Early on the morning of Sept. 5, a fire engulfed the barn at Perry Hill Farm in Bedford. Most of the horses were trapped, and 14 died. The barn was burned to the ground. The small farm where local children spent summer weeks learning how to ride ponies and horses was left with next to nothing. In the weeks that followed, the farm owners discovered that they had one asset that was revealed only after the great loss: nine-year-old Maeve Jackson.

A summer camper at the farm, Jackson said the fire made her “really sad.” Her favorite horse was among those killed. Impressively, Jackson turned her sadness into benevolence.

She decided to put together a raffle to raise money for the farm. Her father, Skip Jackson, a partner in Carrabba’s restaurants, enlisted the help of the Bedford location. Carrabba’s donated three prizes, and Maeve went about selling tickets. Wait staff at the restaurant pitched in, too. In a matter of weeks, she had raised $4,000 for the farm.

That would be a solid amount for any charity fund-raising raffle to raise in a few weeks. The fact that it was raised in a raffle organized by a nine-year-old makes it truly eye-opening.

Maeve Jackson and her parents should be very proud of what she has done. She has shown us grown-ups that there really is no excuse for not helping out a neighbor in need. Well done.