In February, the Newport High School Spirit Club ran the “Spread the Love Campaign.” This is the first year that Spirit Club, led by Mrs. Buffington, has run the campaign, but it is not scheduled to be the last. Senior Makenna Buffington, a member of the club, had brought the idea for the campaign to the club’s attention, jumpstarting the annual event.
The campaign’s goal was to collect donations for local pet shelters and groomers. Green bins were put in classrooms, which could be filled with dog and cat treats, food, toys, harnesses, towels, blankets, cleaning supplies, and trash bags. Collections were gathered up until Feb. 12. Most of the donations were towels and blankets, with toys having the fewest donations made. Much of the donations were geared towards dogs, such as the multiple boxes of Milk-Bone dog treats that were gathered.
When asked why Spirit Club started the movement, Mrs. Buffington said that the club wanted to give back to the community and “help out.” The club succeeded in its goal; on Valentine’s Day, donations were sent out to Perry County Animal Rescue (PCoAR) in Millerstown and Speranza Animal Rescue in Mechanicsburg. PCoAR focuses on caring for lost and unwanted pets, and Speranza Animal Rescue is a completely volunteer-run sanctuary for abused and neglected animals. Both organizations are devoted to the purpose of finding homes for the pets they care for.
