Alex Haring volunteers time to help animals

Spring brings life bursting forth in local rivers and woods — and in the backyards and under porches as well.

One youngster does his part to see to it that the little ones make it to adulthood, whether they are small fry bass or abandoned puppies.

Alex Haring

Alex Haring, an eighth-grader at Woodbridge Middle School, volunteers with Animal Friends Connection, helping to foster, feed, socialize and clean up after what seems like an endless stream of dogs and cats left homeless by circumstance or neglect.

His family has played host to 48 animals this past year, and Alex is always there doing his part, which sometimes includes sitting inside the cages at the adoption days, to promote his little charges and help to find them new homes.

An avid fisherman, Alex also recognizes the importance of retaining populations of native fish so that they can survive to adulthood to reproduce and restock local waterways. Each spring when Lodi Lake is drained, swarms of little bluegill, bass and carp are stranded in the mud.

Alex takes his pole and worms, and catches up as many as he can — sometimes more than 100. He slips them into a bucket and trudges up to the dam where he releases them all back into the river, hoping to see them another day.

When Alex grows up, he would like to work as a river guide, helping other fishermen experience and benefit from nature.

Our Young Heroes: 2001

» Cindy Bryan
» Tatum Halligan
» Alex Haring
» Marcus Olhauser
» Montana Parafin
» Laura Youngsma