The pandemic has taken a heavy toll on the service dog community, delaying the training of dogs and the process of matching them with people living with disabilities.
Sadly, many service dog trainers were unavailable during the lockdown, raising the cost of training. This also drained the purses of many service dog organisations.
However, there are still people out there who are doing their best to support what the service dog organisations are doing in these hard times. One of such individuals is Evelyn Knight. The young entrepreneur has given away all what she earned in 3 years to the service dog organization Canine Companions.
The 10-year-old girl is one of the most generous entrepreneurs with a heart of gold, whose arts and crafts have been sold on Facebook in the last three years.
She has already raised more than $10,000 and demonstrated to the world that using money to solve societal issues bigger than oneself is a way to take the concept of money and change human consciousness.
“I made some bandanas, (dog) collars, bows, key chains, water bottle holders and key chain holders,” the young entrepreneur told Spectrum News1. “The main reason I want to do this is because I want to help other people and train the dogs to help other people, too.”
Knight is part of Canine Companions, a nonprofit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing service dogs to recipients at no cost.
The chapter of the organisation in Ohio which Knight belongs has done something special to thank her for the dedication and passion to help by naming a puppy in training, Evelyn, in her honour.
Knight said: “It's pretty cool that I have a dog named after me.”
She now has the title of assistant puppy raiser alongside her mentor puppy raiser RaeLynn Phillips.
According to Phillips, “It has been very rewarding for both of us and my husband and Evie”.
Canine Companions give service dogs to children, adults and veterans who need them for free. The dogs are valued at around $50,000 each. So, fundraising is a key part of the organization.
Other members of Canine Companions are proud of what Knight has done.
Staicey Scholtz, events coordinator for Canine Companion’s Northern Ohio chapter said: “We're really proud of her. We're really proud that she's part of our chapter, and we're very proud of the little girl that she's becoming. She has a very, very kind heart. She's gonna grow up to do something pretty special.”
“Here we have a classic example of how a 10-year-old can make a difference in the life of somebody with a disability,” she continued.
“I mean, you think you have to have a big bank account or, you know, a lot of money in your wallet. But it's not. It's the little things that add up. It's the year after year selling $1 bookmarks or hair ribbons or dog collars.”
Knight's goal is to be a full-time puppy raiser when she is old enough.
“I see myself working for Canine Companions and helping other people with training and stuff,” said Knight.
“I love raising Evie, because I know she's going to the right person who needs help,” she added.
Knight sells her items on her Facebook page. She also has a donation page, but all the proceeds go to Canine Companions.
Evelyn the dog may have four legs while Evelyn the human has two, but they both have a big heart.
Comments
Post a Comment