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Student gets national award for dog festival fundraiser |
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| Written by Kristin Babcock, Staff writer | |||
| Wednesday, 11 March 2009 01:00 | |||
 Katie Vahle organized a dog festival last year to raise money to help children obtain service animals and to educate people about the animals.Her work recently earned her a Prudential Spirit of Community Award. She is one of two youth volunteers from Kansas to receive the honor. “I think it’s kind of cool,” Katie said. “It means if you believe in it, you can do it.” Katie, a fifth-grader at Belinder Elementary School, 7230 Belinder Road, Prairie Village, and her friend Haley Lynch, a fourth-grader at the school, created the festival. It was inspired by Katie’s sister Amanda, 8, who has cerebral palsy, Katie said. Katie has studied service dogs and hopes someday her sister will get one, she said. “I always had an interest in service animals,” Katie said. “I think it is a great cause to raise money for.” Katie and Haley helped organize the festival by finding a location, writing a plan, organizing a budget and obtaining sponsorships. The festival offered animal adoptions, demonstrations from police dogs and first-responder dogs, and dog-related crafts. Katie’s sisters, Melanie, 8, and Amanda sold dog treats. More than 1,000 people attended. “It was a lot of fun,” Katie said. After the festival, Katie and Haley donated $5,000 to KSDS Inc., an organization that provides assistance to people with disabilities. “They will help kids who can’t do things by themselves like pick up things and turn on lights,” Katie said. Even though it was a lot of work, Katie said she hopes to hold another dog festival. Her mother, Jeannette Vahle, hopes they will continue with the festival too, she said. “They came up with it and were enthusiastic about it,” Jeannette said. “It is a great cause and I think it is important for kids and families to be involved in community service. Why wouldn’t we do it again when they are so enthusiastic and so excited?” Katie will go to Washington, D.C., in May for several recognition events relating to the award. “I’m super proud of them,” Jeannette said. “I’m most proud they did it. They got out there. They show us what kids can do if they put their mind to it.” The awards program is in its 14th year, and is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals. One middle-level and one high school student is selected from each state. From those selected, 10 will be named America’s top youth volunteers in Washington. Aubrey Ireland, a senior at Blue Valley North High School, received recognition as a distinguished finalist for her efforts to collect band instruments and funds for a Mississippi middle school band affected by Hurricane Katrina. Lucy O’Connor, a senior at Shawnee Mission East High School, was recognized as a distinguished finalist for her work to promote bike safety in the Kansas City area through school and community events.
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