|
|
|
PITTSBURG —
A Pittsburg girl takes the notion of giving presents on birthdays to the dogs. Literally.
Madison Runyan, an eighth grade student at Pittsburg Community Middle School, doesn’t accept gifts from friends on her birthdays. Rather, she asks for money, which she in turn donates to the SEK Human Society for food and supplies. What started as a lesson in generosity has become a yearly tradition, and she’s donated every year since she was 9 years old.
The tradition started four years ago when she was trying to make a list of gifts people should give her on her birthday.
“Everyone was asking me what I wanted and I didn’t know what I needed,” said Madison, who recently celebrated her 13th birthday. “So we came up with that idea.”
Madison’s mother, Stacy, said she took Madison with her to the shelter so she could see the good her donation was causing firsthand.
“It helped her to see that there is gratitude there in being helpful and generous,” Stacy said. “Now, when her friends come over for her birthday parties, they know that’s the thing,” Stacy, said.
Not wanting to be taken for a 13-year-old who still has birthday parties, Madison defended herself.
“They’re really just an excuse to keep donating,” she said with a grin.
Of course, anyone who knows Madison would think her birthday tradition would only come naturally. Madison said she wants to go to college to become a veterinarian and is willing to give any amount of help she can to the shelter.
“I know it’s tough for them out there, and this helps their cause,” she said. “And it just makes me happy, and I get to see the animals.”
Madison said she volunteers however she can — she was there at Bark in the Park in Lincoln Park this summer — and plans to spend much more time there when she turns 16.
“I’ve always been an animal and little kid person,” she said. “Usually you’re one or the other, but I’ve always been both. I always watch those shows on Animal Planet, and it makes me sad.”
Her passion for animals probably started when she celebrated her first birthday. Her present? Her dog, a Sheltie/Beagle mix named Mayzie.
“I took my landscaping crew to get a dog, and when they opened the gate, she came right to us,” Madison’s father, Keith, who operates Runyan Landscape and Design, said with a laugh. “The other ones just took off howling.”
Madison also has two cats, one of which is Callie, a calico she adopted from the shelter. The other — and, oddly, nearly identical in appearance — cat is Patch, who was born to a cat that showed up at their house in southern Pittsburg one day.
Stacy said Madison’s brother, 9-year-old Ethan, might be leaning toward continuing her good works.
“You get a little less selfish as you get older,” Stacy said. “Both of the kids, when I take them out there, just love it so much.”
A Pittsburg girl takes the notion of giving presents on birthdays to the dogs. Literally.
Madison Runyan, an eighth grade student at Pittsburg Community Middle School, doesn’t accept gifts from friends on her birthdays. Rather, she asks for money, which she in turn donates to the SEK Human Society for food and supplies. What started as a lesson in generosity has become a yearly tradition, and she’s donated every year since she was 9 years old.
The tradition started four years ago when she was trying to make a list of gifts people should give her on her birthday.
“Everyone was asking me what I wanted and I didn’t know what I needed,” said Madison, who recently celebrated her 13th birthday. “So we came up with that idea.”
Madison’s mother, Stacy, said she took Madison with her to the shelter so she could see the good her donation was causing firsthand.
“It helped her to see that there is gratitude there in being helpful and generous,” Stacy said. “Now, when her friends come over for her birthday parties, they know that’s the thing,” Stacy, said.
Not wanting to be taken for a 13-year-old who still has birthday parties, Madison defended herself.
“They’re really just an excuse to keep donating,” she said with a grin.
Of course, anyone who knows Madison would think her birthday tradition would only come naturally. Madison said she wants to go to college to become a veterinarian and is willing to give any amount of help she can to the shelter.
“I know it’s tough for them out there, and this helps their cause,” she said. “And it just makes me happy, and I get to see the animals.”
Madison said she volunteers however she can — she was there at Bark in the Park in Lincoln Park this summer — and plans to spend much more time there when she turns 16.
“I’ve always been an animal and little kid person,” she said. “Usually you’re one or the other, but I’ve always been both. I always watch those shows on Animal Planet, and it makes me sad.”
Her passion for animals probably started when she celebrated her first birthday. Her present? Her dog, a Sheltie/Beagle mix named Mayzie.
“I took my landscaping crew to get a dog, and when they opened the gate, she came right to us,” Madison’s father, Keith, who operates Runyan Landscape and Design, said with a laugh. “The other ones just took off howling.”
Madison also has two cats, one of which is Callie, a calico she adopted from the shelter. The other — and, oddly, nearly identical in appearance — cat is Patch, who was born to a cat that showed up at their house in southern Pittsburg one day.
Stacy said Madison’s brother, 9-year-old Ethan, might be leaning toward continuing her good works.
“You get a little less selfish as you get older,” Stacy said. “Both of the kids, when I take them out there, just love it so much.”
