PAWS Magazine

Issue 69, Spring 2008

Speak Up for Animals!

Students at Mountlake Terrace Elementary recently discovered that used Barbie clothes and Matchbox cars can make a big difference for animals in need.

Third grade teachers Dan Novak and Cathy Johannes came up with an idea for a cool fundraiser while their classes participated in PAWS' Kids Who Care program---a series of six, one-hour classroom workshops covering topics such as positive, safe interactions with dogs and cats, how to live peacefully with neighborhood wildlife, and developing an understanding of how farm animals live.

Inspired by these workshops, the students were eager to raise money to help feed and care for the orphaned, injured and homeless animals in PAWS' care. They brought their own toys from home that they had finished playing with, and set up a store in their classrooms. They sorted their toys and then arranged them by price on tables: for sale for 25, 50 or 75 cents, or one dollar. To spread the word about their store, the students wrote announcements, published an article in the school paper, and made posters. They also made presentations to the other classrooms about the sale during lunch and recess.

At the end of their toy sale fundraiser, Julie Stonefelt, PAWS' humane educator, attended an all-school assembly to receive their wonderful donation which totaled more than $225! "Motivated by their new knowledge, these caring students went straight to work!" Julie smiled. "It's so exciting to find such dedicated teachers, and to see these nine-year-olds already making a difference."

Learn more
Sign up to receive PAWS' Kids Helping Animals newsletter, a free quarterly publication featuring fun facts, games, and ideas for how to help animals. Simply go online to PAWSkids.org to request your own copy. The newsletter is sent out by e-mail in the fall, winter and spring, with a full-color, print edition in the summer.

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