Elodie Arbogast
Sedona, Arizona

It felt extremely odd being on television. After all, I was only 10 years old! It was nerve-wracking, but I knew it was for a good cause. I had adopted my dog and cat from the Humane Society of Sedona. I wanted to help more animals, but I wasn’t sure where to begin. So I asked my principal for ideas. We found out the Humane Society of Sedona was planning a telethon—and I knew that was it! The principal and I visited classrooms throughout the school, making speeches and leaving a dog bank behind. I also made sure there was an announcement on the loudspeaker every morning. After two weeks, I gathered the banks and counted the money—$179! The Humane Society invited me to appear on the telethon to present the donation. It felt great to hand the money to the television host. I’d succeeded in what I’d set out to do—help animals!