Homeschooling 3: C8's "Best Day of My Life" featuring the cheetah

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

C8's "Best Day of My Life" featuring the cheetah

"Mommy, if I wait until I am a grown-up to help cheetahs it might be too late. There may not be any left to save. What can I do now, as a kid, to help the cheetahs." ~ C, at 6 years old

	C8 has had a love for cheetahs for as long as I can remember. She has always said that when she grows up, she wants to be a veterinarian and an animal rescuer. November 2010, C8 learned cheetahs are endangered. That Christmas night, it was weighing heavily on her little heart. She looked up at me and said, "Mommy, if I wait until I am a grown-up to help cheetahs it might be too late. There may not be any left to save. What can I do now, as a kid, to help the cheetahs." Once I wiped my own eyes and hugged my tender hearted little girl, we immediately put Daddy to work on finding ways she can help, NOW. Daddy came across a website www.cheetah.org that takes donations of money. They also have a wish list of items they need in Africa that you can mail directly to them. Once she found out, she ran to her room and grabbed her piggy bank and asked us to give all her money to the cheetahs. Her goal has been to bring awareness that cheetahs are in danger of becoming extinct and are in need of our help. In the year and a half since, she's been a great spokes person for the cheetah. She's not afraid to tell strangers about their plight, mind you. We've donated money on several occasions and held a lemonade/cookie stand on National Endangered Species Day last year and are planning do so again this year! She was featured in the first revamped issue of "Cheetah Strides", the CCF newsletter! What an honor that was!!

C8 has had a love for cheetahs for as long as I can remember. She has always said that when she grows up, she wants to be a veterinarian and an animal rescuer. November 2010, C8 learned cheetahs are endangered. That Christmas night, it was weighing heavily on her little heart. She looked up at me and said, "Mommy, if I wait until I am a grown-up to help cheetahs it might be too late. There may not be any left to save. What can I do now, as a kid, to help the cheetahs." Once I wiped my own eyes and hugged my tender hearted little girl, we immediately put Daddy to work on finding ways she can help, NOW. Daddy came across a website www.cheetah.org that takes donations of money. They also have a wish list of items they need in Africa that you can mail directly to them. Once she found out, she ran to her room and grabbed her piggy bank and asked us to give all her money to the cheetahs. Her goal has been to bring awareness that cheetahs are in danger of becoming extinct and are in need of our help. In the year and a half since, she's been a great spokes person for the cheetah. She's not afraid to tell strangers about their plight, mind you. We've donated money on several occasions and held a lemonade/cookie stand on National Endangered Species Day last year and are planning do so again this year! She was featured in the first revamped issue of "Cheetah Strides", the CCF newsletter! What an honor that was!!

So all of this to lead up to C8's "Best Day of My Life"! ~A week and a half ago I learned that there are cheetahs at a zoo a little more than two hours from our home! Today, our family saw three cheetahs in real life for the very first time!!

C8 with Cheetah (she won from CCF San Diego Chapter) and Ariel cheetah she's had since age 3 1/2. C8 and her great-grandmother made the little outfit Ariel is wearing. Two cheetah are lying down in the background.

C8 was so cute! She purred and chirped and they would turn their head in her direction! We were just so far away from them. This is picture is zoomed at nearly 60%

There is a very real danger they could be extinct in just twenty years.

Our whole family loves the cheetah thanks to C8.