Celebrities show support for local teen hoping to surprise friend with service dog
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JACKSON HOLE, Wyoming — Not many people can say they started a nonprofit to help others by the age of 14, but for one Jackson Hole teenager, that’s just the beginning.
Ava Kelly has recently set a new goal to cross off her list. She decided that this holiday season, she would find a unique way to help somebody in need. She created a Christmas Gift Challenge, with the challenge to raise enough funds to surprise a friend named Andrea with a service dog.
“I wanted to get her a service dog because she really doesn’t leave the house that much because of how life is aligned for her,” Kelly told EastIdahoNews.com. “I wanted to get her a service dog so she can go out by herself more often and be more independent.”
Kelly says Andrea was diagnosed as legally blind when she was nine years old. The two met through violin practice about a year ago, but it wasn’t until a few months ago that they started to know each other.
As Kelly learned more about Andrea’s story, she was inspired. Not only has Andrea learned to play the violin completely by ear, but she’s moved around a lot, which has forced her to adapt to new surroundings that she can’t see.
“She does all these amazing things by herself,” Kelly explained. “But … her whole life, she’s (also) had to depend on other people.”
To help give Andrea opportunities to go out on her own, Kelly is trying to raise at least $50,000 to purchase a service dog. She would also take a donated dog with funds going to help care for the animal.
Kelly says the cost is steep because of the extensive training the dog has to have to be considered a service animal. She mentioned that applying for a service dog isn’t an easy process, and she’s already started the application because sometimes there’s a waiting list.
To spread the word about her Christmas challenge, Kelly has reached out to a handful of celebrities. From NFL players, actors and comedians, stars have recorded videos voicing their support for Kelly’s cause and challenging others to pitch in.
“We got in contact with some of them, and we’re just like, ‘Hey, I’m doing this great thing, and it’d be awesome if you could help support us,'” Kelly recalls. “Most of them said yes, which was really awesome.”
Kelly wants to gift her friend with a service dog by Christmas, and she’s hoping Andrea’s story will motivate people to help.
“It’s a random act of kindness,” she said. “(When you) really pay attention to (her story), it inspires people to be grateful for what they have and being able to do things freely by yourself.”
For those interested, donations can be made on Venmo at @avamarieyogi or GoFundMe.
Our attorneys tell us we need to put this disclaimer in stories involving fundraisers: EastIdahoNews.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries.