Outstanding youth award
By: Nancy Cook
Updated: November 19, 2010
Daniel McFarland, Caddo Magnet senior, has been awarded the Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy Award by the Northwest Louisiana Chapter of the Association for Fundraising Professionals (AFP). McFarland received the award for his volunteer work at Chimp Haven, The National Chimpanzee Sanctuary.
Nominated for the award because he has been committed to furthering the mission of Chimp Haven, it was McFarland’s idea to begin the Chimp Change effort to raise money to support the chimpanzees.
His parents, Dr. and Mrs. Marius McFarland, supported his efforts by helping their son distribute the change containers around Keithville and Shreveport asking customers to donate change for the chimpanzees. The effort paid off when McFarland carried almost $1,000 to Chimp Haven for deposit.
But Chimp Change was just one of the many activities McFarland has done to benefit the chimpanzee sanctuary during the more than five years he has volunteered.
Summarizing his volunteer experience at Chimp Haven, he said, “My whole perspective on life and the importance of helping someone or ‘some thing’ that cannot help themselves has changed forever. I learned through working with my ‘Chimp Haven family’ one person can make a difference. I have pursued my dream to open this amazing world of Chimp Haven to my community.”
This spring, McFarland will graduate from Magnet High School, and soon after he plans to follow in his father’s footsteps and begin courses that will train him for a career in medicine.
