DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Good morning. I'm David Greene. In August, a storm downed trees all over Mount Vernon, Iowa. But where others saw debris, 12-year-old Tommy Rhomberg saw an opportunity to pitch in by turning the fallen lumber into baseball bats. He originally made a bat for his friend's birthday, but demand skyrocketed after his mom posted photos online. Tommy decided to sell the bats and donate a percentage to a disaster relief fund. He's already raised more than $2,500. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.