Dear Pandas International,

I’m writing to you because my daughter Rachel had a panda party and raised money to help save the Giant Panda. Her love for this animal started when she was four. In her preschool classroom, the teacher sent home a stuffed Giant Panda each weekend with a student. While the Giant Panda was visiting, the student had to document their adventures and share with the class on Monday. When the Giant Panda visited with us Rachel enjoyed taking it to the zoo, to the park, out to eat at Panera Bread, and playing with it at home.
Since her first preschool visit with the class panda, Rachel has become very interested in the Giant Panda. We started reading non-fiction books about the animal and then her collection of stuffed pandas began. Rachel also has collected bed sheets, clothes, and jewelry with the Giant Panda on it.

Rachel is now in first-grade and her love for this animal continues to grow. For her first-grade mammal project, she decided to research the Giant Panda. Rachel learned a lot through her research and presented her project with ease. She shared facts, showed her 3D model of the Giant Panda in its habitat and answered her classmate’s questions. Rachel’s teachers were impressed with her knowledge and her ability to share her information in front of the class.

Through her research, Rachel learned the Giant Panda is endangered and asked me if we could help. I told her absolutely, so for her 7th birthday in lieu of gifts we asked friends and family to honor Rachel by donating money to help save the Giant Panda.
We found Pandas International through a google search. The work you are doing with the Panda Reserves in China is inspiring. Rachel and I read about the earthquakes destroying bamboo forests and the Wolong Nature Reserve through her research. We also read about Qinxin the Giant Panda who was released into the wild to help increase the panda population. The programs you support are doing great things and we want to help!

Rachel made a donation box and was able to raise $300.00 at her birthday party for Pandas International! We are so lucky to have such wonderful friends and family. At Rachel’s birthday party, we had a Giant Panda cake, panda masks, and goody bags featuring a panda key chain. We made flyers and educated our birthday guests about the program areas at Pandas International and told them how their money will help. Rachel felt very successful at the end and we couldn’t be more proud of her!

Please accept our donation to help save the Giant Panda and please know it came from the heart of a seven-year-old girl. The next step of our journey is to go to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington DC to see a real live Giant Panda. Maybe one day we will travel to the Panda Reserves in China and experience the work you are doing first hand.

Thank you for all you do, it is truly making a difference!

Sincerely,
Jessica (mom) and Rachel