Smith Valley teen hits $50,000 fund raising goal

Smith Valley's Justin Thran hit his goal of raising $50,000 for civic and charity groups before he was 18.

The 16-year-old sent a check for $346.23 to Oprah's Angel Network on May 16 that made his total $50,000 for the last seven years.

"I set this goal for something to work toward not as a finish line," he said. "This is a good start, but I have a long way to go."

Justin raises money from the sale of birdhouses and other woodcrafts at craft fairs and auctions for civic and charity groups.

On May 20, Justin was honored in Tucson, Ariz. by The Pacific West Region Sertoma at their convention. He received The Regional Service to Mankind Aware for Significant and Meritorious Service to Mankind. He is now the representative for the western states and is one of the 14 finalists in the International Service to Mankind Awards.

Justin was nominated by two Sertoma clubs, the Carson Valley Sertoma and the Sun Valley Sertoma and was discussed as a nominee of Topaz Sertoma and one of the Twin City Sertoma groups in Chehalis, Wash.