RMEF’s biggest little volunteer
Still in elementary school, she’s a legacy partner wild about conservation
By Kathryn Brandos, Bugle Intern
Even amongst the most dedicated Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation members, few can say they were movers and shakers for conservation in elementary school, much less an RMEF legacy partner, for that matter. Ahnya Ivie—partial to her nickname Ahnie—is that 9-year-old, headed solidly into a lifestyle built around giving back for wildlife.
No stranger to the RMEF mission, Ahnie hit legacy
partner status this year with a $900 donation to RMEF.
How’d she do it? Selling candy bars for conservation.
She’s always cooking up ideas, says her mom, Katie
Moody, co-chair of the Buffalo Chapter in Wyoming. This
year, Ahnie told her mom she wanted to sell something to
raise money for the Elk Foundation. After some thought,
Ahnie proceeded to use her own hard-earned money to
buy 90 candy bars. She works for her money by picking up
extra chores; mucking stalls and cleaning her mom’s pickup
truck.
“I’ve never seen it cleaner,” Katie says. “I was just
saying I need another raffle so that my truck can get
cleaned again.”
With her supplies in hand, Ahnie was on a mission,
chatting with everyone and selling candy bars until they
were all gone. “She’s a heck of a sales lady,” Katie says.
The bars sold for $10 apiece, racking up the $900
donation, one of the largest in the chapter. It also officially
made Ahnie an RMEF legacy partner. But this isn’t Ahnie’s
first venture at raising money for elk country.
Last year, she turned heads when she raised money
at her
RMEF-themed birthday party. Katie said when they talked
about her party, “she very promptly replied that instead of
birthday presents for her maybe people could give the
RMEF a present to make money for the elk.” Mom helped
her plan how to make it happen and Ahnie raised $200 at
her party. Instead of simply donating it to RMEF, Ahnie
used the money to purchase a .22 revolver that was later
raffled off at the chapter’s annual big game banquet for
$3,100.
Ahnie has a simple take on things—she just wants to
have fun and donate. With hopes to one day become a
veterinarian helping animals, especially horses, Ahnie
spends her time cooking up ideas to help wildlife. She is a
frequent attendee at chapter events, showing up at the
Thermopolis Chapter's “Women for Wildlife” ladies' event
this year and also volunteering at the Powder River
Chapter's annual big game banquet, helping sell raffle
tickets.
Getting involved clearly runs in the family, and
Ahnie’s desire to raise money stems from watching others.
“The Wyoming chapter is like a big family unit,” Katie says.
“She went and saw other people getting involved and
realized she could too.”