Students’ donation drive generates $6K for Humane Society

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A group of PVPV/Rawlings Elementary School students visited the St. Augustine Humane Society on Friday, May 21, to donate more than $6,000 they raised in a special, schoolwide project.

“They are the most go-getter students I have ever known,” said Mike Murphy, the Humane Society’s director of development. “I believe they have raised more than any other group of students combined. They have done a fantastic job.”

The project was a contest between classrooms at the school, thought up and managed by the Early Act Club, which is affiliated with the Ponte Vedra Beach Rotary Club.

To participate in Pennies For Pets, teachers had to decorate a donation can for their classes. Students would drop money into the cans, which generated a lot of change to be counted.

“It was just crazy,” said one of the students.

The donation follows another project two years ago in which the club contributed food, towels and bowls to the Humane Society. A total of 52 fourth and fifth graders ran the Pennies For Pets contest.

After receiving the donation, Murphy gave the students a tour of the facility.

Contrary to popular belief, the nonprofit is not an animal shelter.

“All of our programs and resources focus on addressing the most common reasons why pets are relinquished to shelters,” said Murphy.

Its largest program is a low-cost, high-volume veterinary clinic. Services include spay and neuter and dental surgery. The facility has x-ray machines and high-quality surgery and prep spaces.

One of the main reasons people take their pets to a shelter is money.

“People don’t want to relinquish their pets,” said Murphy. “They’re often faced with circumstances where they don’t have a lot of choices. So, by providing low-cost options, that really helps mitigate a lot of those issues.”

Providing those options relies upon donations, as the nonprofit does not receive government funding. That’s one reason the PVPV/Rawlings donation was so vital.

In addition to surgery, the Humane Society operates a pet food pantry.

“We distribute about 2,000 pounds of pet food each month to families that would otherwise not be able to feed their pets,” Murphy said.

Another source of revenue is the organization’s high-end grooming salon, which is open by appointment on Satudays.

“You feel good knowing that your pet is pampered, and you’re helping other pets in need, too,” said Murphy.

The Humane Society, located at 1665 Old Moultrie Road in St. Augustine, is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The phone number is 904-829-2737, and the website is staughumane.org.