Community Heroes: Ain’t No Stoppin’ Them Now!

For the past 11 years, Mead Middle School science teacher Jim Louie has championed the causes of the Spokane Humane Society (SHS) with an annual pet food drive. Each year he selects compassionate students to help raise funds and gather donations for the animals in the shelter, and this January, the students were asked to truly go above and beyond. In spite of a not-so-minor obstacle—school closed down for a week during the pet food drive because of severe snow—the clan continued to work hard to raise money for animals in need.

On January 6, just before Louie and his 2008 crew began their fundraising, the students got a little inspiration when SHS staffers brought a few of their cats and dogs out to Mead Middle School. “The animals went into several classrooms and hung out for the entire day,” says Dori Peck, SHS outreach coordinator.

After that, the students got busy, putting up donation boxes at local grocery stores and setting up outside of super stores such as Wal-Mart and Safeway to raise money and explain their mission to shoppers. They also called upon friends, parents, neighbors and everyone in their social networks to help out with donations.

On February 14, the students, accompanied by Louie, came to the shelter bearing their gifts— almost $3,000 and more than 2,500 pounds of food and litter. “After unloading the goods, the kids got to walk our dogs and snuggle with the cats,” says Peck. “They absolutely loved being with the animals. It showed them what all of their hard work went toward.”

Say the proud students of Mead Middle School: "It was heartbreaking to see all of the animals who had lost their homes, but heartwarming to know we helped them. Through the snow, cold and wind, we didn’t forget the animals!"