Sisters girls help sheriff's canine unit

Rachel Sims (left), Jessica Heath, Shalena Edmunson and Sarah King with Deputy Chad Davis and Ike. Photo by Kristina Coulter

The crowd at last Thursday's Sisters City Council meeting was a little out of the ordinary. The main difference was the four middle school girls, their families and a six-year-old German Shepherd named Ike in attendance.

While watching television in mid-January, Sarah King, a seventh grader at Sisters Middle School, was inspired to raise money for bulletproof vests for the local patrol dogs.

"I just decided I wanted to help the community," King said.

After contacting the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, King learned that the dogs needed reflective vests to use on patrol instead. King asked her friends if they would help her raise the money.

Rachel Sims, Jessica Heath and Shalena Edmunson were among King's friends at the council meeting who helped with the project.

They began by holding a formal meeting in the King family's boardroom -- fourteen 12 and 13-year-old girls discussed their order of operations for the bake-sale fund-raiser and the recipes they would use. They did all of the baking themselves.

"My kitchen survived," said Susan King, Sarah's mother. "And what's more amazing is they are all still friends."

The girls spent Saturday, February 15, in front of Ray's Food Place selling "monster-sized cookies" of all different flavors for $2. At the end of the day, they had raised $234 for the Canine Division.

King presented a check to Deputy Chad Davis and his patrol dog Ike at the meeting. An official ceremony of this gift will be held at Summit High School in Bend on Saturday, May 17, at noon.

Lt. Marc Mills of the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office expressed thanks on behalf of Sheriff Les Stiles who "deeply regretted" being unable to attend due to illness. His wife Carol came in his place and congratulated the girls on a "job well done."

"You're a credit to your community," said Lt. Mills. "Thank you for seeing a need and taking care of it."

Mayor David Elliott agreed. "Keep up the good work!" he said.

The parents of these four philanthropists beamed at the proclamation that their kids had impacted this community for the better.

Even four-year-old Kevin King said he was very proud of his big sister.