Kohl Swales and Jacey Bird made and sold magnets, then used the money to buy supplies for the SPCA in Prince Albert. (Submitted photo/JJ Thimsen)

By Jeff D’Andrea

Helping the animals

Young Birch Hills duo with ‘hearts of gold’ sells magnets to help SPCA

Jun 15, 2021 | 1:31 PM

Two nine-year-old girls took it upon themselves to make sure animals waiting to get adopted in the Prince Albert SPCA would have a comfortable stay.

Kohl Swales and Jacey Bird raised $615.75 between them by making hand-drawn magnets of various animals and selling them to fellow animal lovers. They drew pictures of all kinds of animals, dogs, cats, dolphins, butterflies among other critters. Then they attached magnets to the artwork to add a little joy to fridges and metal cabinets across their home community of Birch Hills and area.

Swales and Bird used all the money raised to go on a shopping spree to buy toys, treats, food, collars, and leashes and donated it to the SPCA.

“Honestly it’s such a blessing,” P.A. SPCA manager Ashlee Bober said. “They have hearts of gold.”

This is the second time the pair have done something like this. Although they only raised a modest sum then, the two grew the idea. They made even more magnets, and sold them for a longer period.

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Swales and Bird said they thought of the idea while at school and figured it would be a nice way to help out the animals while they waited to get adopted.

“It makes us feel really good that we could help the community,” Swales said before Bird added, “And the animals.”

Both of the magnet entrepreneurs have pets of their own that they love and care for. Bird has a basset hound named Boomer while Swales has a Boxer named Lux and a horse named Dude.

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Jeff.dandrea@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW