Timely Poster Promotes Winning In More Ways than One!

Fifth  grade students in Mr. Goff's health class at E.L. Haynes Public Charter School continue to promote kindness through creativity.   Advertising executives take note. Simeon's poster depicting  Baltimore Ravens' tough guy linebacker Ray Lewis as a thoughtful animal lover gets your attention.     Simeon's hard-hitting words and carefully chosen pictures show a stark contrast between actions on and off the field.   The class'  critical look at Baltimore's award-winning, Show Your Soft Side Campaign lubowphotography.com/promotional/show-your-soft-side-campaign/ continues to spawn pro-animal messages weeks after our enthusiastic class discussion.   While the Baltimore Raven may very well be the next Super Bowl Champions, Mr. Goff's kind, caring and thoughtful students show their winning ways every day! 

This Picture Made Me Smile!

We send out a quick survey asking adopters to give us a brief update a month after their adoption is complete.  The replies with pictures are the best!   I often read the updates and then close the file, but I just had to share this one of Foxy and her new best friend.  Every cute little dog should have a cute little girl in a purple coat.  Don't let all the girliness in the photo fool you.  Foxy's grown-up person reports that the little dog has a big job -- by day she's a Corporate Watchdog with a real office.   Guess that's the next best thing to being with her BFF  24/7.  After all, kids do have to go to school.

A Big Tom Cat Melts My Heart

I'm one cool cat!

There is something about a big-headed cat.   They areabsolutely the most lovable cats, but they also aren't afraid to tell you what they do and DO NOT like.   My heart melted when I saw this big-headed guy this morning.   I was told that he was not happy about his new situation.  He was living on the streets when one of our volunteers' friend took him in temporarily.  He was happy there, and apparently didn't understand that that situation was not permanent.  He was brought here yesterday and made sure to let every staff member know that he was not fond of needles.   As someone who has been needle-phobic since birth, can't say that I blame him.   Today, he's settled in nicely.  He ate an entire bowl of breakfast and decided that the cat bed is warm and cozy.  When I opened his kitty condo he got up and rubbed all over me.   Whoever is lucky enough to adopt this big bruiser is not going to have any trouble getting him to settle in.  He's up-to-date on all vaccines.  No more needles for another year!  If you come looking for him at the League, ask for Banger.  I personally think he looks like a Chuck or Clint.  His rescuer likes Chico.  I'm sure he'll answer to anything that suits him.   After all, he's a big-headed tom cat who just may come when he's called, but just as well may not! 

Fifth Graders' Artwork Speak Volumes



Reinna's poster, modeled
from Baltimore's
Show Your Soft Side
Campaign,
 includes quarterback RGIII as spokesperson.

 I have had the privilege of visiting with an awesome fifth grade class at E.L. Haynes Public Charter School this year.  Their health and fitness teacher, Mr. Kennon Goff, introduced me to some of the students over the summer.  When he asked if I'd be interested in working with the class during the school year he told me that the entire class was just as empathetic, compassionate, and inspiring as the small group he brought to shelter as part of the summer enrichmentment program.   I thought he was exaggerating until I met the students.  When asked to come up with their own campaigns to promote kindness to animals, the students brainstormed during our 45 minute session.  But the ideas didn't stop there -- many of the students worked on their posters at home and returned to school with camera-ready art.


Fionna's exquisite life-like drawing of a cat
catches your eye and then delivers an emphatic directive.



100 Ways to Help Animals

Lafayette Elementary School 4th graders in Ms. Fratto, Hallstrom, and Culver’s classes strategized before the break on ways to help animals.  The brainstorming session resulted in a list of 100 terrific ideas.  Ten of those ideas are listed below. 

1. Give animals food
2. Adopt an animal
3. Buy animals toys
4. Protect animals
5. Hold a food drive, toy drive
6. Make posters to convince people to adopt animals
7. Volunteer at a shelter
8. Be nice to animals
9. Advertise shelter animals in the newspaper
10. Send ideas about caring for animals to congress
The students made sure that their fifth suggestion, hold a food drive, was not only carried out, but was a huge success.  The fourth graders' school-wide food drive to support the League's Rescuers Food Bank netted nearly 200 pounds of cat and dog food and treats!   Thank you! 

Look Who is Sitting Side-by-side

Just yesterday I was saying to someone that my cats, Merl and Charlotte, like each other okay, but that they don't cuddle or sleep next to each other, let alone groom one another.  And then last night, Max said, "Mom, look at this!"  There was Merl and Charlotte, side-by-side, fur touching fur.  And, you guessed it, while we were smiling at the pair and commenting on their cuteness, Charlotte started grooming Merl.  She bathed his face and ear. 
Maybe I can save my sofa by telling someone that I don't ever expect Charlotte to stop using it as a scratching post.  It's worth a try!