By Ivana Dukanovic

COURTESY OF THE NAUMOVSKI family U.S. Army members with the Civil Affairs Unit in Mountain View pose with John and James Naumovski of Los Altos. The brothers, front, donated money to support the troops.

Nine-year-old James Naumovski didn’t receive the typical gifts of toys and books at his birthday party last April. Instead, the Los Altos resident and Almond School fourth-grader collected $55 from his guests to donate to the Civil Affairs Unit in Mountain View, a U.S. Army unit that conducts civil-military operations in support of the troops.

“There is no use for toys,” James said. “I can’t ship them to help others.”

In lieu of gifts, the Naumovski family requested that each party guest bring $5 as a present for James. The family promised that 50 percent of James’ birthday money would be donated to the charity of his choice.

Come donation day, James decided to give every cent of his birthday money away.

“It may not seem like a lot of money, but it was my child’s birthday wish - to give, not receive,” said James’ mother Vivi.

James’ 12-year-old brother John added his $45 allowance to the donation, and the boys visited the Civil Affairs Unit on 1776 Old Middlefield Way Sept. 9 to present their $100 gift.

Vivi said John, who reads about the troops regularly, influenced his younger brother to donate.

“There weren’t too many dry eyes in the place when the boys donated the money,” said Lt. Jack Gaines, executive officer of 351 Civil Affairs Unit.

The funds the Naumovski brothers donated will benefit the troops in Iraq via the Family Readiness Group, a support network of family members, volunteers and soldiers.

Vivi said she doesn’t want to teach her children “to feed off their materialistic cravings.”

The Naumovski brothers agreed that the donation would not be their last.

“I can build Legos, but they will just sit there and collect dust,” James said. “But I know the money we donated is going to the right cause.”