Huntingdon Valley girl uses photos to help animals

HUNTINGDON VALLEY, Pa. (WPVI) -- A young photographer from Huntingdon Valley is combining her love of art and her love of animals to make a real difference.

10-year-old Lilah Kelly has a good eye and a big heart for animals.

"I think they kind of take the spotlight in the picture; they make the picture look good," Lilah said.

She started selling notecards with her photographs of animals a month ago.

On Saturday, she gave away $200 - half her earnings to Red Paw Relief.

"She always wanted to donate and give, she's an animal lover. She's always been an animal lover. She's going to do something with animals in her future," mother Jess Kelly said.

Lilah will continue to give the charity half of all her proceeds.

"That is so great that a 10-year-old would have that type of imagination to think of 'what can I do?" Barb Varela, Vice President of Red Paw Relief, said.

With 500 volunteers, the organization which provides transportation, shelter and care for animals displaced by fire or residential disasters is in its third year but has quickly proved to be an essential program.

But, they rely solely on individual donations and the services they provide are expensive.

Their goal is to get a building of their own.

"When you have an animal that has been affected by a fire and needs to be put into an oxygen tank that can run hundreds of dollars for one night," Varela said.

Lilah's donation did not end at just a check. In fact she picked 40 photo cards and put them in a basket that will be a part of a silent auction at Furs Friday, Red Paw's major fundraising event they have every year.

LINKS:

Red Paw and Furs Friday: http://redpawemergencyreliefteam.com/

Lilah's Cards Email: LILAHLOVESCRITTERS@GMAIL.COM