Individual Spotlight: Olivia Bouler
Olivia Bouler is only 11 years old, but her efforts raised $175,000 to date to help birds affected by the Gulf oil spill through her drawings. Although most of her drawing experience is limited to doodling on tests and homework, Bouler has created approximately 180 paintings of different birds. The money raised will be used to support volunteers, staff and stock rehabilitation centers, and find transportation for the birds.
The idea helps the people who are unable to help by being involved in the beach.
"Many people are outraged and don't know where to vent that because they can't drive to the beach and help. So what Olivia has done has set a beautiful example, by using her skills and creating an initiative that is fruitful for everyone," Delta Willis, senior communications manager for The National Audubon Society, said.
Bouler wrote to the Audubon Society after coming up with her idea of how to raise money. The letter said, "I am a decent drawer, and I was wondering if I could sell some bird paintings and give the profits to your organization." She pulled in more than $90,000, and a $25,000 donation from AOL, after it signed on to host her initiative as part of AOL artists profiles for her "decent" drawing skills, and donations continue to grow.
Bouler was inspired by her visit to her family's cottage in Orange Beach, Ala. "The oil hit the beaches near the end of the days I was there," Olivia said. "I saw a lot of feathers and definitely some tar on the beach. It was really upsetting."
As an aspiring Ornithologist, she wanted to help the preservation of birds especially, knowing that these birds would suffer during migration and nesting season.
"Being an Ornithologist would be my dream job. Birds are the only creatures which use feathers which makes them so fascinating. They've been around for thousands of years and we need to protect them," Bouler said. "My love for birds pushed me to create art which shows their beauty and importance."
In addition to the National Audubon Society, Bouler will send her prints of her paintings to anyone donating to Gulf relief efforts through the Sierra Club, the Weeks Bay Foundation, the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, or the national Wildlife Federation.
"It's really fantastic," Olivia said about the donations, and success of her project. "It gives [people] a way to help out the birds, and the marine wildlife ... the fishermen who are suffering."
Published by The Fundraising Journal 2010
Sources
http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/06/18/new.york.girl.fundraiser/index.html
http://www.weeklyreader.com/node/1078
http://www.aolartists.com/profiles/olivia-bouler
http://boulerdesigngroup.blogspot.com/2010/08/meet-sea-tuckers.html
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