Annals Of Inspiration: An 11-Year-Old, Art, And The Gulf Of Mexico
Subscribe to the Blog RSS FeedWe are always saying that any person can make a difference. And it's true. But every once in a while there is a story that really makes crystal-clear the power of a person with an idea. The latest example: 11-year old Olivia Bouler, a budding young artist with a love of birds, who was horrified by what was happening to birds in the Gulf Of Mexico as the Deepwater Horizon disaster coated their habitat in oil.
Olivia did what so many people do when they see a crisis. She wondered: what can I do? And then she acted.
We'll let blogger Pete Thomas pick up the story:
She wrote to the National Audubon Society with the message: "I am a decent drawer, and I was wondering if I could sell some bird paintings and give the proceeds to your [organization]. Accompanying the letter was a drawing of a northern cardinal. That marked the beginning of a campaign that has raised more than $135,000 for the Gulf region's wildlife, and transformed the fifth-grader from Islip, New York, into a celebrity.
She has partnered with AOL, where she has her own artists page, to give her project more visibility. She has appeared on the "Today" show, and tonight she'll draw a bird on national TV as part of a CNN telethon hosted by Larry King. Her Facebook page has provided yet another forum on which Olivia can share her message and sell her drawings.
"It really is flabbergasting, how much money we've raised, and how many birds we're going to save with that money," Olivia told PeoplePets.com.
You can donate to Olivia's project here. Or you could start brainstorming your own ideas about how to help the Gulf region recover from disaster. Because you too can have an impact.
Here's Olivia:
