BELLAIRE • MEMORIAL • RIVER OAKS • TANGLEWOOD • WEST UNIVERSITY

What the animals deserve

By Juliet Gillespie, age 11 | July 27, 2023

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Juliet Gillespie, Miles Henke, Jacques Gillespie, Allie Ogle, Hudson Henke

PITCH IN FOR PETS Rummel Creek fifth grader Juliet Gillespie at the May bake sale, along with volunteers Miles Henke, Jacques Gillespie, Allie Ogle, and Hudson Henke. Proceeds went to animal shelter Special Pals. (Not pictured: Elisabeth Bazirgan, Ava Murillo, Marianne Hallenbeck, and Aditya Mandke.)

I became involved with the animal shelter Special Pals two years ago, when my family found a cat and her five kittens in our backyard. Special Pals placed the mother cat and her kittens in foster homes till they were adopted into their forever homes. My brother, Jacques, volunteered at Special Pals for a few days for a Boy Scout project. I wanted to help out too, but I was still too young. By the end of this summer, I will finally be allowed to volunteer, but while I wait, I still want to make a difference for the animals.

During the first event for Specials Pals that I organized, a bake sale, we raised $420. So many neighbors and friends gathered to buy baked goods or just to donate. We set the price as whatever the customers thought the animals deserved, and we were shocked at how much the community wanted to pitch in and help the animals. Little kids even came to donate money. Strangers, couples, grandparents, and teenagers also came. I cannot thank my friends enough for joining me in the blazing sun shouting to attract attention till we lost our voices and got dizzy.

My second bake sale sponsoring Special Pals was held Sunday of Memorial Day weekend in the Memorial Way neighborhood. Now that my friends and I are heading off in different directions to middle school, I hope they will always remember the fun time we had raising money for a good cause. Many generous people contributed, and my brother, our friends, and I raised $255 during our second event.

I am only 11, but I believe it is never too early to make an impact in the community. My mom, brother, and I went to donate the money in person and spent some time playing with the animals. It made me smile to see where the money is going, and how it will greatly benefit these furry friends. I wish more people would realize that we can use our creativity and love to help animals and people less fortunate than us and make the community stronger.

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