It all started with a community service project embraced by students of Turning Point Junior High school and their teacher Ms. Kandy Scaramuzzo.
In effect, they were able to turn a $500 grant into $2,500 worth of gift donations. Their efforts and generosity will help shelter cats housed at Arlington Highlands PetSmart, pet therapy sessions for the elderly, and animals adopted from Arlington Animal Services (AAS).
Scaramuzzo provided a life-long lesson to her students that it is okay to have "no reason to give back...and to do it for no reason".
The students took her message to heart. The $500 funding they received from the Meadows Foundation, and the many items donated by Adams Feed Store for supplies were used to prepare 200 gift bags that they took time to organize and label by size for each animal.
The resourceful students came up with the idea of using scraps of fabric from the blankets they made for seniors to create smaller blankets for the shelter's homeless pets. All in all, the grant award and other gift items were used to create $2,500 worth of donations.
An entourage of city officials including animal activist, Mayor Pro Tempore Sheri Capehart visited the school to accept the donation and to express appreciation for the gift. Capehart spoke to the students, providing information about award winning AAS programs and services.
She described AAS as "not a place of last resort, but a place of hope and new beginnings"for shelter animals, as well as a community gathering place to advance the welfare of animals.
Fifteen years ago, Capehart helped spearhead the implementation of the Animal Essay Contest for 3rd through 6th grade students who live in Arlington. The contest serves as an educational tool that consistently attracts over a thousand students (almost 1,500 in 2016) to submit award winning essays that promote animal awareness. At the visit, Capehart shared a quote:
"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."- by Emanuel Kant, philosopher
Animal Services Manager Chris Huff communicated to the students that about 10,000 animals are received at AAS each year. She invited the students to tour the shelter, and sparked interest in the Heritage Program - created through the shelter's partnership with the SPCA of Texas that has provided $2,400 in scholarship awards since its launch in 2014.
Lieutenant Tracie Baker, also the chair of the Arlington Animal Services Advisory Committee, and North District Dayshift Commander Lieutenant Leo Daniels were also in attendance. Baker shared a story about a police call she responded to in 2008 that influenced her passion for helping animals. The outcome of this call resulted in the pet owner receiving a two year prison sentence for animal abuse. Baker, the proud owner of two puppies, says being part of the advisory board helps to be a voice for animals.
Scaramuzzo stated that the "project may not seem like much to some, but to these students it is a big deal". She and her students expressed appreciation for city staff and the Mayor Pro Tem taking time out to visit with them and accept their donations. The one hour exchange of Q & A between city officials and the students was stimulating and mutually beneficial.
A parting message was to "be the eyes and ears"to help those without a voice, by calling the Action Center at 817-459-6777 to report an animal issue, or to report it online.
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