聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Ten-year-old Sasha West of Wawota has made just over $1,000 in contributions that will benefit both Cystic Fibrosis Canada and the Regina Humane Society, and she did it by making one dog bed and tug toy at a time.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Sasha, who was diagnosed with CF at 15 months, participated in the Great Strides Walk for CF in Regina for the first time in May. According to Cystic Fibrosis Canada (): 鈥淚t is estimated that one in every 3,600 children born in Canada has cystic fibrosis.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The effects of CF vary from person to person and there is currently no cure. However, both research and advances in treating CF are ongoing and promising, which is where Sasha chooses to place much of her focus and her voluntary efforts.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 As part of her pledging process for the CF Walk in Regina, Sasha decided to make and sell a few dog beds and puppy pull toys, using fleece fabric and pillows of all sizes. What started out as a simple request to family and friends, along with a Facebook page ('Pawsitive Pet Shop'), became a deluge of orders that soon turned the West's Wawota home into something resembling a mini-factory, according to Sasha's mom, Kendra.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e have sold about 120 (dog beds),鈥� adds Kendra. 鈥淲e added the tug toys as a way to use the leftover material. It started with a few dog beds and between family, friends and the Facebook page we set up, it grew.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚've liked dogs since I was really little, so I thought it would be a good thing to do,鈥� adds Sasha. 鈥淚'd like to be a dog groomer or a vet, something with animals.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e've had people from Wawota buy them,鈥� says Kendra. 鈥淏ut we've also had people from through out the area order them, too. People from Maryfield, Kenosee (Lake), Carlyle...and even from Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert.鈥澛�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t got to the point that both Rob (West, Sasha's dad) and I were making stops wherever we could to buy more pillows and material. We stepped in to help and at one point, we had two extra tables set up in the house, tubs of fabric and about 30 pillows ready to go.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 During the three months of pillow production-Sasha started her project in February-the West family still maintained their busy schedule.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Although her eldest sister, Vanessa is a university student and lives away from home, Sasha, her brother Theoren (12), and her sister Logan (5) all attend school in Wawota. Sasha has played hockey since she was six-years-old and currently plays goal for the Wawota Flyers' Atom team.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e were doing pretty good (this season),鈥� she says of the team. 鈥淏ut one of our best players got a concussion.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Also a gymnast, she competes as a rhythmic gymnast as part of the Rhythm Cats, in addition to participating in artistic, non-competitive gymnastics.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚've been in gymnastics since I was four,鈥� says Sasha. 鈥淟ast year I just missed competing with the Rhythm Cats at the Saskatchewan Games, because of my age. But I'd like to compete in the Games someday.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Sasha says joining over 300 fellow participants in the CF Walk in Regina was a family affair, and she intends to make it an annual tradition.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淢e, my brother, my younger sister, my mom and dad, my grandparents, my three cousins, my aunitie and lots of my family went in for the walk together. There were a lot of people and it was pretty exciting.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Sasha's contribution to CF was over $1,000 and as an avowed animal lover, she also contributed over $200 to the Regina Humane Society.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 really like the dogs there,鈥� she says. 鈥淢y dad's cousin works there and we've been there a couple of times. I'm giving them some dog beds, too.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Although Sasha is looking forward to summers-and swimming- at the family cabin in Moose Mountain Provincial Park, she says that pillow production won't be entirely suspended.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 want to do the (CF) walk again,鈥� she says. 鈥淎 lot of people have said these beds are good for their cats. And they are nice, comfy pillows for people, too. We can make them in almost any pattern you'd like.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Grandmother Wendy Greenbank of Kenosee Lake says, 鈥淚'm always amazed by Sasha. There is no obstacle that has stopped her from reaching her goals. She gives everything 110 percent effort. We're all so proud of her and we'll all be with her next year.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 For more information or to purchase a dog bed or tug toy, check out 'Pawsitive' Pet Shop on Facebook.
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