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Thursday, January 15, 2009

No pause in caring for those with paws


By Patricia Villers

ANSONIA — During last month’s busy holiday schedule, Ansonia High School’s Student Ambassadors made sure no one forgot the needs of dogs in the city’s shelter.
The approximately 20-member group raised $135 in its first Paws for a Cause campaign to benefit the Ansonia Animal Shelter. The students also collected dog food and many blankets and fleece throws.
Student Ambassador President Penny Efthymiou, 17, said Thursday she was pleased with the drive’s success.
"I’m surprised how much money we collected," she said.
She said Angela Khan, 17, came up with the idea.
Khan said her family has three dogs. "I want to continue this next year," she said.
Any items that the shelter cannot use will be donated to the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, she said.
Efthymiou designed a dog paw on green paper that Student Ambassadors sold for $1 each to fellow students, as well as family and school staff. The donors wrote their names on the paws and students used them to create a paper Christmas tree on a wall in the school lobby.
Ansonia Animal Control Officer Jeanne Roslonowski picked up the donations Thursday accompanied by Dixie, whom she described as "the calmest one" of the five canines at the shelter.
"This is great," she said. "It’s because of things like this that keep our dogs (alive). They are in danger of being euthanized. We need donations to keep going."
Principal Susan McKernan expressed pride in the hard-working Student Ambassadors.
"While they are a small group, the Student Ambassadors do a wonderful job," she said. "Their efforts on behalf of Ansonia Animal Control showed their caring and consideration."
She also said she was proud of the students who organized the school’s food drive and collected hats, scarves, gloves and more to decorate a Christmas tree in the lobby. The items were divided between Birmingham Group Health Services, Inc. and the Howard F. Tinney Community Center, both in Ansonia.
The Student Ambassadors have other community projects on tap. Efthymiou said they plan to participate in the Bowl-To-Benefit The Umbrella, a program of Birmingham Group Health Services Inc. that assists domestic violence victims. The daylong event starts at 8:30 a.m. March 7 at AMF Lanes in Milford.
Patricia Villers can be reached at pvillers@nhregister.com.

Editor's note: This story, which originally appeared in the New Haven Register, is reprinted here with permission. The photo is by the Register's Arnold Gold. Both also can be seen at www.nhregister.com

1 comment:

storyteller said...

What a worthy cause and wonderful achievement!
Hugs and blessings,