Allie Thiesse
Yankton, South Dakota

Wondering what to do with all your free time this summer? Take a tip from Allie Thiesse—volunteer your time and talents!

Last summer, Allie spent time walking dogs at her local humane society. To help earn funds for the shelter, she set up a lemonade stand, raising $100, along with pet food donations.

To make the pets at the shelter more comfortable while waiting for new homes, Allie put her sewing skills to work. After earning money by doing odd jobs around the house, she bought fabric. She used the fabric to make blankets for the animals to cuddle up on—and toys for them to play with!

During the school year, Allie wrote a report about animal cruelty and invited shelter staff to come speak at her school. Then she went one step further. She asked her state representative to help pass stricter animal cruelty laws in South Dakota.