Josie Knowles with her “Pennies for Pets” project display. She was able to raise $125 for the new Tama County Humane Society Shelter planned in Tama. Knowles has given presentations about her project to the Toledo-Tama Kiwanis and Humane Society Board of Directors. News-Herald/John Speer

TAMA NEWS-HERALD – By John Speer

Editor

“I love fashion and I love animals,” Josie Knowles said in explaining her recent project which will benefit the planned Tama County Humane Society Shelter in Tama. “I’ve also seen more and more animals be homeless,” she added.

In May she enlisted seven fellow students and presented a fashion show at school during a noon hour. The result was $125 in school student donations for her “Pennies for Pets” fund.

The Fashion Show included “Rexie” – a dinosaur bank “mascot” in which contributions were deposited. Josie said she may try to place Rexie at a local store to raise additional shelter funds.

Being concerned about animals comes as no surprise to Josie’s mother, Angie. She said Josie” has wanted to be a veterinarian since she was about four-years-old.”

Josie said she has horses, 4-H cows, pigs, dogs and cats.

Knowles, 11, Toledo, will be a 6th grade student at South Tama Elementary School this fall. The fashion show fundraiser was an Independent Learning project in the STEP program taught by Janey Swartz.

She made and distributed brochures to students explaining why spaying a neutering helps protect older animals because “the older, unadopted animals may have to be put down due to lack of space.”

Josie met last week and gave a presentation about her project and the success raising money to the Humane Society Board of Directors. The board will be narrowing down a “Wish List” and Josie has been asked to spend the contributions herself to acquire items needed for the shelter.

In addition, she has been enlisted to serves as junior member of the Humane Society Board.

Josie, Toledo, will be a 6th grade student at South Tama Elementary School this fall. She is the daughter of Angie Knowles and Doug Knowles.