Our Christmas Project

Although the reporter pretty much butchered the story....lol...lots of incorrect statements and left out information, here is the story that made the front page of the Troy Daily News on Sunday. Kinda sad that THIS is front page news....gives you an idea how small our town is, lol. He took about 400 pictures of the kids with the dogs, etc. and he decides the print the picture of ME? Seriously, my kids are really cute....me, not so much, lol.



Emily Trost, with Buddy, a 4-year-old Golden Terrier mix that her family adopted from the Miami County Animal Shelter. Trost, of Tipp City, said that instead of the usual Christmas gift exchange this year, her family and the families of her sisters are buying gifts appropriate for dogs and cats that they then will donate to the shelter.

Every year, Emily and Tim Trost get together on Christmas Eve with Emily's two sisters and their families and exchange gifts. Counting parents, grandparents and nine kids - ranging in age from 23 months to 17 years old - that's nearly two dozen people. "It gets pretty chaotic," said Emily." In the past, we drew names and everybody gave a gift to the person whose name they drew. But it was just getting out of control. There were so many different ages - people weren't sure what they should get, so they would get unisex gifts. Or they wanted to get expensive gifts. So we thought about putting a (price) limit on it. But then we got this idea. This year, we decided it's going to be different," Trost said last week, surrounded by all nine kids in the spacious living room of her sister Jennifer Dean's Tipp City home.Trost said her family adopted Buddy, a 4-year-old Golden terrier mix, from the Miami County Animal Shelter about a month ago. That led the kids to come up with a new twist on holiday gift giving; one that, in the true spirit of Christmas, gives back to community."The kids have decided instead of a gift exchange, we're going to set a $30 limit for each family, or more if they choose, and buy supplies for the animal shelter in Troy. Between all of our families, it'll probably be well over $100," Trost said, cradling the youngest of the nine children, 23-month old Myah. She said she called the Miami County Animal Shelter about a week ago and staffers there gave her a list of items needed by the shelter. So between now and Dec. 22, the kids will be shopping for dry dog and cat food, kitty litter, blankets, towels, stuffed animals and toys, along with bleach and cleaning supplies. On Dec. 22, they'll make a personal visit to the shelter to donate their items. "I am so proud of my kids. They came up with this idea on their own," Trost said. "I'm really looking forward to shopping. And then we'll give it to the shelter for the animals," said Trost's 11-year-old daughter, Tori, who, along with her mother, has volunteered at both the Miami County and Montgomery County animals shelters.

The Miami County Animal Shelter is self-funded, getting about 85 percent of its operating budget through the sale of dog licenses. Money is always tight, so the shelter welcomes the donations, director Pat Armstrong said."We appreciate it. It's very generous of them. It all goes to the betterment of the shelter. Anything we get, we put to good use and anything we can't use we pass it on," Armstrong said Friday.

Trost said the kids are glad to help, since they got Buddy at the shelter. The family had a terrier, Ally, who also was a so-called "rescue" dog from the shelter, for about 10 years, until she passed away recently.Trost said after Ally died, the family visited the shelter Web site and saw a picture of Buddy, who bore a remarkable resemblance to Ally. She showed the picture to her husband, but he was cool to the idea of another dog.But unbeknownst to the family, Tim Trost went to the shelter and brought Buddy home the very next day."We didn't even know it until he got home," Emily said, as the rambunctious terrier licked her face."We think Buddy kind of won him over," she laughed.