Lacey Boy Collects Christmas Gifts for Popcorn Park Dogs

A local Lacey boy gave up any potential Christmas gifts as his list consisted of bones for all the dogs at .

“The dogs don’t have any Christmas presents,” 10-year-old Billy Berry said.

Billy has always had a heart for homeless animals, his mother Mary Berry said.

“We were discussing Christmas lists and I told them to pick just a couple things,” she said. “He wanted to make the dogs happy.”

Billy enjoys visiting the zoo, she said. The family also rescued a dog Olive, who was locked in a foreclosed house. Olive is currently living with another family member.

“Billy nursed Olive back to health,” she said. “He’s a very caring type of kid. The ones no one wants are the ones Billy wants to help.”

Billy asked for bone donations from friends and family. The family also advertised their project on Facebook.

“He got bones sent to him as far away as Virginia,” Mary Berry said. Someone from Pennsylvania sent a check for Billy to purchase bones and he asked the store to match the donation.

Billy’s sister’s eye doctor contributed dog toys and a Girl Scout troop donated as well.

“He was very instrumental in trying to engage people,” Mary Berry said.

Over 88 bones were collected along with eight squeak toys.

“Don’t forget about the animals- that’s his thing,” she said. “His primary focus was to give every dog a bone as a gift. Billy’s a really good kid. He has a big heart.”

Popcorn Park was surprised when Billy arrived.

“It’s very much appreciated,” Cathy Gray of Popcorn Park said. “It’s really nice when the kids get involved.”