Eleven year old Anastasia raises money for rescues

If you think you have to be “old” to help with rescue, then you need to meet Anastasia. One of the wonderful gifts of working with BOSTON TERRIER NETWORK is the opportunity to meet some amazing young people. Recently we were introduced to Anastasia and her mother. We were impressed with Anastasia’s efforts to help and ask if we could share her story with you…

Anastasias Arts and Crafts for Charity
May 30, 2013 is when we had a family vacation, pre summer start, and had a chat on the way home on how to make the summer productive. At that time, my daughter, Anastasia, was 9 years old. We kicked around ideas as she wanted to do something a little more epic then her lemonade stand of the past to raise money for animals. That long ride home was a back and forth of ideas and Anastasia’s Arts and Crafts for Charity was formed in our heads and once home, we got the FaceBook page up and running. A few groups and people we knew jumped on board to get it going and it simply just took off from there.

Time has passed and she still raises money for groups of all kinds. To date, between her auctions of handmade items, art donated to silent auctions, matching pledge donations, Etsy store sales, etc. we have calculated that she has raised close to $50K in that short period of time. This is all while battling some loss in our family, some illness and maintaining excellent school grades. She received the regional Kohl’s Kids Award and has had a bit of press about her efforts.

I am her mom and am proud of her achievement’s to date – which still are continuing on trough her Etsy store as she has matured and is more focused on artwork, drawing, painting and photography these days.

Anastasia  now donates 75% of the sales price to the charity of your choice!!!!!

I asked her to explain in her own words how and why she did this, could and why there are no excuses to not help make a difference.

This is what she told me…… “I figured I like to make things and we have boxes in the basement of stuff. I figured after our talk and learning how groups raise funds on social media we should try, I was making all these things anyway. It did not take all of my time and I did it when I could. I loved helping and love that I still can and sell my art and we donate just about all sales to charity and there is just enough left for me to get more supplies.”

“I have friends and see people do nothing. I am too young to volunteer anywhere, we have three pets so can't adopt or foster anymore. And I know you and dad donate as well. But this is fun and really anyone can do it. I think I have helped a little and I hope that continues – it just makes me feel good.”

She – Anastasia – really can talk for hours about how good the feeling is every time she would make a sale or an auction would end. It raises her self-esteem and has taught her lessons she never could have learned without actually doing it hands on. She agrees with me that one person can make a difference in their own way and she has often told us (her parents she hopes others have seen how easy and simple it truly can be if they put their mind to it.

This store is owned and run by her parents since she is so young - but - all artwork is done by her as always and each piece is signed.

http://www.etsy.com/your/shops/AnastasiaArtwork

Written by Jennifer Leah Stong (Anastasia's Mom)





 

This is a hand drawn original by Anastasia