Bellevue Patch Whiz Kid: Genevieve Dwight Turned Crafts Into Cash for the Seattle Humane Society

Name: Genevieve Dwight

School: Sixth grader at Seattle Country Day School

Accomplishment: Genevieve home-made crafts for a year, in preparation for her “Paws-abilities” sale, and donated the proceeds -- $1,000 (which included $67 from her own allowance) -- to the for King County.

Keys to Awesomeness: Genevieve’s mother, Kristi Dwight, says that when the family's two cats became ill, the sixth grader was inspired to do something to help other animals. She hoped that more people can experience the connection she felt with her cats, to whom she was very close and who had been littermates at the Seattle Humane Society shelter in Bellevue.

She is too young to volunteer at Seattle Humane, but Genevieve decided to use her skills knitting and making crafts to hold a sale to raise money for the shelter.

Even as a young child, Genevieve held “animal birthday parties,” asking that her friends bring donations of food and pet items for the shelter instead of birthday gifts for herself, said her mother. Genevieve also uses often her crochet and knitting skills to make cat toys that she could donate to the shelter.

Genevieve raised $833 from the sale, which she held on her own.

“She wouldn’t even let me in the room on the day of the sale. She wanted to do it herself,” said Kristi Dwight. Then she added money from her own allowance, and a donation of $100 from her parents, to donate to the shelter.

When she turns 13, Genevieve plans to become a shelter volunteer. In the meantime, she’s helping care for her two new kittens, adopted  from the shelter after the family’s beloved cats passed away.

-- Information from Seattle Humane Society and Kristi Dwight

Do you know a kid or a program that everyone in Bellevue should know about Submit your nomination in our comment box below or e-mail the information to venice.buhain@patch.com. Be sure to include all of the following information:

• Nominator's Name
• Nominator's E-Mail
• Whiz Kid's Name
• Whiz Kid's Age
• Whiz Kid's School
• Whiz Kid's Accomplishment
• Whiz Kid's Key to Awesomeness (what made him/her successful?)

If your nominee is selected, we'll contact you about getting a photo of the young person or team. For questions, e-mail venice.buhain@patch.com.