CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. (WFXR) — In July 2018, the Poole family lost their 16-year-old daughter, Ashlyn, to a fatal car accident.
Later that year, they began a Facebook group called, ‘Acts4Ash,’ dedicated to encouraging random acts of kindness in Ashlyn’s honor.
“It has become a part of our healing process and our grieving process to know that her memory is still out there and her memory will stay alive through ‘Acts4Ash,’ and that kindness is being shared to others in her memory,” said Ashlyn’s mother, Melissa Poole.
More than six years later, the group has amassed over 2,100 members from all over the country and beyond.
Ashlyn’s family says their daughter was known for her kindness and generosity, and that was the inspiration for the group.
“She always liked to leave little notes for her friends and made sure everybody was having a good day,” said Poole.
Over time, another initiative was born of that kind spirit.
The family began collecting lightly or unworn formal dresses throughout the year to set up an annual dress drive that could provide local girls with formalwear at the cost of just a $20 donation.
This year, there were approximately 500 dresses available.
Every year, the donations are either poured back into a local charity or to the Ashlyn Poole Memorial Scholarship fund.
For the last several years, the event has been held at Belmont Christian Church in Christiansburg, where Ashlyn was a member of the youth group.
Now, a place that was special to her hosts an event that gives back to the community she lived in.
“To see girls be able to come and get a dress for a $20 donation that they might not have been able to purchase brand new, it just means so much to us,” said Poole.