dakin hall of fame
Join us in celebrating the kindness and generosity of our friends in the community who have joined together to help Dakin make a difference for animals and their people. Read on to find out about the special projects these groups and individuals have completed!
February 2012
Woof, Wag, Meow, and Two Paws Up for Clara Bloomenthal! Birthday girl Clara, just four years old, asked for family and friends to donate food and toys to help animals at Dakin instead of birthday gifts in her honor. Was Clara's love of Nellie whom Clara and her family adopted from Dakin that helped inspire her? Nellie's not saying but Mom says this was entirely Clara's idea. From all of us at Dakin...thank you, Clara, and happy birthday!
january 2012
Wolf Swamp Road School Daisy Troop #11607 made catnip toys for the cats at the Dakin adoption center in Springfield in order to earn their "Considerate and Caring" petal. The girls are all in the 1st grade at Wolf Swamp in Longmeadow, and had so much fun working on this craft for the cats! Catnip all around! On behalf of all the happy kitties...thank you Daisy Troop #11607!
december 2010
For over a year now, the staff and clients of VCA Palmer Animal Hospital have donated countless bags and cans of food, treats, litter, leashes, toys, beds, towels, fleece, and dollars to benefit the animals in Dakin’s care. The ongoing collection began during the holidays in 2009 – and has never stopped. A large box sits in their lobby, with an appeal to support Dakin’s needs. The humane society’s director of development, Pat Ford Yurkunas, is also a client, and is often called on when she comes in with her own animals to “load up the car,’ or a member of the Animal Hospital staff will call her and say, “There are bags and boxes in the back room for Dakin. We’re full so come on by.” We are grateful to Dr. Michelle Haroules, Dr. Barbara Boudreau, and their wonderful staff for such ongoing support! As one of our adoption counselors said when the latest delivery was made, “Is this another super donation from the Palmer Animal Hospital?” Yes, it was.
Staff of VCA Palmer Animal Hospital
october 2010
Dominic DeSalvio of Leeds completed at community service project for his school to benefit Dakin's pet food bank program! Dominic did an incredible job and collected enough money to buy seven big bags of cat food (18lbs. each!), as well as as some canned cat food and dog food. Dominic then came into the Springfield Adoption Center and bagged up all of the food into one-gallon Ziploc bags and labeled them for transport. Thank you so much, Dominic, for pulling together a successful project to help animals and people in need!
Dominic bagging food he collected for the pet food bank
A group of students for Western New England College helped out with Pit Bull Awareness Day for their service day on October 23rd. The students were extremely helpful in setting up, decorating the Springfield Adoption Center, and drawing in visitors by making signs and waving pom-poms! Hurray for all of the animal lovers at WNEC!
WNEC Community Service Group at the Springfield Adoption Center
september 2010
The staff, friends, and patrons of East Longmeadow Library Children's Department donated $350 to Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society through the success of their summer reading program. Children participating in the summer reading program were given the incentive of receiving one raffle ticket for each hour of reading completed. Raffle tickets could be put towards 20 different gift packages, including a portable DVD player, walkie-talkies, and a play grocery store, as well as a more unusual prize of helping the animals at Dakin. Depending on the number of tickets, staff and friends of the library would make a donation to Dakin. From Jennifer Couturier, one of the East Longmeadow Library Children’s Department staff:
We have been blown away at just how successful this program has gone! … It was amazing to hear how children wanted to give their tickets not for the prizes but for the animals in need. Our goal was 100 tickets. We were shocked when we opened the can to find 1,202 tickets!! …Overall, it’s been wonderful to build awareness and to see how excited the children are about helping out. We will definitely be doing this in the future.
1,202 tickets is equivalent to more than 50 solid days of reading! Wow! Many, many thanks to the kind staff and friends of the library, and, of course, to the summer readers who made it possible.
august 2010
Lars Andrews decided to help Dakin over the summer. Below are Lars' own words on how and what he did:
Over the summer I decided to support Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society. when I was just starting this project, I visited Dakin to gain information on what their shelter was like. My goal was to raise $200, and my final amount, in less than two weeks, was $252. The donators were friends, family, neighbors and my dog's vet office.
Instead of just handing Dakin the money, I decided it would be fun to buy animal supplies with the money and then deliver them to Dakin. Some of the supplies I bought were cat litter, bleach, cat and dog beds, toys and baby food (for sick kittens). I looked for bargains at every store I went to, and I think I got the most out of my money. I even shopped for pet supplies on my Cape Cod vacation.
I hope that what I did will encourage others to help Dakin or any other shelter. Animals needs our help. We can help by donating, adopting, and volunteering at a shelter. Dakin is a great place because they know what they are doing, the staff is very helpful, and I saw that the animals were all clean and happy. While I was doing my fundraiser this summer, it made me positive that I want to with the animals when I grow up.
THANK YOU, Lars!
Lars and Adoption Center Manager, Michelle Scully show off some of the supplies donated by Lars.
Lydia Kinsman requested family and friends to celebrate her 11th birthday, not with a gift for her, but with a gift for the animals at Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society. Lydia raised an amazing $410 for Dakin in honor of her birthday and also collected donations of food and kitty litter. On behalf of all of us, two-legged and four, THANK YOU, LYDIA!
Lydia (left) and friend Magi (right) with their new Dakin dog hats and thank you certificate.
Lydia and Magi with Dakin dog Sasha Ray.
The youth group from Wesley United Methodist Church in Hadley raised more than $125 in change for Dakin and hosted a donation bin at their church to collect most needed wish list items. Thank you so much for taking action to help animals in need!
june 2010
Girl Scout Troop 550 Agawam made dog blankets and other crafts for adoption center animals. Many thanks for going the extra mile to make adoption center animals more comfortable while they await their forever homes!
Kirstin Laplante’s Girl Scout Troop donated the money they collected from cookie sales to the animals at Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society. The proceeds totaled $200! Thank you for your kindness and care for animals!
may 2010
Holyoke Girl Scout Troop 40342 completed a very successful donation drive at the Northampton Wal-Mart! In total they collected a whopping $628.01 and the following items: 50 pounds hard dog food; 100 pounds hard cat food; 4 packages copy paper; 3 containers detergent; 6 boxes dryer sheets; 1 gallon white vinegar; 3 packs of latex gloves; 4 fleece throws; 5 packages of paper towels; 2 can spray cheese; 5 leashes; 10 collars; 18 cat toys; 8 dog toys; 7 bags rawhide chews; 3 bags rawhide bones; 4 packs of rawhide chews; 45 pounds of cat litter; 128 cans cat food; 48 cans dog food; 1 bag cat treats; 2 bags dog treats. WOW! Incredible job!
may 2010
Brownie Troop 166 of Longmeadow completed a tremendously successful project to help homeless animals! For their Bronze award, the troop collected cat food for the Dakin Pet Food Bank. Cat food is greatly needed for the pet food bank—it is in much greater demand than dog food, so we are very thankful the troop decided to focus on it! In early April they collected food at their school, Dave’s, and AW Brown’s. Their goal was to collected 350 pounds of cat food, but they ended up taking in nearly 500 pounds! Additionally, the group transferred all of that food into gallon size Ziploc bags for the pet food bank. Wow! Excellent job!
Troop 166 of Longmeadow with some of the food they collected for the pet food bank.
Eagle Scout Nathan D'Entremont chose the animals of Dakin as beneficiaries of his Eagle Scout Project, and we are so happy he did. Nathan collected a LOT of items we greatly need. The items include: 21 blankets, 56 towels, 16 cans of dog food, 40 bags of hard dog food, 1 dog bowl, 5 dog toys, 14 leashes, 20 cans cat food, 12 bags of hard cat food, 3 bags cat litter, 1 cat toy, 1 cat bowl, 1 bag timothy pellets, 3 grooming products, 2 crates, 4 litter boxes, 1 pack paper plates, 23 rolls paper towels, 4 bottles bleach, 4 bottles hand sanitizer, 1 snow blower, and $60 in gift cards to Stop & Shop. Thank you so much, Nathan, for your hard work and commitment to helping animals in need!
Nathan and Dakin friend with the collected donations.
Brownie Troop 11061 from Belchertown sold cookies and used the proceeds for purchasing much-needed supplies for the Dakin adoption centers. Items purchased included: dog and cat food, cat toys, KMR (milk replacer for kittens), rawhides and Greenies for the dogs. They also made fleece cat blankets to keep adoption center cats comfortable and snuggly while awaiting their forever homes. Great job, and thank you for choosing to help make life easier and better for animals and their people!
Brownie Troop 11061 from Belchertown with Emily and Dakin friend.
Gabby and Jacklyn of Brownie Troop 33 asked friends and family for donations to Dakin in lieu of traditional birthday gifts. In total they raised $120 in total! Thank you so much for your commitment to helping homeless animals!
Brownie Troop 33 collected wishlist items to help adoption center animals. They collected lots of blankets, towels, toys, bowls, and treats—all of which will help Dakin animals feel more comfortable and secure while they are waiting for their forever homes. Thank you Brownie Troop 33!
march 2010
Seven exceptionally motivated students of Gateway Regional Middle School coordinated a very successful donation drive to benefit the animals of Dakin, which extended throughout the school and into the community. The students utilized a video presentation, letter writing campaign to local businesses, posters, and flyers to promote their donation drive.
Items collected included: 428 pounds of dog food; 39 pounds cat food; 7 pounds dog biscuits; 2 bird cages; 36 cans cat food; 59 cans dog food; 21 wash cloths; 1 box dryer sheets; 5 towels; 1 box tissues; 2 bottles dish soap; 3 bottles hand sanitizer; 2 sponges; 8 dog toys; 1 dog brush; 3 leashes; 6 collars; 1 pad paper; 1 package dog treats; 1 package small animal treats; 2 feeders; 4 blankets; 5 pounds rabbit food; 2 dog crates; and cash donations.
The students who made this project possible are: Caitlyn Bodoh, Lizzie Bean, Samantha King, Alex Webster, Kristy Valiere, Jon Wyand, and Alison Fisk. Thank you all so much for organizing such a tremendous project to help people and animals in your community!
Gateway Junior High School students are joined by Dakin staff members, Rebecca, Emily and Lori.
Gateway Junior High School students with some of the supplies collected for Dakin.
Girl Scout Troop 509 worked on several projects to help animals in need. They collected pet food, which they then transferred into gallon size bags for Dakin’ Pet Food Bank program. They also made cat toys which they handed out to adoption center cats. Thank you for working to make a difference for animals and people in need!
february 2010
The students of Chicopee HS School to Career program completed a school-wide donation drive to benefit animals in our community. They collected 100lb cat litter, 20lb hard cat food, cat and dog toys, peanut butter, latex gloves, sponges, cat beds, bowls, canned cat food, homemade dog cookies (which the dogs LOVED!), rawhide chews, canned dog food, dog clothes, yards of felt fabric, 28lb dog biscuits, and cleaning spray. Thank you so much for taking the initiative to make a difference in your community!
Students of Chicopee HS School to Career Program
Laura McDonough and Karin Linegar did a great job holding a donation drive to benefit Dakin animals at the Northampton Wal-Mart in early February. Together they raised $52.54 and lots of much-needed items: dog collars, cat litter, hard cat food, paper towels, dryer sheets, dishwashing detergent, puppy treats, dog bones, dog toys, rawhide treats. Thank you both so much for going above and beyond to help those in need!
Students from the Pre-Employment Program at Franklin County Technical School raised a whopping $750 for Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society! They sold 132 hand-made scarves made by Charlotte Choleva and donated the proceeds to Dakin. The students who participated in selling the scarves are: Alicia, Anna, Andrea, Calvin, Cody, Corey, Heather, Jenn, Josh, Kyle, Melissa, Nick and Scott. Teachers and staff involved in the project were: Charlie Choleva, Guy LaPollo, JoAnn Stafford and Brittany Tyler. What a wonderful accomplishment! This is their second year doing this project, and we are so grateful to have them as friends of Dakin. Thank you for your hard work!
Students from the Pre-Employment Program at Franklin County Technical School
For Valentine’s weekend, Sarah Couture organized a donation drive and collected lots of animal supplies and food to help adoption center animals. Thank you so much, Sarah, for your compassion and drive to help animals in need!
Sarah Couture
Our friends Ashley Andriulli and Meghan Rothschild of Six Flags New England coordinated a special event on Valentine’s Day to support our pet food bank. The event was very successful and brought in carloads of food and supplies as well as cash donations. We look forward to our next partnership with Six Flags New England to benefit the animals, thank you!!
The students of Smith College Campus School did a donation drive to help the animals at Dakin. They collected paper towels, dish soap, dog bones, plastic cups, disposable gloves, sponges, 41 lb cat litter, construction paper, canned cat food, large dog crate, dog treats, dog shampoo, hard cat food, and canned dog food. Way to go! Thank you for helping us help those who can’t help themselves.
The students of Smith College Campus School
january 2010
4-H Hilltown Bird Brains held a number of fundraising events throughout the year to benefit Dakin. This month, they presented Dakin with a check for $150! Thank you all so much for your hard work and dedication!
Dakin's Candy lash and the 4H Hilltown Bird Brains
Mrs. Hurwitz’s 4th Grade Students in Room 215 of Springfield’s Frederick Harris Elementary School, made two beautiful sets of holiday ornaments for Dakin Springfield. The class made winter holiday decorations and Valentine’s decorations. Their creative work not only brightened up the adoption center, it also showcased adoptable animals by incorporating animal’s pictures into the decorations. Thank you for giving our adoption center some pizzazz during the holidays!
The Girl Scout Troop of West Springfield did a wish list collection to benefit Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society. Items they collected included: dry cat and dog food for the pet food bank, towels, and blankets. Thank you for putting your love for animals into action!
Lauren and Lindsay Kinney did a wish list collection to benefit Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society. Items they collected included: blankets, towels, canned and hard cat food, a large cat toy, bleach, dish soap, dog toys, hard and canned dog food, cat carrier, cat food bowls, dog leashes and collars, and cash donations. Thank you so much, Lauren and Lindsay, for your care and compassion for animals!
Lauren & Lindsay Kinney
Girl Scout Daisy Troop 212 of Longmeadow did a wish list collection to benefit Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society. Items they collected included: paper towels, bleach, vinegar, pens, canned cat and dog food, dog bed, fleece blankets, dish soap, water bowls, antibiotics, dog bones, baby food, and dog toys. Thank you all so much for your hard work to help animals in need!
Left to right: Maddie, Arlia, Isabella, Sabrina, Casey, McKenna and Tia (not pictured-Nina)
Danielle McQuaid held a successful donation drive at the Northampton Wal-Mart early this month. She collected a 20 lb bag of dog food, large bag of dog biscuits, 20lb bag of cat food, 2 blankets, 2 cans of soft cat food, 2 cans of soft dog food, and more than $60 in cash donations. Thank you, Danielle, for braving the cold to make this winter more comfortable for animals in need!