Senior citizens face some of the most difficult cost of living challenges in the territory while living on fixed incomes but few may consider that they often put their pets ahead of themselves.
Payton Walters, a 15-year-old student at Diamond Jenness Secondary School spent most of October raising money through recyclable donations to assist seniors in ensuring both they and their pet companions have enough to eat.
Payton attended the Arctic Foxy youth camp in the summer where she learned about leadership and sexual health. Following the program, she wanted to come up with an idea that would benefit seniors in her community.
SA国际影视传媒淢y mom and I decided, hey, this would be a really good thing because a lot of seniors spend more of their money on dog food than to feed themselves and a lot are going hungry because of that,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淪o I wanted to raise a bit of money to help them.SA国际影视传媒�
Payton, along with her mother Lynnette Moore, posted a notice on Facebook on Oct. 6 requesting people provide recyclables from their homes for the cause of raising money for pet food. They then arrived at homes and collected the items to drop off at the recycling depot.
Between the date of the first social media post and Oct. 30, the two raised $850.
Payton, who works at the Super A grocery store, said the response around town has been positive when she has been in public.
SA国际影视传媒淚 was at a restaurant the other night and somebody had come up to me and said they were really appreciating (me) doing this so that was really nice,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
SA国际影视传媒淚 work at a grocery store and I have had some people come up and say SA国际影视传媒榊ouSA国际影视传媒檙e Payton and youSA国际影视传媒檙e doing this.SA国际影视传媒� It was really nice to see that I was affecting so many people in a positive way.SA国际影视传媒�
The issue of seniors having special relationships with pets may be something that goes on unnoticed in society and Payton said she would like to continue raising awareness about the issue.
SA国际影视传媒淎 lot of seniors, I think, treat their pets like their children and so the animals are like a member of their families,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淪o some of the seniors put their pets above their own needs with the idea of providing food for the family members before yourself. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 something that they probably do but not necessarily something that they want to do.SA国际影视传媒�
Sandra Lester, vice-chair of the Hay River Seniors Society said that the issue of getting financial help for seniors caring for their pets has been an important one that her organization has been recently discussing.
SA国际影视传媒淲e had been talking about how much financial trouble it was for many seniors to feed and look after their pets, and we were going to explore options to help,SA国际影视传媒� Lester said. It was to be an agenda item at a future meeting.
SA国际影视传媒淥ne of the senior couples that I spoke to recently told me they literally canSA国际影视传媒檛 feed themselves and they feed their animals before they feed themselves. So this is a godsend.SA国际影视传媒�
Lester said when she received a call from Moore looking for a way to help older people, that the help came at a perfect time and is SA国际影视传媒渁n incredible act of kindness.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淚 saw the perfect opportunity and asked if the pet food was something Payton would be interested in fundraising for,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
SA国际影视传媒淲e are so grateful, we expected maybe $100 and that wonderful young lady raised $850. Amazing.SA国际影视传媒�
Lester said the SeniorSA国际影视传媒檚 Society is starting a dog/cat food program immediately and anyone needing help to feed their animals should contact her by email at hrss@northwestel.nt.
