(Radio Iowa) – A nine year old central Iowa boy has won a national award for being a civic leader. Henry Menninga, of Des Moines, has helped organize mock elections to teach people about elections, he distributes care packages to homeless individuals and he writes thank you notes to locally owned businesses in his neighborhood. “I feel like I just want to help everybody,” Menninga said. “…I like helping people. It makes me feel happy.”

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate hosted a ceremony at the statehouse yesterday (Wednesday) and presented Menninga with the Medallion Award from the National Association of Secretaries of State. Pate says he was blown away by Henry’s dedication to his community, which includes organizing garbage clean-up at a city park. Henry’s mother says her son gets an idea and he follows through — like the snacks, handwarmers and hats he distributes in care packages for homeless people.

Sec. Pate, Henry Menninga & Senator Knox. (photo courtesy Sec, Pate’s office)

“Driving to his school downtown when he was five and he would see them on the street and so he asked me on the way home: ‘What can we do to help them?’ And I just said: ‘There’s lots of different resources for them. I’m not sure exactly what we could do.” And he said: ‘Well, let’s make them bags and you post it on Facebook so people help me get the stuff,'” she said. “That’s just of how he is. He just kind of pulls the ideas himself.”

Henry is one of just 100 people in the country this year who’ll be getting the medallion for civic engagement. Iowa’s secretary of state says Henry’s story is a reminder that effective leadership isn’t about age, it’s about having the courage and determination to care for others.