When Cari Mae Bulthuis’ daughter, Violet Cayton, was just four-years-old, Cari saw an article about Hawaii titled, “Paradise for Pennies.” Swapping out the word 'pennies' with 'dimes', she began collecting dimes from her tips while working as a server at Abby's Cafe in Hemet, California. "At the end of the shift, I would sometimes trade out a dollar for dimes so I could add to the collection," Cari shares.
This labor of love continued for 13 years. Then, the day after Violet, Student Athlete of the Year and prom queen, graduated from West Valley High School, Cari took the dimes to cash them in. She learned that her collection of dimes, saved up for her and her only child to take a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Hawaii, had grown to over $56-hundred.
Now, Cari and Violet are planning a seven-day trip to Oahu in July, marking their first ever trip to Hawaii. And a decade's worth of dimes is about to turn into memories worth much more. "I'm very grateful," Violet says, "I love my mom so much."
Source: NBC LOS ANGELES
Photo: Getty Images