On April 16 this year, Nichole Boone and her family lost their oldest daughter through a sudden, unexpected accident.

Savannah Nichole Boone was just a day past 2 years and 5 months old.

“Right when it happened, I remember telling my mother something huge is going to come of this,” Boone said.

She said the day before the service, she was at church and she walked up to the altar and talked to God.

“I don’t know your plans, but I’m here now,” she said.

The journey since then has been inward and spiritual but also outward, directed toward the community. Now, as Savannah Nichole’s third birthday approaches, Boone said she hopes some good can come from bad.

“Her birthday is coming up and I thought Savannah doesn’t need toys in heaven, but there’s kids out there who might need stuff,” Boone said.

A week ago, she announced she was going to start “Operation: Savannah’s Birthday Gifts,” and make every November special for her family and also for less fortunate kids in the community.

“I try to make good out of bad. I don’t like negativity,” Boone said. “I don’t want to wallow in it. I don’t want it to destroy us and I want to bring other people up as well.”

Boone has set up a Gofundme.com account, and for the rest of the month, she is collecting Walmart gift cards and funds which will go toward gifts for children.

“I want to take this as big as God will allow it to go,” she said. “I want people to spread the word that I am eternally grateful to anyone who’s reading this and anyone whose willing to help. It means more to me than they could possibly know.”

The group also has a public Facebook page, where Boone is selling fundraising merchandise and where she will update the donations. She said that in the few days the gofundme.com account has been set up, she’s already raised $800.

“The sky is the limit,” she said. “God is in control of how far this will go … Anything and everything is greatly appreciated.”

Boone said she’s still searching for an orphanage or children’s organization to partner with, but once she finds one, she said she hopes the relationship will last.

“Every November I’d love to give gifts out to whatever organization we can get involved with,” she said.

Boone said anyone can get in contact with her through Facebook page, or they can call her at 985-750-2089.

“Thank you everyone from bottom of my heart. This means the world to our family, Donovan, Nichole, Savannah and Aryannah,” she said.