Brady Behling: there's some of Goofus and Gallant in us all. When the Gallant shines through, we show our best self.

A man once gave Brady a check for a hundred dollars in exchange for a handshake.

Brady is nine. He likes playing video games, drawing superheroes, and playing with his dog. And he likes it when people hand him money.

Brady donates the money he gets to organizations that help people with AIDS or with autism. "Sometimes it's hard seeing all that money and not being able to keep any of it," Brady admits. "But I'm happy to be helping people."

Getting Involved

Brady's mother works for the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin (ARCW). One time, his mother's friend Dianne was going to Africa to help people at risk of getting AIDS. Brady gave Dianne all the money from his piggy bank. Another time, he gave his savings to a friend who was doing a bike ride to raise money for people with AIDS.

Brady wanted to help even more. At a party his mother was having, he stood in the corner with a chart. He offered services in exchange for donations. "For five dollars I'd walk someone's dog. For three dollars, I'd draw a picture. I'd write a poem for two dollars. A simple hug was a dollar," Brady explains.

Most people chose the poem or the hug. Brady raised almost five hundred dollars. He donated it all to ARCW.

After that, Brady became a spokesperson for ARCW. He spoke at an AIDS walkathon in Milwaukee. (The other speakers included the mayor of Milwaukee.) "I just said that I hope one day there will be a cure and no more people will be suffering from AIDS," Brady recalls.

An "A" Party

Then Brady met Maya, a girl who has autism. This disability makes it difficult for Maya to communicate and interact with others.

With his mother's permission, Brady threw another party. He called it an "A" party--for AIDS and autism. He held it in his backyard and again offered services in exchange for donations. His sister offered to draw portraits. Brady raised six hundred dollars and gave half of the proceeds to ARCW and the other half to the National Autism Association, an organization that helps people with autism.

Brady hopes to keep doing fundraisers like this. "I'll do them next year, then the next year, and the year after that," he says. Highlights is proud to know this Gallant Kid.