Mom's Decade-Long Savings Fund Daughter's Dream Graduation Trip to Hawaii

Server saves $5,665 in dimes to pay for grateful daughter’s high school graduation trip to Hawaii

A Mother’s Love, One Dime at a Time: How Cari Mae Bulthuis Saved for Her Daughter’s Dream Trip to Hawaii

Daughter’s Dream Graduation Trip to Hawaii

In Hemet, California, a story of love, dedication, and countless dimes has unfolded over the past 13 years. Cari Mae Bulthuis, a server at Abby’s Cafe, started saving every dime she could get her hands on when her daughter Violet was just four years old. Her goal? To fund a dream graduation trip to Hawaii for Violet.

“A lot of customers would leave me handfuls of dimes for the collection,” Bulthuis told NBC Los Angeles. “I did every single shift for my girl. It’s what we do as a parent.”

Bulthuis’s journey began when she saw an article about Hawaii titled “Paradise for Pennies.” The imagery of palm trees and oceans inspired her to start saving. “I crossed it out and put ‘Dimes,'” she said, turning a simple idea into a long-term mission.

Over the years, Bulthuis collected dimes from her tips, sometimes exchanging dollar bills for dimes to add to her stash. Violet’s father, though separated from Bulthuis, supported the effort by rolling the dimes and storing them in a safe. This small, consistent effort grew into a substantial sum, netting over $5,600 by the time Violet graduated from West Valley High School.

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“Some graduation gifts are a dime a dozen,” the saying goes, but for Violet Cayton, her mother’s gift was priceless. The result of years of small sacrifices and love, this gift symbolizes a mother’s unwavering dedication to her child’s happiness.

The dimes were finally cashed in, and now Violet and her mother are set to leave for a week-long adventure on Oahu. Reflecting on the journey, Bulthuis remarked, “I did every single shift for my girl. You just want to be able to give to them.”

This touching story of perseverance and parental love serves as a reminder that even small, consistent efforts can lead to extraordinary outcomes. For Violet, the dimes are not just a means to a tropical getaway but a testament to her mother’s love and commitment. As they prepare for their Hawaiian adventure, both mother and daughter can reflect on the journey that brought them here, one dime at a time.

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