially when classes were out.

One girl darted inside the store to grab her friend. But that friend remained adamant that her parents didn't want her in a photograph.

So, Sammamish Patch politely explained to the girl that when the camera went up that she just stand to the side. There was no offense intended but Sammamish Patch just didn't want the girl to get in trouble.

Two other girls quickly used cell phones to call their parents for permission to be in the photograph. Sammamish Patch played it safe and asked the girls to call since no parent was standing next to them.

For the fundraiser, the girls said, each baked item was selling for 25 cents. "We came up with the idea," one girl said.

As the girls were trying to figure out the logistics, a woman left Safeway and stopped to buy some baked goods.

Sammamish Patch, trying to be polite even though everyone was outside in public, asked the woman if it was fine to take a picture of her buying cookies from the girls.

The woman politely declined, saying that she didn't have any makeup on. Sammamish Patch, in the spirit of peaceful relations and diplomacy, offered reassurance by saying: "You look great."

Really, she looked like she was ready to be in a candid, in-action photograph in which she supports a middle school community service project and a national foundation that helps kids.

At one point, the girls asked Sammamish Patch to only take a photograph of the table with the food on it. They thought it was fine if no person was pictured.

The only noteworthy thing about that request was that there were people all around the table and others were walking out of the store. Also, people actually came up with the idea and other people stopped to buy the baked goods.

Two of the girls either couldn't get in touch with their parents or the response was no. That remained unclear. So, they stood out of the way, behind or near some type of large post.

So of the five girls who participated in a worthwhile community service project for school on Tuesday, only two stood behind the food table when the digital camera went up.

Another issue surfaced: The girls who agreed to be photographed didn't want to give their full names. That reason also remained unclear. So, in the photograph, Stella is wearing the blue jacket. Serena is wearing the pink jacket.

Sammamish Patch is grateful, really, that they agreed to be photographed and that their parents gave permission. Sammamish Patch also thinks it's refreshing when people, especially students, help others - including strangers. 

By Tuesday just before 2 pm, when the girls ended their fundraiser for the day, they had raised a nice amount for the charity.

How much?

About $50.

They said they might sell homemade baked goods again to raise more money.