Oak Hill Rotary Club presents Ross Baldwin Youth Service Above Self Award

September 12, 2011

The Rotary Club of Austin-Oak Hill recently presented the 2011 Ross Baldwin Youth Service Above Self Award to Amberlyn Fett of Dripping Springs. The award honors a young person who has, over time, served others above self and is presented in memory of the late Ross Baldwin. Baldwin was an active member of the Club from 1984-2007. The award was named in his honor in recognition of his many years of service to young people and the community.

Amberlyn Fett is the founder of Amber’s Angels. The inspiration for Amber’s Angels came from the sheer determination of Amberlyn to make a difference in the lives of children in the hospital. Amberlyn has spent more than 14 Christmas Days in the hospital. During those holiday hospitalizations she witnessed the effect on the other children hospitalized with her and she wanted to do something for them.

As a result, she began Amber’s Angels. Friends and family helped her raise enough money to make gift bags for the patients at the Children’s Hospital of Austin. The first year she made 80 bags that included stuffed animals, candy, coloring books and crayons. Each year the number of bags has increased as Amber’s Angels provides not only for the children, but also patients in the infant units. The bags now include a fleece blanket, an age-appropriate toy, coloring books and crayons.

Even when Amberlyn herself was a patient during the holidays, she always made sure the Christmas Project proceeded on schedule. The 2009 Christmas project was especially hard, because Amberlyn was in the hospital recovering from her double lung transplant. But once again the project was a success and Amber’s Angels delivered gift bags to the children and infants in Dell Children’s Medical Center.

Amber’s Angels is involved in other activities to benefit the ill or disadvantaged. The organization, in addition to the Christmas project, provides items for other special events during the year for children in the hospital. It receives and donates formal wear for teens who are unable to buy one, and it supports other charitable organizations.

“Amberlyn has the biggest heart I have ever seen,” said her mother. “She is always trying to make things better for others. She wants to make a difference and make a mark on the world.”

Brenda Osbon, who nominated Amberlyn, states that the acorn does not fall far from the tree and that Amberlyn’s mom, Debbie Fett, grandmother, Carolyn Burton, and brother Philip Fett, are amazing, caring people.

To find out more about Amber’s Angels, please visit their website at ambers-angels.org.

Rotary is a global network of business, professional and community leaders. Through volunteer service, the men and women of Rotary build friendships and enlarge their circle of business and professional acquaintances. Participating in international service projects allow Rotary members to connect with people from around the world and promote cross-cultural understanding.