Our Youngest Volunteer!
September 2008 Update! Duncan is now 12 years old and has raised over $3000 since he first started helping Donkey Shelter in 2006. And that doesn't include carrots!
Duncan
Duncan is a 12 year old (in August 2008!) boy from Diamond Creek who has become passionate about helping the donkeys. He is a talented young artist and jeweller and makes beautiful beaded earrings, brooches and bracelets. He decided to use his skills to help Donkey Shelter.Duncan first became interested in helping the donkeys in 2006 when he read an article in the Diamond Valley Leader about how the shelter was in crisis due to the rising cost of hay. At the time, he thought he might be able to help by donating a bale of hay so he raised some money through selling his jewellery at school.
At first he only planned to raise $16 to buy a single bale of hay. But when he went with his Mum to the shelter to deliver the bale, he met the donkeys and saw how many mouths there were to feed. He realised his help was needed even more than he had imagined, and he went on to raise more money to buy more hay. He raised so much money that the family station wagon was not big enough to carry all the hay he bought! He decided to simply donate the money instead.
Nearly two years later, Duncan has become a regular at Donkey Shelter. He is not old enough yet to be an "official" volunteer so he helps in many other ways. He sponsors Jimmy and Adam and visits them every week to bring a big bag of carrots. He is always willing to help the volunteer team however he can and he cheerfully runs back to the tack room for anything somebody may need. He loves to groom and hug the donkeys and give them carrots. When visitors attend on a Saturday, it is often Duncan who will show them around and introduce them to many of the donkeys and answer their questions. He is now a fixture at every Open Day and sells his hand-made jewellery and other craft items he has created. Since he started helping at Donkey Shelter, he has raised almost $2000.
Duncan has also made friends with the director of Longhopes Donkey Shelter in Colorado, USA, and she has donated some money to our shelter, as well as some items for Duncan's school fundraiser that sponsored Fred.
Duncan loves the donkeys and he considers himself one of the luckiest kids in the world to be able to spend so much time making friends with such lovely animals and the people who care for them.
We at Donkey Shelter think he's terrific for being so committed to the donkeys, especially as he's so young. It would not occur to most kids of his age to give up their time to visit the donkeys and help out at Donkey Shelter, and to actively raise money to help them. He is a great ambassador for Donkey Shelter, and is making a significant and extremely valuable contribution to the donkeys, and we thank him very much. His Mum has every right to feel proud of him!
Watch Duncan's videos of Donkey Shelter on YouTube!
Jimmy and Adam (1)
Jimmy and Adam (2)
Hermione and Dudley
Molly, Adam and Jimmy
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