Saving Dogs With Beads and Baked Goods

Best friends Kathryn Donovan and Ellie Tang share almost all their free time and vacations together enjoying what other girls do when they get together as well as something more unusual for children their age.

The nine-year-old students started a business a few months ago.

They did it for the sole purpose of helping Save a Dog Shelter in Sudbury, a no-kill facility that rescues abandoned canines and finds permanent homes for them.

“We both love dogs and learned about this shelter from my neighbor, Julie Lennon,” said Kathryn who explained she and Ellie often see Julie walking her dog, Hope, who she adopted from the shelter where she volunteers.

“We want all dogs to have good homes so we decided to sell jewelry and baked goods at a block yard sale and then give the money we raised to the shelter,” Ellie said.

The girl love making jewelry from beads when they get together and spent several months designing and making a full stock of bracelets as well as some pins, key chains and necklaces in preparation for the sale held on Sunday, Sept. 18.

At their stall, Ellie and Kathryn also sold lemonade and treats they baked such as shortbread cookies in the shape of dogs and dog bones, cupcakes and muffins.

“A few of our friends helped with advertising by buying muffins and walking around, showing them to people and saying how good they were,” said Kathryn.

And both girls said their mothers assisted with the baking.

But these best friends since they met in the first grade did all the jewelry making themselves over the past few months, working “pretty much every day of the summer and since the beginning of school,” Kathryn said.

“We tried to do something every day, when we were together and also when we were alone,” said Ellie.

As for the proceeds from the sale, the jewelry designers said they were thrilled.

Nearly $80 raised to rescue dogs

“We raised $79.70,” Kathryn proudly announced while Ellie explained they charged 50 cents for a glass of lemonade and 75 cents for the homemade baked goods.

That day, they gave the money to Julie who they "love and admire" for having rescued several dogs from the Sudbury Shelter and telling them about its mission and work.

Ellie and Kathryn look at the shelter’s web site on a regular basis and know which dogs have been there for a while and which are new.

They explained anyone can help the shelter not only by giving money but also by donating such items as food, collars, leashes and dog toys.

At their stall, the girls had pictures and descriptions of the dogs who are currently living at Save a Dog Shelter in hopes someone might see them and decide to adopt a dog.

They described why they love dogs so much.

“They’re cute and all soft,” Kathryn said. “I love their personalities – so playful and such good companions.”

Ellie also said she loves the dogs’ personalities and that she wants to see them all “free and happy.”

In fact, the girls want to continue to help the shelter and are currently mulling over ideas for other sales.

In the meantime, they have plenty of bracelets – made on stretchy string to fit all sizes -- left over from the September yard sale and encourage anyone who wants to buy one to contact them by writing munchimitchell@hotmail.com

For additional information on Save a Dog Shelter, visit saveadog.org or call 978-443-7282.

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