Akins student gives back to the pet lover comunity
Senior Makena Smith shares her interesting hobbies including rock climbing
Senior Makena Smith gives the dog a treat for sitting on command. Smith volunteers at the shelter at least once a week to help train the dogs to make them more adoptable.
April 28, 2015
A special senior gives back to the Akins and pet community by doing a lot of unique things on campus.
“I started the Tees For Tugs organization all by myself,” senior Makena Smith said.
The program is non-profit because she takes donations and makes no money through the effort, and Smith says her reason for starting it was because of previous volunteering at shelters and because she figured her dog was bored and needed a toy, which turned into something much bigger.
“Anyone can donate their worn out or old cotton shirts to the donation box at the front of the school, near the school entrance,” Smith said.
She takes the shirts, which can be either short or long sleeved, and turns them into toys for shelter dogs.
“The steps for this are cutting each tee into strips, making them the same length, and then I tie all seven together,” says Smith. “I unicorn braid four of them, regular braid three, and then braid them all together to make a tug.”
Most of the tugs are only being donated to the Austin Animal Clinic, because there haven’t been enough donations to contribute to other shelters, however Smith plans to give them to many other places throughout Austin.
“It’s a cheap and efficient way to make a difference in a community that is unknown and ignored,” Smith said. “I want to create more entertaining days for shelter dogs and increase their chance of being adopted.”
Another interesting hobby that she has been pursuing is rock climbing.
“I’ve been rock climbing for a little over a year, and my hunny Arthur Lung got me into it since he’s been
climbing a couple months longer than me,” Smith said. She rock climbs at various places in Austin, including: Barton Creek Greenbelt, Milton Reimer’s Ranch Park, and Enchanted Rock State Natural Area.
Her mother is not only a close parental figure but also a great friend.
“I see myself not only as just her mother, but as someone who is very close to her. We always share positive and fun moments,” Darla Cotton, Makena’s mother said.
Cotton knows she hasn’t been doing common girl things. She says Makena likes to hike, wrestle, cage fight, and do yoga, so rock climbing did not surprise her.
“I do know this can be a dangerous sport, but Makena and Arthur are responsible climbers,” Cotton said.
The couple is aware that getting hurt is a possibility and they always take precautions to ensure their safety.
“It is so neat that they have a sport they can enjoy as a couple, and we are very happy to have Arthur as a part of our family,” Cotton said.
Her mother describes her as always being an entrepreneur, especially since she had started a non-profit organization in elementary school called Pet Paws. Her and Lung are both very proud and supportive in Makena’s animal pursuits.
“I can see her progressing
her work with animals at the shelter and doing the same with Tees For Tugs, and I also think she will eventually travel and get to use her rock climbing skills in other beautiful states,” Cotton said
