It’s been just over a year since what has infamously become known at the “Gulf Oil Spill’ captured the horror of people worldwide. On April 20, 2010, eleven oil rig workers lost their lives when the station caught on fire, collapsed, and left a gaping hole miles under the ocean that gushed oil for almost 85 days. The disaster not only gave a wallop to industries along the Gulf Coast which were already struggling for survival, but cause devastation and disruption of countless wildlife habitats.

Long Island, New York resident Olivia Bouler, wise beyond her eleven years, decided to take action. She began drawing birds and selling them to help in the efforts to clean up the devastating spill and begin the long process of rehabilitating the wildlife in the area.  She posted her efforts on Facebook, and what followed next was something neither she nor her family could have ever anticipated. To date, Olivia’s efforts have raised some $200,000 and garnered numerous animal and environmental awards. Her speech at the ASPCA Humane Awards luncheon in October 2010—where she shared the stage with the likes of Sam Simon, co-creator of “The Simpsons”, brought the house down.

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