Members of the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office helped a local teen artist who needed an electric pencil sharpener but couldn’t afford one.

  • Heather Campbell wanted to trade art print for electric sharpener
  • Citrus Sheriff's Office employee saw post and organized art supply drive
  • Heather wants to raise money for handicap-equipped car for mom

Heather Campbell, a 16-year-old student at Crystal River High School, recently started selling her artwork and commissioning personalized pieces, but needed an electric sharpener to keep up with demand.

She couldn’t afford one, so she posted on a local Facebook group.

“Willing to trade an electric pencil sharpener for art of their pet?” Campbell wrote.  She explained her manual sharpener had begun to give her blisters and was hard to use.

“I sharpen a lot of pencils,” Campbell said. “Like 50 or more because I have a lot of work. It was just hurting my hand, causing calluses and blisters.”

An employee of the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office saw the post and wanted to help. That person sent an agency-wide email, asking the entire agency to pitch in.

On Tuesday, the School Resource Officer for Crystal River High School surprised Campbell with an arsenal of art supplies. Employees from all parts of the agency chipped in to buy her pens, pencils, markers, drawing pads, and two electric sharpeners. They also got her a gift certificate to a local art supply store.

Campbell said she was overwhelmed with joy.

“They just gave me all this stuff and I was like, ‘I wanna cry, I wanna cry’ and sat down on the floor,” she said.


Heather Campbell hopes to sell her art to raise money to buy her mom a handicap equipped van. Her mother had three strokes earlier this year and is paralyzed on her right side. (Citrus County Sheriff's Office)  

These supplies will help Campbell with her true reason behind selling her art – to help her family. Campbell’s mother had three strokes in January. The right side of her body is paralyzed and she can’t work.

“When my wife had her stroke,” Campbell’s dad Charlie said, “we lost 75 percent of our home’s income. I’m on disability and she was the primary breadwinner.”

Charlie couldn’t afford to buy his daughter an electric sharpener.

“As bad as I wanted to get her one, I just couldn’t,” he said.

Campbell is selling her art to help buy her mother a handicap-equipped car. Her father is touched by his daughter’s efforts, but he’s not surprised.

“I can’t really put words to it, you know,” he said. “She’s an amazing child and she always has been.”

He can put the words to how he feels about the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, though.

“I got your six,” he said. “Thanks for everything you’ve done.”

His faith in humanity is restored – and so is his daughter’s.

“It means so much,” she said. “It’s so beautiful. I’m so happy.”

You can find Heather Campbell’s artwork on Facebook and Instagram.