NHS Animal Concerns Club Gives To Animal Center

By Eliza Hallabeck

Members of the Newtown High School Animal Concerns Club met after school on Monday, January 30, and presented The Animal Center with $50, raised through club efforts.

Monica Roberto and Leyla Nichols of The Animal Center were at the meeting to accept the donation, and Ms Nichols brought along two Fraser-Woods Montessori school students who recently interned with The Animal Center to provide a presentation for the NHS club.

After receiving the donation, Ms Roberto asked the club members how they wished for the $50 to be spent.

“Whatever you guys need the most,” said Animal Concerns member Charlie Pryor. 

After the club announced the donation, Fraser-Woods students Priya Basu and Elizabeth Sankey shared a presentation they created based on five days of interning with The Animal Center under the guidance of Ms Nichols.

During their internship, the eighth grade students said they fed feral cats, filed paperwork, decorated donation boxes that are now set up around Newtown, attended veterinarian appointments, helped transition a group of feral cats to a new location in a volunteer’s backyard, where the cats will be fed and taken care of on a permanent basis, and more.

The two students shared photographs taken during their internship, including a photo of a shelter designed for the feral cats in the volunteer’s backyard. The shelter, they explained, housed the cats while they became used to their new environment.

“We loved our experience with the animal shelter,” said Elizabeth, adding she and Priya hope to work with animals in the future.

According to Priya and Elizabeth, all eighth grade students at Fraser-Woods complete an internship within the local community.

Also during the Animal Concerns Club meeting, Club Parent Advisor Lorrie Silber said the group plans to sell its “Seeds of Support” again in the community. Through the sale of birdseed last year, the group raised $200 to donate to Canine Advocates, a local nonprofit group. Ms Silber said bags of the birdseed will be sold around town.

The club is also hoping to sell reusable shopping bags within the school year, that will promote supporting local animal shelters and have the club’s logo printed on the front.