A 7-year-old Hopkinsville boy helped Max’s Hope Pet Rescue raise more than $22,000 after he and his grandmother organized a yard sale to benefit the nonprofit organization.
Clayton Thieke and his grandmother, Suzzie Thieke, went to the Hopkinsville rescue shelter on Tuesday to make their donation of $11,113.63. Their contribution was then matched by Hopkinsville veterinarian Dr. Michael Johnson, pushing the total to $22,227.26.
While most people are either a dog person or cat person, Clayton told Hoptown Chronicle that he is both. He has always had a soft spot for all animals.
Suzzie Thieke, who goes by Nana to Clayton, wanted to teach her grandson the importance of giving back to his community. So she asked Clayton what they could do to help the community. Clayton responded they should help Max’s Hope.
When Clayton was younger, he saw a stray cat in his neighborhood. He said all he wanted to do was pet the cat and give him a nice home. That inspired him to help more animals.
In 2020, Clayton and Suzzie started their fundraiser journey. Each year, they hosted a yard sale to benefit Max’s Hope, raising about $2,000 the first year and doubling that amount the following year.
This year, their goal was $7,000 because Clayton was turning 7.
To help boost their earnings, Tammy Stratton, director of Max’s Hope, suggested they participate in the 400-mile yard sale. Stretching across Kentucky along U.S. 68, the yard sale is a long-standing tradition every June that attracts hundreds of sellers and buyers on the route.
When Clayton and his grandmother went to the animal shelter to turn over their donation, Johnson was also on hand. They all posed for photos to celebrate the fundraising effort.
Aly Adler is a 2022 graduate of Christian County High School and will attend Hopkinsville Community College. She is considering a career in journalism.
