Youth of the Year - AWARD OF COMPASSION!
Andrew and Jayden understand exactly what, "THE GIFT IS IN THE GIVING," means.
Both parents and children were happy to donate to SPA in place of gifts for her children, the children's mother, Leah LaCrosse said.
"That was a frequent comment from the parents," she said. "They were happy that the guess work in gift giving was gone. They appreciated that their gift would be definitely put to good use."
The LaCrosse family adopted a little puppy named Emma from S.P.A. in 2008. She was a very shy little puppy and unsure of everything around her. Quite a few families were interested in adopting Emma, but S.P.A. is never in a hurry when placing rescued animals in our care. We take our time and yes, we are very selective. We do all in our power to ensure a "perfect" match. A picture's worth a thousand words.
The kids stuck with an eco-friendly party. They had friends meet them at a local park to enjoy the play equipment and fall weather. They also stuck with gift bags that they made themselves. Jayden gave each of her friends trees to plant, and Andrew made pine cone bird feeders for his friends to take home.
"We also talked about donating clothes and toys to charities," Jayden and Andrew's mother said.
"Andrew and Jayden are always excited to go on "Litter Walks" when they throw on plastic gloves, grab a trash bag, and walk the town with me to pick up litter," Leah said. Jayden calls these walks, "Glitter Walks" because, she says, "We're making the planet shine!"
Leah believes that when one gives of themselves they obtain a powerful feeling that goes with being a giver/caretaker.
This family is a real example of what is meant by, "THE GIFT IS IN THE GIVING."