Whiz Kid: Animal Lover Helps Financially Pinched Families Keep Pets

Each week, Patch spotlights young people in the Birmingham community who are successful, talented and just plain awesome. Today we introduce the latest Whiz Kid:

Sophia Rotger

• Age: 10
• School:
• Achievement: When this compassionate youngster heard on a newscast that tight finances lead some Metro Detroit families to give up pets because feeding them became unaffordable, "I was sad and thinking what could we do to help," she said this summer on Our Kids, a public-access cable TV show.
  
  She and her mother, marketing and advertising entrepreneur Rachel Rotger, set up the Birmingham Pet Pantry to solicit and deliver donated dog food and other supplies. Sophia, who came up with the name, made a presentation at an annual sponsored by as well as enlisted sponsorship from Premier Pet Supply of Beverly Hills, where the family buys food and toys for their golden retriever named Katie, a terrier-mix named Lucy and a guinea pig called Sandy. Storeowner Mike Palmer agreed to serve as a collection point and offer discounts for donated food purchases.
  
  With a hand from her media-savvy mom, who set up a website and earned local news coverage last year, Sophia and Palmer delivered 7,000 pounds of animal food to the Gleaners Food Bank in Pontiac for distribution to those it serves. This past spring, the Pet Pantry's delivery totaled 1,800 pounds, according to Cara Rayner of Gleaners.       
• Key to Awesomeness: The poised, confident fourth-grader was interviewed on camera a few months ago by Diane D'Agostini, chief judge of 48th District Court and the host of Our Kids. (She's the first guest on this June 29 show.) Recognition also came from state Sen. John Pappageorge (R-Troy), a fellow animal lover who sent Sophia a congratulatory letter at school. The legislator noted that he and his wife "are the proud owners of three rescue cats that provide us with much love and entertainment. We have also found homes for another 12 rescue cats."  

To help, contact birminghampetpantry@gmail.com or visit Premier Pet Supply, 31215 Southfield. It accepts credit card donations at (248) 647-4310.

Do you know a local young person who deserves applause for volunteer work this summer or for challenging how we think about the environment? Maybe academic, artistic or athletic achievements are worth sharing. Everyone deserves attention, and we want to tell these stories.