4-year-old 'farmer' sells pumpkins to support Humane Society

A four-year-old farmer in the making is doing his part to help animals on P.E.I.

Jack Shaw, the self-proclaimed CEO of Jack's Pumpkins farm stand, has been selling pumpkins to raise money for the PEIHumane Society.

Jack first began donating to the Humane Society last year when the Shaw family lost their dogand adopted a kitten, which Jack named Daisy Deere,said hismother, Krista Shaw.

"He wanted to help the other kittens and puppies that maybe didn't get to come home to a house like Daisy did," Shaw said.

Jack and his parents decided they would donate to the Humane Society 50 cents from every pumpkin sold. They raised over $150last year, she added.

"This year we grew some gourds and got some straw bales to sell, as well," Shaw said. "So we decided we'd just give a quarter of the proceeds from all the pumpkin sales to the Humane Society."

Jack met his goal to beat last year's fundraising total raising $203.25.

Future farmer

Jack helped grow more than an acre of pumpkins on his family'sfarm in Stanhope, P.E.I. He was good at helpingpick and clean the pumpkins to get them ready for sale, Shaw said.

He lives, eats andbreathes the farm and he loved seeing so many people come out to hisstand, she said.

"People from Souris to Tignish came to the stand this year and it just blows my mind that they want to support a little boy."

Jack also took pictures with his customers it's his little way to feel like he's farming, she added.

"That's his favourite thing because now he looks at those pictures for the next 10 months until we start the pumpkins again," Shaw said.

'Kids giving back'

Jack delivered the donation to the Humane Society, where he received a certificate of awesomenessfor his commitment to taking care of the animals.

Jennifer Harkness, development co-ordinator at the PEI Humane Society, said the money will go straight into animal care, such as food and medical supplies.

"It will certainly make a difference for us," she said.

It's becoming more and more common for kids to give back to the Humane Society, Harkness said. The PEI Humane Society has received over $1,000in donations from children in the month of October and nearly $6,700 since January, she added.

Kids have come up with many ways to fund raise, Harkness said, including lemonade stands, bake sales and donating birthday money. No matter how big or small their donation is, they're making a difference and helping to save animals, she added.

"It's really incredible to see these kids giving back to an organization they care about and knowing that they care so deeply for the animals," Harkness said.

Overwhelming support

Jack plans to open his pumpkin stand and raise more moneyto donate again next year.

"We are firm believers in giving back in our family and we're just trying to teach him young, how good it can feel to give back and that othersaren't always as fortunate animals included," Shaw said.

Jack's Pumpkins also donated pumpkins to the Boys and Girls Club of Charlottetown's annual family pumpkin carving event. Jack and his family havebeen donating pumpkins to the club since they opened the stand three years ago.

"I think it's great to start this so young and to have people support him," Shaw said."It's really overwhelming to see how much support he got."

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