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Annika Grasso

Age: 8
Hometown: Chalfont
Cause: Fundraising for a service dog

When Annika Grasso’s mother Meridith told her daughter about a young girl named Kye suffering from epilepsy, Annika immediately wanted to help. Six-year old Kye Goering’s family needed to raise $13,000 for a service dog trained to sense epileptic seizures. By chance, second-grader Annika was learning about service dogs at school. Annika organized a neighborhood lemonade stand and bake sale. She baked pies and muffins, spread the word among neighbors, classmates, and friends, and enlisted people to help out on the day of the sale. Expecting to raise about $100, Annika’s efforts yielded $600 — the last block of money necessary to reach the fund drive's goal. Annika presented her gift to Kye, who will get her dog in September.

Says Grasso: