Photo: Alexis Mattingly; WTKR
Instead of a birthday party, 10-year-old Alexis Mattingly wanted to raise funds to buy a ballistic vest for a Virginia Beach Police Department K-9 officer.
According to a WTVR news report, Alexis asked for donations instead of a party and gifts. And with help from her mom and her cousins, Alexis held bake and craft sales to raise $2,500 to buy a K-9 ballistic vest. She raised that amount—and $700 more, which was also donated to the Virginia Beach Police Department.
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Alexis says she was inspired when she heard about how Anderson Cooper donated new K-9 vests following the death of K-9 Officer Krijger earlier this year.
Alexis said, “I just really liked what he was doing” and that “Dogs are awesome and I just wanted to help.”
VBPD Sergeant Chris Tull told WTKR that, “These have been tough times for police officers…” and that, “There’s been a lot of negativity that’s come out, so to see the community step forward and provide this support, really is heartening.”
Thanks to donations from Alexis, and donations from other concerned businesses and citizens, now every VBPD K-9 officer has a ballistic vest.
