Young Artist, Aspiring Veterinarian and Owner of Precious Paw Prints Jewelry goes to Hollywood

Meghan Gage, a 23-year-old Lancaster County resident travelled to Los Angeles California for the 2014 American Music Awards gifting suite where over 80 celebrities exchanged contact information looking to work with the business. Precious Paw Prints Jewelry creates personalized paw print and pet image keepsakes. Only 40 businesses where selected country-wide.

On October 26 Meghan Gage, a 23 year old Lancaster County resident was amazed to find an email from Evan Foster, a representative from Celebrity Connected inviting her to travel across the United States to Hollywood California and participate in a gifting suite honoring the 2014 American Music Awards. This event held on November 22 consisted of one on one face time with between 80-120 celebrities who were there to discover 40 hand-selected businesses and the services they provided. Meghan owns Precious Paw Prints Jewelry, a one-woman team creating personalized and commemorative paw print and pet image jewelry in gold, .999 fine silver, bronze, copper and steel. Gage started this business a little over a year ago. Meghan was so honored that Celebrity Connected found her business and knew this was definitely an opportunity she couldn't miss out on.

The event was located at the very popular and glamorous W Hotel in warm and sunny Los Angeles California, a nice break after a week of brutal cold and snow in Pennsylvania. Celebrities such as Ben Woolf who plays Meep on American Horror Story, AJ McLean from the 90's boy band Backstreet Boys and Jacob Vargas from Sons of Anarchy were escorted around through two rooms laid with red carpet, surrounded by music, lights and vendors. Girls in pretty white dresses introduced each guest with a headshot, their name and their credentials to each vendor allowing them to present their product, personally handing them their gift and taking snapshots with the honored guest. It was a unique experience to see these actors out of costume among the "normal" folk. Each was genuinely kind and very interested in Precious Paw Prints Jewelry, providing great feedback of the product. Many celebrities such as Alisa Reyes who among many things is an animal activist and starred in All That on Nickelodeon, exchanged contact information looking to work with Precious Paw Prints Jewelry in the future not only with business but networking opportunities. Just days after the event, Meghan's social media feeds have been blowing up with likes, tweets and new celebrity followers such as hip hop choreographer on So You Think You Can Dance Shane Sparks and actor Robbie Kaller. "This opportunity has proved to be an priceless experience and I can't wait to see what comes from it" Meghan is quoted saying.

Unfortunately at the age of 15 the Gage’s discovered that Sebastian the family cat, had kidney failure. He was in the hospital for a week with no significant changes, when the family brought him home to say their good byes. He had become thin, his body secreted poisons that his kidneys never filtered and he wasn’t his normal loving self. At this point Gage decided to create a forever memory of Sebastian. Her mother, Holly Gage, being a well-known jewelry artist showed her some basic techniques helping her to create the first Precious Paw Print. "I love seeing tears in people's eye when they see their pet's very own print or image on a keepsake piece of jewelry and stamp." Gage says.

From dogs and cats to birds, rodents and pigs, she does it all and the fact that she can help promote that human animal bond brings her so much joy! Although as a recently graduated student, a nice pile of debt awaits her with more to come as she continues her education, Gage still strives to make a difference in the world. She supports several small businesses all over the country that have graciously displayed her product. She has asked each to chose an organization that serves the welfare and care of animals and in return donates 10% of the proceeds to these groups each year so they can continue their work. Precious Paw Prints Jewelry has allowed Meghan to pursue her career path as a veterinarian while satisfying not only her creative side, but hundreds of other animal lovers as well.

Gage, is a recent graduate of Albright College in Reading PA residing in Amish country Lancaster County. At seven years old Gage decided she wanted to be a veterinarian. The ever-growing list of animal related experiences Meghan has been involved in spans the last 16 years. When asked what the most valuable experience she has participating in she replied, “completing a 300 hour summer internship (the requirement for credit was 130-150 hours). This experience solidified my passion and future.” Several of the veterinarians told her if she had another career in mind she should pursue that instead. The debt and costs of being a Vet was not worth the salary. “I don't care about the money I care about my passion. By the end of the summer I realized more than ever that this dream and this passion was all I wanted and I was ready to face it.” All thanks to Sebastian Meghan has created a business that can help other owners commemorate their pets both present and passed on like she has for her family as she continues on the path towards Veterinary School.

#hollywood #celebrities #california