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Six kids from across the nation — including a Maryland girl who volunteers at Frederick County Animal Control — have been named winners in the American Humane Association’s Be Kind to Animals Kid Contest.

Be Kind to Animals Week, established in 1915, is being observed May 3-9 this year. It is the oldest event in the nation to celebrate the companionship, friendship and love that animals bring into people’s lives.

Annie Lee Vankleeck, 6, grand prize winner in the age 6 to 12 category, was honored for helping Out of the Pits, a non-profit pit bull rescue in Albany, New York.

After she and her parents, of Shokan, New York, learned that the organization needed blankets and towels, Annie went to work. She collected blankets and towels at the town’s annual Olive Day festival, then went to yard sales and persuaded people to donate. She also collected blankets and towels at school. She’s still at it: For her upcoming 7th birthday party, she is asking her guests to forego bringing her gifts, and bring towels and blankets for “the doggies” instead.

Abby Jungers, age 13, of St. Peters, Missouri, was grand prize winner in the 13 to 17 age group. Abby has clocked more than 700 volunteer hours at the St. Charles Humane Society, cleaning kennels, walking dogs, feeding, setting up beds and helping conduct heartworm tests. She goes to new volunteer orientations and helps train the new recruits. She even fills in for staff members when they call in sick.

Each grand prize winner recieves a $1,000 award.

Casey Mills, of Mt. Airy, Maryland, was named a runner-up for her work as a volunteer at Frederick County Animal Control, where she’s known for going beyond the call of duty.

When Lily, an older, arthritic and underweight German shepherd, came into the shelter, workers worried the dog might be unadoptable because of her age and medical needs. Casey begged for the opportunity to take Lily home for the weekend and give her special care. She cooked chicken and rice for Lily, and slept on the floor with her. When the weekend was over, she accompanied Lily back to the shelter, and wrote a story about her to display for potential adopters. Lily was adopted two days later.

The other runners-up were Monica Plumb of Powhatan, Virginia, Rylie Sullivan of Herndon, Virginia, and Shelley Johnson of Lake Stevens, Washington.

(Photo: Annie Lee Vankleeck, courtesy of American Humane Association)