BEMIDJI — Six-year-old Ariana Wright took it into her own hands to raise awareness for the pets at Great River Rescue this week.
Living a double life as Little Miss Minnesota Princess gave her the platform to raise $140 for the cats and dogs who have nowhere to call home.
“I decided to do my fundraiser here to help the animals because they’re super cuddly and cute, I love animals,” Wright said. “(I raised the money) on social media.”
Little Miss Wright, who hails from Shevlin, walked into Great River Rescue on May 11 with her entourage, crown, sash and the goal of promoting pet adoptions in the area.
First, she presented Executive Director Brandon Mustful with the money she raised through her fundraiser. The rest of the time was reserved to play and meet the pets she is determined to help.
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Starting inside the shelter with the kittens, Wright revealed the reason why she loves animals so much and one of the motivators behind why she chose to raise funds for a local animal shelter: “I (have) one pet at home and his name is Pumpkin Pie,” she said. “He’s a really fat baby cat.”
As part of America’s Little Miss Organization, Wright was crowned Little Miss Minnesota Princess after a competition held in April. With no prior pageant experience, she took home the gold in multiple categories including best dressed, state photogenic, prettiest hair, diamond award, pinkalicious competition, state costume and casual wear.
In August, Wright will join other delegates from across the country at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells to compete in the national competition for the Little Miss America title.
And as Wright looks forward to competing with other delegates from across the country in August for the Little Miss America pageant, in the meantime, she hopes to “play with a lot of cats and a lot of dogs.”
To take a look at the pets who need a place to call home and support Wright's mission, visit the Great River Rescue website at www.greatriverrescue.com.
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