DogMom
August 13th, 2009, 12:42 PM
Boy gathers birthday gifts for animal shelter
Collin Culberson was inspired by the story of others helping animal shelters and decided he would do the same. Culberson asked birthday party guests to donate to the animal shelter instead of giving him presents.
To help the animals with his birthday, he sacrificed the chance to get gifts by asking guests to bring donation items to his birthday party Saturday. He took the items to the shelter Tuesday.
"We survive off donations," said Animal Control Officer Mellonie Frazier. "It's a struggle to find puppy and kitten chow."
Culberson spoke fondly of his own two mutts, Parker and Martin, and said it's his love of dogs that truly inspired him to help. Concerned about the conditions of the dogs' living environment, Culberson spent all of his birthday money, about $40, on towels to help keep the dogs warm.
"I think it'll help the animals be able to be able to be here," he said. "Mellonie said now they don't have to eat stuff that's not made for them to eat with what I brought in. I think it'll help and it'll be a big help for the animals so they don't have to sleep on the concrete floor."
His birthday invitations listed various items which guests brought, and with his mother's help, he was able to transport the items to the shelter. The group of about 12 party guests collectively donated dog food, puppy food, senior dog food, cat food, kitten food, towels and a collar.
"It's made me feel real good," Culberson said. "And I've also decided to start bringing in a few bags of cat and dog food regularly. I think the shelter workers probably responded like, 'yay, there's actually going to be someone who is going to help us.'"
His mother Jenean Culberson said that people are in disbelief when she tells him he came up with this idea on his own. "He came to me for his birthday and asked if he could do that and I said, 'absolutely,'" she said.
Frazier said it's refreshing to see a child doing something good, instead of the bad things most people tend to talk about.
"You're not even my kid and I'm proud of you," an excited Frazier told him as he walked away from the stacks of animal food.
http://www.lakecities.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=86&ArticleID=4465&TM=43575.39
Collin Culberson was inspired by the story of others helping animal shelters and decided he would do the same. Culberson asked birthday party guests to donate to the animal shelter instead of giving him presents.
To help the animals with his birthday, he sacrificed the chance to get gifts by asking guests to bring donation items to his birthday party Saturday. He took the items to the shelter Tuesday.
"We survive off donations," said Animal Control Officer Mellonie Frazier. "It's a struggle to find puppy and kitten chow."
Culberson spoke fondly of his own two mutts, Parker and Martin, and said it's his love of dogs that truly inspired him to help. Concerned about the conditions of the dogs' living environment, Culberson spent all of his birthday money, about $40, on towels to help keep the dogs warm.
"I think it'll help the animals be able to be able to be here," he said. "Mellonie said now they don't have to eat stuff that's not made for them to eat with what I brought in. I think it'll help and it'll be a big help for the animals so they don't have to sleep on the concrete floor."
His birthday invitations listed various items which guests brought, and with his mother's help, he was able to transport the items to the shelter. The group of about 12 party guests collectively donated dog food, puppy food, senior dog food, cat food, kitten food, towels and a collar.
"It's made me feel real good," Culberson said. "And I've also decided to start bringing in a few bags of cat and dog food regularly. I think the shelter workers probably responded like, 'yay, there's actually going to be someone who is going to help us.'"
His mother Jenean Culberson said that people are in disbelief when she tells him he came up with this idea on his own. "He came to me for his birthday and asked if he could do that and I said, 'absolutely,'" she said.
Frazier said it's refreshing to see a child doing something good, instead of the bad things most people tend to talk about.
"You're not even my kid and I'm proud of you," an excited Frazier told him as he walked away from the stacks of animal food.
http://www.lakecities.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=86&ArticleID=4465&TM=43575.39