A fifth-grade student at Sugar Hill Elementary School has donated pet oxygen mask kits to five Gwinnett fire stations in the Sugar Hill, Buford, and Suwanee areas.
Sophia Tiborczszeghi, an 11-year-old Junior Girl Scout, raised $425 to purchase and donate the kits. Each kit features three mask sizes with tubing to provide supplemental oxygen to a pet during respiratory compromise.
Sophia sold homemade “get well” cards for people and pets, provided babysitting service and sold toys to raise money to purchase the kits.
“I hope my efforts will highlight the importance of having the appropriate equipment to save our beloved pets in case of a fire,” Sophia said.
Sophia and her family visited Fire Station 24 across from the Mall of Georgia to present the mask kits to firefighters earlier in December. The kits were purchased from Wag’N O2 Fur Life, an organization that aims to place kits in every fire and emergency services department in the nation.
Gwinnett Fire and Emergency Services Assistant Chief Clent Hughes said the mask kits donated by Sophia will be placed on fire trucks and readied for deployment when needed.
“It’s clear that Sophia has a tremendous love for animals and genuine desire to help the community,” Hughes said. “We are proud of Sophia and all the work that went in to completing her project.”
— Staff Reports
