A puppy for Joe

I don’t normally do anything with the torrent of press releases that come out of the office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell, but everyone likes a puppy:

STATE SCHOOLS CHIEF JACK O’CONNELL DELIVERS SURPRISE GIFT TO STUDENT WHO DONATED HIS SAVINGS TO HURRICANE RELIEF
O’Connell Surprises 6-year-old Long Beach Student with Puppy

LAKEWOOD – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell and Long Beach community leader Bob Foster today gave a Gompers Elementary School first grade student a rare white German shepherd puppy as a surprise thank you gift.

Six-year-old Joe Aubuchon of Long Beach, had been saving for several years to buy such a puppy that he intended to name “Marshmallow.”  However, when he heard Superintendent O’Connell had started the California Kids Care program to encourage students to raise funds for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, Joe decided to donate his entire savings of $250 to the relief effort. 

“I am proud of all the students in California who dug deep into their pockets to donate money to help the victims of the hurricane,” O’Connell said. “But I was particularly touched by the sacrifice made by Joe. When Joe saw pictures on TV of people in the gulf states who were suffering after Hurricane Katrina he decided to donate the entire $250 in his puppy fund. This was truly a selfless gesture that inspired fellow students, school staff, and many other adults who heard about Joe’s donation.”

Joe received 10-week-old Marshmallow at an assembly of his first grade classmates today in the auditorium at Gompers Elementary in Lakewood. His parents, Lisa Hartsfield and Steven Aubuchon, and school officials were aware of O’Connell’s and Foster’s intention to surprise Joe, but he and classmates were not told. 

“I got teary eyed when Joe told me that he wanted to donate his puppy savings to help the children impacted by the hurricane,” said Joe’s mother.  “I am so proud of his selflessness. Joe has wanted a puppy his whole life. This will mean the world to him.” Joe has one sister, 11-year-old Kaitlyn and one bother, 14-year-old Bryan.

More than 500 schools across California participated in the California Kids Care program, raising more than $800,000 to date.  An updated list of donors is attached below.  Over the next few weeks, all the schools that reported their donations through the California Kids Care will receive a Certificate of Recognition signed by O’Connell, including Gompers Elementary.

“Joe has served as our beacon to energize our Hurricane Katrina relief effort,” said Gompers Elementary Principal Jay Camerino.  “He inspired his fellow students and the staff at our school with his generous gesture. I also want to recognize the many other students at our school who sacrificed to donate money for the victims of Katrina.  Together they raised thousands of dollars.  Each and every contribution is valued and will make a real difference for the families who were victimized by this terrible disaster.”

Marshmallow was born August 12. He is now 17 pounds. Both his parents and his siblings are also purebred, white German Shepherds.  Before Marshmallow was given to Joe, he received all his required immunizations and is weaned. O’Connell and Foster located Marshmallow through breeder “Noah’s Ark White German Shepherd.�

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