By KRIS REILLY, Editor

LUCERNE VALLEY • David Lee Cummings III is just 8 years old, but he’s not letting that stop him from helping those in need.

Cummings, a student at Lucerne Valley Elementary School, has started his own fundraiser to help victims of the recent earthquakes in Chile.

“I wanted to help someone out,” Cummings said. “The Haiti earthquake happened and then this came up. So when this one happened I wanted to do this.”

His mother, Doreen Cummings, said they have already contacted the Salvation Army; officials said all of the funds raised will go straight to victims of the disaster.

This is just the latest example of Lucerne Valley’s youth taking an active role in helping needy people around the world. Esperanza Canava, another LVES student, recently raised hundreds of dollars for Haitian earthquake victims. Teens at Lucerne Valley Community Church recently held a “30-hour famine” to raise money to fight world hunger.

“It’s not like just grown-ups can do it,” said David Cummings, who began the effort last week and had collected $40 as of last Thursday. “It’s like a community thing.”

With photocopies of a handwritten letter about his fundraiser in hand, Cummings said he planned to speak at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, and he also hoped that the elementary school would allow him to raise money there.

Kris Reilly can be reached at kreilly@vvdailypress.com or at (760) 985-8372.