Oak Forest 8th Grader Nearly Doubles Goal For Low-Kill Shelter

OAK FOREST, IL — Never underestimate what a boy and his dog — powered by a final project — can do. For Josh Slaviero, it meant doubling the gift he gave the shelter that offered him his chihuahua-boxer mix , his greatest gift of all.

This past spring, Josh chose to raise funds for the TLC Animal Shelter in Homer Glen as a service project he needed to complete for the National Junior Honor Society. TLC is a low-kill shelter that takes in out-of-state animals slated to be put to sleep. It's where he adopted his pup, Zoey, who comes from Kentucky. She was so small when Josh picked her up that he and his mother put a bell on her collar because they were afraid they were going to lose her.

Josh was so grateful for Zoey and the shelter's work that he built a full-blown marketing plan to solicit money and goods for TLC. He built and created a website himself for the fundraiser. He crafted the messaging. And he set a goal — $500 — to raise for TLC.

He raised $900.

"I was surprised at how quickly everyone came together to help me reach my goal," he said. "I was excited to hear from my mom each time a donation would come in and was amazed at how generous the community was."

What Josh learned from the experience, he said, was that when the community comes together, "you can do big things." He thanked his supporters for helping him reach his goal.

Josh has just graduated eighth grade, and hopes to be inducted into the National Honor Society in high school. He also plans to keep giving back to TLC, whether through donations, time or referrals.

"It's a great thing they are doing for animals," he said.

The money will go toward the shelter's Bertha Medical Fund, which pays for extremely ill animals. It's named after a stray pit bull TLC took in and thought was pregnant. However, she was in the ends stages of heartworm and couldn't be saved.