Dylan Olson

 

Nicollet boy remembers the animals at Christmas
by Ruth Klossner, Lafayette Nicollet Ledger
   One good deed deserves another. That was the thinking of Nicollet Elementary School fifth grader Dylan Olson when he planned a party for some of his friends recently. To show appreciation to the Brown County Humane Society, Dylan took up a collection for the organization. It wasn't an ordinary collection—Dylan's party invitations specifically asked his guests to bring toys, food, or treats for dogs. “We got our dog ‘Tanner' from the Humane Society,” Dylan said. “I wanted to say thanks for letting us have Tanner.” Tanner, now two years old, is the Olsons' first dog. “I begged forever for a dog,” Dylan related.   When his parents, Steve and Kelly, agreed to adding a dog to the family, the Olsons went to the Brown County Humane Society. “Mom wanted a small dog. Tanner was the smallest of the two dogs they had,” Dylan related. Gotten as a puppy, Tanner has grown into a sleek, well-trained house dog. He's of mixed-breed parentage. When Steve completed the construction of a new garage, Dylan planned his party. “Kind of a garage party”  is how he described it. When he sent invitations for the December 17, they were first received with surprise. “I think my friends thought I was crazy at first,” Dylan said with a smile. “But they brought lots of things for the dogs.” Olson collected three grocery bags of dog food, four bones, a whole bunch of chew toys, and a lot of cash. The party for 25 fourth, fifth, and sixth graders included a ping pong tournament, playing tag, watching a movie on an overhead projector, snacks, pop, and—of course—the collection for the animals. “A lot of the kids have animals, too,” Dylan said. The collected dog food, treats, toys, and cash were delivered to the humane society the Monday after Christmas. Steve works with a BCHS volunteer at Kraft and made the delivery, much to the delight of everyone. Of the donation, Nicollet County Humane Society volunteer Jill Tostenrud commented, “It's good to hear about the kindness a young person has towards our animals.”   She continued, “The Brown County Humane Society is very grateful to Dylan for his generous donation to help our homeless animals. He is such a thoughtful person to go out of his way to help make a difference in their lives while in our care. Thank you, Dylan.”

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