Some graduation gifts are a dime a dozen, but 17-year-old Violet Cayton's turned out to be priceless, the result of her mom's love, dedication and a collection of more than $5,000 worth of dimes that added up for over more than a decade.
Violet's mom, Cari, started planning for the celebratory graduation trip when her only child was just 4 years old. The idea came to the single mother 13 years ago when Bulthuis saw an article about Hawaii with the phrase, "Paradise for Pennies."
Cari gathered most of the dimes from tips at her job as a server at a place called Abby's Cafe
Violet graduated in May with several honors, including Student Athlete of the Year and prom queen. The day after graduation, Bulthuis took the dimes to her bank to cash in.
The grand total: $5,665.
Cari and Violet are set to depart in July for Oahu on a seven-day trip. It will be the first trip to Hawaii for both mother and daughter.