YOUR TOWN WESTON: Peyton's Promise's impact on the community

Peyton's Promise, a local organization, has been around for almost ten years. The group collects food items and donations through different fundraisers and food drives. One Weston family created the charity, which has allowed the community to help their neighbors in need.

Peyton Medick is not your typical high school student. She started a major charity at eight years old after watching a news story showing hungry children, and Peyton's Promise has grown with her.

"I was just in awe that someone wouldn't know what those words meant [breakfast, lunch, and dinner] because they weren't able to eat those meals every day," Peyton said. "I asked my parents if there were people around here like that little boy," she said.

From there, her dream to help others skyrocketed, and now, on average, Peyton's Promise collects 14 tons of food a year. This year, the DC Everest School District helped collect food for local pantries. Peyton's brother, Christian, has also made his mark volunteering at school for the organization and sees many other students and organizations involved.

"The one thing that I love about DC Everest, it's not just me that's doing the work," Christian said. "It's multiple different organizations at the DC Everest School District that get involved."

Peyton's Promise's food drives at the schools were part in collecting seven tons of food this holiday season. While other kids may enjoy art, theater, or sports, Peyton really enjoys charity work.

"You know some kids are really passionate about sports, like my brother, but this was really my passion and something that I really, really loved to do," Peyton said.

This upcoming summer, the family will be moving out of the state. For the past few years Peyton and Christian's father has been turning down job offers, because of Peyton's Promise. Teena Medick, their mother, said they wanted to make sure the organization was established, and ready to stand on its own two feet before they left.

Peyton will be graduating this year too. She plans to continue community service work through college. But, she will be pursuing a different passion, journalism.

"I saw how much one news story can make an difference," Peyton said. "I mean the whole organization started because of one story."

While Peyton may have started the organization, it's the community that has allowed it to live on. As the family gets ready to move this summer, the Medick's feel confident that Peyton's Promise will continue its work in your town Weston, and throughout Marathon County.