On January 11th, the DSHS Paws club concluded the month long fundraising campaign to raise donations and supplies for a new litter of service dogs being raised by the Freedom Canine International (FCI) organization. 

The club was successful in getting the students involved with the community and were happy to have reached such a high number of donations from the student body. 

“We chose to help this group because service dogs have such an important role in the life of the handicapped,” senior co-founder Rylee Kirkey said. “Being a new organization they needed help with their website, fostering the dogs, promotional videos, and even donations from the community and anyone who was willing to help.”

The conclusion of their successful fundraiser ended with a puppy shower, where the service dogs that the supplies and donations are for were brought into the school for the students to meet and pet. 

It means a lot to help out animals that really need it,” senior co-founder Alexis Burch said. “I have dogs myself, and they mean the world to me.”

The dogs were brought in with the organization and set up in a small area near the Tiger Shack where they ran around soaking up the love and attention from students passing by and heading to their A-lunch. 

“I’m super happy with how the puppy shower turned out,” senior co-founder Jade Berry said. “It took a lot of planning, and a lot of emails but I’m really happy that the Paws club could have a positive impact on an organization like this.” 

The Paws club is excited and looking forward to volunteering at different animal shelters and creating more opportunities for students to get involved in their community.

Written by Jade Berry