By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
A group of South Green Elementary students are banding together to help raise money for the Barren River Animal Welfare Association, or BRAWA, in their battle against geography.
BRAWA, a “non-profit organization founded with the goal of building an animal shelter in Barren County,” has been located on Trojan Trail in Glasgow since the completion of its original building in July 1996. With the shelter located in a floodplain and at the lowest point of Trojan Trail it is prone to flooding.
Though the shelter has a current flood plan in place and, in the case of the berm, underway, members of the elementary’s STLP, or Student Technology Leadership Program, are seeking to aid in the nonprofit’s mission.
“The animal shelter has flooded multiple times and in the most recent flood they lost two puppies because the water level was so high,” Michelle Pate, the school’s STLP coach, said. “So [the students] went and met with representatives from BRAWA and asked what they needed and how they could help. From that they said ‘we just need money to help with this flood plan.’ They have a plan but they can’t enact the plan without money.”
STLP is an extracurricular activity that “empowers student learning and achievement through the use/creation of technology based solutions to school and community needs.” Pate said the students involved in the BRAWA donation drive have made a commercial, a website, made fliers online with the twofold goal of helping the shelter and presenting their service project at the state STLP convention in March, which draws roughly 5,000 people from across the commonwealth.
The group, referred to as Helping Paws, is asking for monetary donations from the public as well as from their school who will rewards based on their fundraising ability. Rewards like extra recess, a popcorn or puppy party or an opportunity to pie one of three teachers in the face.
According to the group’s website donations can either be made via cash or check made out to South Green Elementary.
This is the third year the group has chosen to help BRAWA. The first year they collected supplies like paper towels and bleach; the second year the group made blankets and toys.
According to Callie Underwood, a fourth grader involved in this project, public reception has been good in years past and she is hopeful that the trend continues this year.
“We’ve been helping BRAWA and we’ve come to really love what we’re doing,” Underwood said.
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