Lake County Journal / LakeCountyJournal.com • Edition of January 10-January 16, 2013
| COMMUNITY NEWS
6
First-graders keeping local dogs fed through project BY ELIZABETH VASSOLO
Photo provided
LEFT: A first-grader shapes dog biscuits to help canines in need.
lcjedit@lakecountyjournal.com Carla Moser and her first-grade glass at Emmons Elementary school in Antioch, want to make sure local dogs don’t go hungry. That’s why she and her students created feedSpot, a dog food drive and donation program that has her class collecting dog food and distributing it to the Open Arms Food Pantry. “Everyone knows I am kind of a dog girl,” Moser said. “And with the economy being how it is and seeing how many people are in the food pantry parking lot every time it opens, I thought the dogs needed to be fed, too.” Helping others is nothing new for Moser. At the beginning of each year she picks a cause her students can believe in and teaches them by experience, what a little time and energy can accomplish. “I want the kids to know even though they are little people, they have the ability to positively impact their community and give back,” she said. The students are involved in every aspect of the project. They stay busy collecting dog food and monetary donations from individuals and businesses. They hold regular fund raisers selling homemade dog biscuits and note cards. They also mix the dog food, bag it, create fliers, decorate the donation boxes and deliver it to the food pantry. “They see how to start something, identify a problem, get in there, do the planning, do the legwork and get it done,” Moser said. So far the students have distributed more than 2,000 pounds of dog food and have raised enough money to buy
900 more pounds in the coming weeks. The class hopes to collect at least 5,000 pounds of dog food, and so far their efforts have helped 265 dogs. For students like 7-year old James Sheehan, whose best friend is his golden retriever Wrigley, helping other dogs is just the right thing to do. “My favorite part is bagging the dog food,” he said. “I like to bag it because it makes me feel good to see all that food.” The parents also love the lessons their kids are learning and the positive response from the project. “James has always been gung-ho for it,” said James’ mother, Kelly Sheehan. “At the beginning of the school year, it was his birthday, so he
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took some of his birthday money to donate. And I never hear any complaining. I have two
other kids, and they always want to go and help, too.” Karen Pyburn’s daughter
Addison also in Ms. Moser’s class, agrees. “We are very lucky to have Ms. Moser as a teacher,” Pyburn said. “Kids always have good ideas and I think adults are too busy to help them follow through. This has really opened their eyes to give them a realistic view that some people can’t afford to keep their pets.” The project will run through the end of the school year. Moser plans to publish a book sharing her student’s feedSpot journey. As for next year, Moser will refer to her long list of idea projects, pick a new one and plan to help more people. “Ms. Moser is constantly trying got figure out a way to save the world one 6- or 7-yearold at a time and making it a better place to live in,” said Kelly Sheehan. To make a donation, go to http://startsomegood.com/ Venture/feedspot_pet_food_ pantry.
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