| | Published March 21st, 2018
| Scratching the surface to aid in local dog adoption
| | | By Cathy Dausman |  | | From left: Izzy Smith, Jordan Cooney, Kelly Dissman and Tyler Kaplan. Photo Cathy Dausman |
Eighth-graders Kelly Dissman, Jordan Cooney, Izzy Smith and Tyler Kaplan are on a mission. The foursome, members of Lafayette's Girl Scout Troop 30577, recently completed a publicity campaign designed to benefit Lafayette-based Shake, Wiggle N' Roll Animal Rescue Foundation. It will also help them earn their Silver Awards, the highest award a middle school Scout can earn. Only 14 percent of girls in the Girl Scout Northern California division achieved this honor during Scout fiscal year 2017.
In the aftermath of the 2017 North Bay wildfires, dogs, as well as people, needed rehousing. To help, the students from Stanley Middle School designed posters, e-flyers and donation boxes and wrote letters and posted photos online to promote fostering and adopting displaced dogs while raising awareness about animal euthanization. While developing teamwork and communication skills the girls hope this project will offer the nonprofit ongoing support.
Shake, Wiggle N' Roll founder Maryann Lovi said she feels blessed the girls selected her small but mighty organization for their joint project. Each girl had an obvious love for animals, Lovi said. In fact, Cooney's family recently fostered, then adopted two dogs - Stevie and Louie - directly from Shake Wiggle N' Roll.
"They couldn't be in better hands," Lovi says. She educated the Scouts about the organization's all-breed acceptance of animals from overcrowded shelters as well as how she takes in animals surrendered by families who become unable to care for them for any reason.
The students have submitted the project paperwork to the Girl Scout office and should receive their Silver Awards in the fall, says Silver Award parent volunteer Lisa Palma.
"These girls are really working hard," says volunteer troop leader Nicole Carberry about the Stanley group. She notes four other groups are also working toward their Silver Award.
"It's pretty cool when you are 12 or 13," Carberry said.
To learn more about Shake Wiggle N' Roll's part in animal rescue, visit www.adoptapet.com/shake-wiggle-n-roll-animal-rescue-foundation/.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA