One youngster in Albert Lea has a unique golden birthday.

Today, on the 11th day of the 11th month of the year 2011, energetic Grace Chalmers of Albert Lea will turn 11.

“And it’s Veterans Day, which is really neat,” Grace said.

The daughter of Neil and Aimee Chalmers, Grace is one busy pre-teen.

She likes to play trumpet and basketball and enjoys reading.

Last month alone, she spent more than 2,000 minutes reading. Some of her favorite books are “The True Princess” and the entire Nancy Drew series.

Aside from her hobby of reading, the St. Theodore Catholic School fifth-grader also volunteers most Saturdays at the Freeborn County Humane Society, plays the piano, dances and is practicing for the upcoming production of “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens.

“She has a lot of energy for a lot of different activities,” her father said.

According to her parents, the name “Grace” means “an undeserved favor or gift.”

And that’s exactly what she means to them.

“She was a long-awaited answer to our prayers, which is how the name Grace came about,” Aimee said.

The first of two daughters for the couple, Aimee said Grace was born at 12:36 p.m. Nov. 11, 2000, after only four hours at the hospital. She was born a week early.

Grace said she plans to celebrate her big birthday by taking a trip with her family to Dairy Queen and having a swimming party Saturday.

Her parents are also helping her repaint her bedroom and decorate it with horses and Native American dolls.