SAN BENITO – It’s a dog’s life.
And Victor Manual Gonzalez III wants to make sure it’s a good one this holiday season for the dogs staying at animal shelters.
“It’s a dog food drive for the Harlingen Humane Society and Donja’s Dogs,” said Victor, 9, a third grader at Ed Downs Fine Arts Academy.
“I have four rescue dogs, and my dad says shelters need dogs and blankets for the winter,” he said.
Victor is no stranger to fundraisers.
He’s held a yearly fundraiser for five years, for backpacks, school supplies and other community needs. Last year he did a drive for the San Benito Food Pantry. This is the first year, though, that he’s involved his friends.
“We met up at Yo Mama Bubble Tea and Health Bar, and we talked about it,” said Victor. “We came up with the design of the flyer.”
The flyer those kids came up with – 10 classmates from Ed Downs and two more from Olmito Elementary in Brownsville – showed an inspiring creativity with their flyer.
The pleasant blue flyer bears the name of the fundraiser “PAWS Food Drive” surrounded by dog foot prints. At the bottom right a silhouette of a “weenie” dog bearing a close resemblance to Victor’s pet Saru stands on its hind legs.
“Saru is the only dog who can be up here,” said Victor in his white starched shirt and Christmas tie as they both sat on the couch.
Victor is a boy of many talents. He enjoys math, plays violin in the school orchestra and participates in soccer and flag football.
He and his mother Marisela Gonzalez couldn’t say enough about the work his fellow fundraisers have put into this effort. They not only helped design the flyer, but they’ve also they’ve been wearing shirts in public promoting their cause.
They’ve approached family members and teachers and classmates and local businesses about donating, and the response has been extraordinary, said his mother.
“Every family now, all his friends, they have people that they are going to visit,” she said. “They are targeting places like Wal-Mart and H-E-B, even to give like a gift card that the humane society can use to purchase food.”
Four car dealerships have also given their support.
“Bert Ogden Subaru was a big help last year with the food drive for the food pantry in San Benito,” she said. “So as soon as they heard about this fundraiser they said, ‘We’re on board. We’re going to help your son.’”.
Also on board are Luke Fruia Motors, Gillman Chevrolet, and Gillman Honda.
“We’re accepting monetary donations, but of course we are being very careful, making sure we log everything in, who is giving what and all that,” she said. “He has about $1,000 in monetary donations. His goal is $1,500.”
Victor has begun a process of perseverance purpose that can take him far. Not only is he contributing to the community and helping others, he is also learning leadership skills and the capacity to coordinate efforts. It is to be hoped that he will continue this path in all his endeavors.
He’s already learning how to brainstorm and plan for the future.
“Next year I wanna do a toy drive for Christmas,” he said.
Anyone wishing to donate money or dog food can contact Marisela Gonzalez at [email protected].
