What is a philanthropist? The dictionary describes it as actions that benefit humanity: a desire to improve the material, social, and spiritual welfare of humanity, especially through charitable activities. Our 8-year old granddaughter Cinneidi is a young philanthropist. She embraces life with her heart and arms wide open (see video in #2).

Caring for animals in need is important to her. She volunteers at a “no kill” animal shelter named New Life Pet Adoption Center in Marathon, WI. During the summer she opened a kool-aid stand to raise money to assist in their needs. The summer before, she helped her grandpa build doghouses, which were later donated to a fundraiser event the shelter held. She likes to visit the shelter to help clean and exercise the animals. She has as much fun, as the animals do, with time spent playing together.

Her compassion is not solely towards animals, but likes to help people too. Cinneidi takes a lot of the photography and video used in iReports that intend to highlight positive and inspiring people in our area. This weekend she is looking forward to an annual event, Wausau Area Empty Bowls, where proceeds help a local food pantry prepare for their winter needs. She has helped make homemade signs, with inspiring words, and given them away to homeless shelters at Christmas time.

She never does any of it for attention or recognition. In fact, she is often uncomfortable when it is. Her goals are simple and her kind actions are from her heart. She was surprised when a short story about her helping build and donating the doghouses were blogged on at Humanitarian News and My Seattle Pets.

Every kind action is like skipping a stone across the waters of humanity. When asked why she likes to help at New Life she commented back “Because it’s the right thing to do and feels good.” Kids learn from the things adults take the time to show them. It is clear that her parents and teachers have taken a lot of time to do so in her life. We get out of life what we put into it and the little things sometimes have the biggest impact.

As the video shows, she has fun giving to others unselfishly. Her laughing and loving made for a complete day.

New Life Pet Adoption Center

Humanitarian News and  My Seattle Petsarticles.