Eat a Cookie, Save a Seal

A friend's ten-year-old daughter, Ellie, loves seals.  On a Smithsonian trip years ago she got a stuffed seal in the gift shop and has loved them ever since.  Because she was interested, she and her mom were doing some research online and stumbled across The Marine Mammal Center's website.  Ellie decided to do a local fundraiser in their "Dollar a Pound" program and ended up raising $500!  TMMC invited her out to California for a tour and she even got to help cut the ribbon for the grand opening of their new hospital.  That was 2009 - she's done a local fundraiser every March since through the Young School (where she and her sisters went/go to preschool) and with the bakery Touche Touchet.

I am completely amazed by this kid - she does a seal awareness week at the Young School where she teaches the kids about seals, plays games with them and even does a little fun run similar to the one that TMMC has in California each year.  And now she has been chosen by Dawn to be a youth ambassador for their Junior Wildlife Champions program.  The campaign aims to teach a million elementary-aged kids to be responsible for their environment and to get involved.  I'd say she is a perfect candidate for that!!

So - if you're anywhere near Touche Touchet this weekend you should stop in for a cookie and save a seal - and encourage a wonderful little girl to continue to be awesome!  And if you're anything like me, you won't be able to resist getting a Strawberry Spa Cupcake, too.  Of course, if you want to avoid the calories you can always just give directly to the campaign here.

(hocoblogs@@@)