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Hernando Today

Community Children Come To The Rescue Of Pets

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 18, 2009

This column often focuses on the needs of the homeless, neglected, abused and abandoned pets of our community. There have been suggestions on how to support your local shelters, whether it was through donations, adoptions or volunteering. A heartfelt - and paw-felt - thank you goes out to all of the citizens who recognize the need and the importance of community support. You have each made a difference in the lives of animals in need.

This week it is a privilege to focus on another group of creatures who also live here, who give us so much joy and hope...the children of our community.

Over the past years I have been amazed at the energy of the children in our community to put forth the effort that they do to give aid to helpless animals. From individual children who forgo birthday gifts in lieu of donations for the animals to classrooms who organize various fundraising projects to help the animals, the list goes on.

This past year the Suncoast Elementary School fifth-graders created a public service announcement on the importance of spaying and neutering pets. After an educational visit to the Humane Society of the Nature Coast, these children did their own research to learn the facts of adoption, overpopulation and euthanasia in our community. The Humane Society was proud to have this beautifully and sincerely done announcement aired on Brighthouse Networks stations during the final months of 2008 and hope to rerun it in 2009.

Local school children operate stores within their schools to help raise much needed funds to care for homeless animals and collect food supplies to feed their furry friends. These children offer such a sense of hope for the future of animal welfare in our world. They are truly the leaders of animal welfare and we are so grateful for each and every one of them. Most recently, Mr. Haberlin's seventh grade class at Fox Chapel Middle School did a holiday fundraiser bringing in several truckloads of supplies to the pets at the Humane Society.

We are now seeing the next step in the evolution of our children's involvement in animal welfare. A group of concerned children have formed a Junior Board of Directors at the Humane Society of the Nature Coast. With the help of our volunteer coordinator and educators they are self-governing and set their own agenda. There are currently still openings on this board and interested children can contact the Humane Society at 352-796-2711, and ask Tralynn, the Junior Board Chairperson, for an application.

On Friday, Jan. 23 and Saturday, Jan. 24 the Junior Board of Directors will be holding their first spring yard sale. The hours are 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. and the sale will be held at 5315 Patricia Place in River County.

Residents from across the county have donated wonderful items for sale to help our furry friends and these dedicated young people have spent all of their spare time sorting, pricing and preparing these treasures for your consideration.

Join them for this fun event (for more information, see the brief on this page).

We so often hear the phrase 'Children Are Our Future', but what too many of us do not realize is that the future is now and our young people are meeting the challenges of our world with dedication, hard work and hope.

Joanne Schoch is the executive director of the Humane Society of the Nature Coast, Inc. and can be reached at 352-796-2711.

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