Paws for a Cause Organization
By: Morgan Sams - March 18, 2016
Have you ever wondered how community service can change your life? Throughout the class of 2016’s senior year, many have become involved in a community service group, Paws for a Cause. Ms. Lauer has worked very hard to maintain yet improve this high school community service group. While juggling a busy life, she still finds a way to manage hyperactive freshman through seniors. During meetings for this active group, there is always a fun activity that is planned we can all be a part of.
Out of the many events we’ve done, senior Kenzie Carles states, “my favorite service that I have been involved in this year was painting little pumpkins and delivering them to the elderly.” Morgan Rose also finds Paws for a Cause, “this organization has helped me learn how to be more outgoing.” Paws for a Cause has impacted the lives of many of my fellow classmates. As we are getting ready to embark on graduation, this organization has helped us learn how to work in large or small groups with individuals we might not agree with, helped us with time management, and provided us with many life long memories. We can only hope the organization has impacted the younger grades like it has our own.
Paws for a Cause can inspire the lives of many others as it has my own. Through the fun activities this group has planned, an individual can learn valuable skills that will not only help them in school, they can help them the rest of their lives. As Audrey Hepburn would say, “you have two hands, one to help yourself, the second to help others.”
Out of the many events we’ve done, senior Kenzie Carles states, “my favorite service that I have been involved in this year was painting little pumpkins and delivering them to the elderly.” Morgan Rose also finds Paws for a Cause, “this organization has helped me learn how to be more outgoing.” Paws for a Cause has impacted the lives of many of my fellow classmates. As we are getting ready to embark on graduation, this organization has helped us learn how to work in large or small groups with individuals we might not agree with, helped us with time management, and provided us with many life long memories. We can only hope the organization has impacted the younger grades like it has our own.
Paws for a Cause can inspire the lives of many others as it has my own. Through the fun activities this group has planned, an individual can learn valuable skills that will not only help them in school, they can help them the rest of their lives. As Audrey Hepburn would say, “you have two hands, one to help yourself, the second to help others.”
A Year With Paws for a Cause
By: Caleigh Pryor - March 18, 2016
North Baltimore seniors have been involved in a community service group called “Paws for a Cause” all year. However, the projects are not limited to seniors; there are many juniors along with a few sophomores. It is a great way to get out to the community and its surroundings while helping those who need it.
Projects that the group have worked on include painting pumpkins and delivering them to Briar Hill residents, visiting the residents at Birch Haven and playing games with them, and sponsoring an angel tree family. The angel tree was to benefit less fortunate families in the area and provide them with presents for their Christmas. According to Emma Rister, senior, her favorite project Paws for a Cause completed was shopping for the Angel Tree. Emma said in an interview, “It felt nice to give back to the community and know that I was helping someone and making their holiday better.”
Many students have benefitted in many substantial ways. Cheyenne Hernandez, senior, said, “The most rewarding thing of being a part of this was that I got to help others. I was grateful for that and I felt lucky to have what I do.” Paws for a Cause is an amazing service group project that is benefiting the members and the community exponentially. The group has many upcoming projects and opportunities that will take them through the rest of the year. Great job to those who are involved and keep up the good work!
Projects that the group have worked on include painting pumpkins and delivering them to Briar Hill residents, visiting the residents at Birch Haven and playing games with them, and sponsoring an angel tree family. The angel tree was to benefit less fortunate families in the area and provide them with presents for their Christmas. According to Emma Rister, senior, her favorite project Paws for a Cause completed was shopping for the Angel Tree. Emma said in an interview, “It felt nice to give back to the community and know that I was helping someone and making their holiday better.”
Many students have benefitted in many substantial ways. Cheyenne Hernandez, senior, said, “The most rewarding thing of being a part of this was that I got to help others. I was grateful for that and I felt lucky to have what I do.” Paws for a Cause is an amazing service group project that is benefiting the members and the community exponentially. The group has many upcoming projects and opportunities that will take them through the rest of the year. Great job to those who are involved and keep up the good work!
Paws for a Cause Overview
By: Emma Rister - March 18, 2016
What if you couldn’t afford something you needed and your last chance was to depend on someone else? Paws for a Cause is a community service program for all students at North Baltimore High School. Almost every month we hold meetings at the school to discuss any activities we want to do and how to plan for those activities. We choose to be in this program because it’s a good cause and helps many people that are in need. We raise money for programs by doing fun activities and or competition between classes to see who can raise the most money.
We have done a lot of fun, different activities and the best part is seeing everyone's reactions when they receive our gifts. For example we have done pennies for patients, angel tree shopping, and we are going to raise money for the Cocoon shelter. Emily said her favorite was “when we went angel tree shopping, wrapped all the presents, and made cookies for people who needed it at the time.” It was an amazing feeling knowing that we helped someone else out and they had a good, happy Christmas with plenty of presents. Kenzie Carles, senior, stated; “I enjoyed painting pumpkins for the patients at Briar Hill.” A lot of us seniors have had fun together helping people.
The best feeling while doing these services is knowing that you can give back and can really help someone. People and places need money donations for necessities that are needed to go through their everyday life. It’s good to give back for a change and to know you affected someone’s life. “Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world" (Google).
We have done a lot of fun, different activities and the best part is seeing everyone's reactions when they receive our gifts. For example we have done pennies for patients, angel tree shopping, and we are going to raise money for the Cocoon shelter. Emily said her favorite was “when we went angel tree shopping, wrapped all the presents, and made cookies for people who needed it at the time.” It was an amazing feeling knowing that we helped someone else out and they had a good, happy Christmas with plenty of presents. Kenzie Carles, senior, stated; “I enjoyed painting pumpkins for the patients at Briar Hill.” A lot of us seniors have had fun together helping people.
The best feeling while doing these services is knowing that you can give back and can really help someone. People and places need money donations for necessities that are needed to go through their everyday life. It’s good to give back for a change and to know you affected someone’s life. “Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world" (Google).
NB Service
By: Zach Meggitt - March 18, 2016
Thousands of community service organizations are functioning across the United States. However, in little old North Baltimore Ohio, there is only one organization readily available to students. Paws For A Cause has been a functioning organization for several years at North Baltimore High School, and I decided to join in and help local communities to the best of my ability.
The summer of my senior year was full of opportunities to volunteer and help my the youth football program as well as my own team, and I jumped in on the opportunity to do so. During my busy summer I was able to help run a golf outing as well as volunteer to help run a youth football camp for several days. I enjoyed every bit of helping out the youth of North Baltimore. The opportunities given to me over the summer sparked my interest for helping local causes so once the school year started I joined the group Paws For A Cause.
Sports and several other conflicts made participating in all volunteer activities very difficult. However, it did not stop me from pitching in to every cause possible. I was able to collect over $100 from family and other members of the community to help support a family during the Christmas season. I volunteered extra time during the Halloween season to decorate pumpkins for the local nursing home. Two large events are coming up over the next several weeks where I will be volunteering several hours to help run a local blood drive, and also help run the Zumba marathon. The Zumba marathon will help raise funds for the Cocoon Shelter. I am beyond excited to really get involved over the next month.
I asked my mother about her opinions on my time spent volunteering. When asked if she thinks I would be able to volunteer during college her response was this, “Living on campus will give you many opportunities to volunteer your time.” This response really gave me confidence going forward. I wish to continue volunteering and helping many people along the way. School and work will always be apart of my life, but helping others is something I am truly passionate about. “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” (Churchill, Winston)
The summer of my senior year was full of opportunities to volunteer and help my the youth football program as well as my own team, and I jumped in on the opportunity to do so. During my busy summer I was able to help run a golf outing as well as volunteer to help run a youth football camp for several days. I enjoyed every bit of helping out the youth of North Baltimore. The opportunities given to me over the summer sparked my interest for helping local causes so once the school year started I joined the group Paws For A Cause.
Sports and several other conflicts made participating in all volunteer activities very difficult. However, it did not stop me from pitching in to every cause possible. I was able to collect over $100 from family and other members of the community to help support a family during the Christmas season. I volunteered extra time during the Halloween season to decorate pumpkins for the local nursing home. Two large events are coming up over the next several weeks where I will be volunteering several hours to help run a local blood drive, and also help run the Zumba marathon. The Zumba marathon will help raise funds for the Cocoon Shelter. I am beyond excited to really get involved over the next month.
I asked my mother about her opinions on my time spent volunteering. When asked if she thinks I would be able to volunteer during college her response was this, “Living on campus will give you many opportunities to volunteer your time.” This response really gave me confidence going forward. I wish to continue volunteering and helping many people along the way. School and work will always be apart of my life, but helping others is something I am truly passionate about. “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” (Churchill, Winston)
Continuing Service
By: Kenzie Carles - March 18, 2016
Throughout my senior year, I have been involved in a community service group, Paws for a Cause. One of the many services we have done this year was painting pumpkins for the elderly. Over the fall, our community service group spent about half an hour decorating pumpkins during lunch then, after school, went to Briar Hill to give them to the residence.
When members of the community service group were asked what their favorite service was this year Morgan Sams, senior, replied with, “my favorite service was Angel Tree shopping because I was able to help a family have a memorable Christmas.” Cheyenne Hernandez, another senior member, also stated, “I think that Angel Tree shopping was my favorite service because I know how helpful it was to the family in need.” Paws for a Cause has helped change the views of many of my fellow classmates, it has taught many of us to think of the bigger picture and to always be grateful.
Seeing all of the residents' faces lights up Briar Hill when we brought them in a small gift is a time I will never forget. This activity is only one out of the many that I have been involved with throughout my senior year. I plan on continuing to volunteer in my community upon graduation and throughout my college career.
When members of the community service group were asked what their favorite service was this year Morgan Sams, senior, replied with, “my favorite service was Angel Tree shopping because I was able to help a family have a memorable Christmas.” Cheyenne Hernandez, another senior member, also stated, “I think that Angel Tree shopping was my favorite service because I know how helpful it was to the family in need.” Paws for a Cause has helped change the views of many of my fellow classmates, it has taught many of us to think of the bigger picture and to always be grateful.
Seeing all of the residents' faces lights up Briar Hill when we brought them in a small gift is a time I will never forget. This activity is only one out of the many that I have been involved with throughout my senior year. I plan on continuing to volunteer in my community upon graduation and throughout my college career.
Leukemia/Lymphoma Fundraiser - Pennies for Patients
By: Tyler Schwartz - February 8, 2016
I walked up to the front of a room I had recently became much too familiar with. Tears in eyes I made my way through the line. I waited and watched the heart wrenching scene play out. People I loved were an emotional wreck. My aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandma crying as I stood there, watching, feeling helpless as there was nothing I could do. I had made my way through the line and was now at the casket. In front of me laid a wonderful man. A man who I had loved and looked up to all fourteen years of my life. I loved this man. This man was my friend, my family, my hero, my idol. This man was my grandpa. I looked, with nothing going through my mind. It was surreal. I looked at my grandpa one last time. I touched his hand and that was a moment I will never forget. I touched his warm, comforting, hand that had embraced me with hugs for years. Still fully expecting that warm, loving, feel I touched my grandpa’s hand. The feeling of his hand scarred me in ways I can never fix. His hand was as cold as ice. The warm love in my grandpa’s hand was gone, and with it, my grandpa. I will never forget this day.
The word cancer is a hard word for anyone to hear. I, as well as most people, don’t know anyone whose life has not been touched by cancer in some way. In the case I spoke of above the cancer was Leukemia. An eight letter word that will never leave my brain. It has been burnt into my brain along with the painful memories associated with it. Leukemia is a terrible disease, as is Lymphoma. Here at North Baltimore we understand the importance behind helping support those affected by such diseases.
North Baltimore High School’s community service group, Paws For A Cause, recently hosted a Pennies for Patients fundraiser at the school. In this fundraiser students donate money to help support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The goal for the fundraiser was to raise $550 to donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The students at North Baltimore absolutely blew away their goal raising over $900, with the sophomore class leading the race raising around $450 themselves. The seniors also did very well raising almost $300, and the eighth grade class had an honorable run raising $70. Some of the top donors were Brendan Hutchins with $50, David Patterson with $51, Damon Dotson with around $55, and Tyler Schwartz with $80. Paws For A Cause also tore it up, raising quite a bit of money at home basketball games.
When donating, people like to see their money in action. People like to know that the money they worked hard to earn would work hard for those suffering. So, I intend to show you. This is a story about a young boy named Eli who was saved from the work of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Eli’s mother emotionally quoted, “That morning is blurry, yet so vivid. Terrified does not even come close to describing what it feels like to walk into a room to hear quite possibly the chances your child has to live.The doctor came in behind us and shut the door. He sat down and his exact words were,“this cancer is nearly 100% curable.” He went on to explain to me that 30 years ago, Eli probably wouldn’t make it. In that moment I knew that because other people had raised money and advocated that my son would live. People who didn’t even know me, did this for me.”
The word cancer is a hard word for anyone to hear. I, as well as most people, don’t know anyone whose life has not been touched by cancer in some way. In the case I spoke of above the cancer was Leukemia. An eight letter word that will never leave my brain. It has been burnt into my brain along with the painful memories associated with it. Leukemia is a terrible disease, as is Lymphoma. Here at North Baltimore we understand the importance behind helping support those affected by such diseases.
North Baltimore High School’s community service group, Paws For A Cause, recently hosted a Pennies for Patients fundraiser at the school. In this fundraiser students donate money to help support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The goal for the fundraiser was to raise $550 to donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The students at North Baltimore absolutely blew away their goal raising over $900, with the sophomore class leading the race raising around $450 themselves. The seniors also did very well raising almost $300, and the eighth grade class had an honorable run raising $70. Some of the top donors were Brendan Hutchins with $50, David Patterson with $51, Damon Dotson with around $55, and Tyler Schwartz with $80. Paws For A Cause also tore it up, raising quite a bit of money at home basketball games.
When donating, people like to see their money in action. People like to know that the money they worked hard to earn would work hard for those suffering. So, I intend to show you. This is a story about a young boy named Eli who was saved from the work of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Eli’s mother emotionally quoted, “That morning is blurry, yet so vivid. Terrified does not even come close to describing what it feels like to walk into a room to hear quite possibly the chances your child has to live.The doctor came in behind us and shut the door. He sat down and his exact words were,“this cancer is nearly 100% curable.” He went on to explain to me that 30 years ago, Eli probably wouldn’t make it. In that moment I knew that because other people had raised money and advocated that my son would live. People who didn’t even know me, did this for me.”
Paws for a Cause Update
By: Tyler Schwartz - November 24, 2015
Paws For A Cause is a community service group from North Baltimore High School. This group works with many charities and organizations ranging from local Angel Tree organizations to the international organization of UNICEF. UNICEF is an organization that works to provide long term humanitarian to children and mothers in developing countries. Their work includes things such as providing clean, drinkable water to countries that do not have regular access to it.
Paws For A Cause also works with local organizations such as the local Angel Tree program. The Angel Tree program provides needy families with presents and a meal for Christmas. This year Paws For A Cause is sponsoring a family with four young children. To help fund this sponsorship they held a bowling night with the participants all being sponsored per pin. They will also be accepting donations for this event.
Paws For A Cause worked with UNICEF this Halloween and participated in the UNICEF Trick-or-Treat, trick-or-treating in North Baltimore. UNICEF Trick-or-Treat is an event where people who support the cause, in the case Paws For A Cause members, go around trick-or-treating and instead of collecting candy they collect donations that go to UNICEF. Paws For A Cause raised $301.80 which was almost two dollars more than their $300 goal.
To help give you an idea of the groups that Paws For A Cause supports let’s look at it from the eyes of those that are helped. Imagine, December is coming soon with the weather turning cooler and the trees losing their once profoundly green leaves. You know Christmas is fast approaching and that means you also know that another Christmas will go by in which your children whom you love more than life itself will be disappointed once again. You are struggling to keep the lights on; you obviously just don’t have the resources to provide your children with the toys they dream of getting, just as any child does. But, then things change. You get contacted and find out that you are being sponsored by a local community service group called Paws For A Cause who is working with the Angel Tree project to provide your children with these toys you never even could dream they would lay hands on. You wake up Christmas morning and you as well as your children run down stairs to find that, to their surprise, they actually did get those toys they had wished for. Those toys that would bring a tear to their eye as they watched other kids play with them, knowing that they would never have the opportunity to do the same. The tears transfer from their eye to yours as you watch your children’s faces light up as they lay hands on theses toys, a day they have dreamed of forever.
This is just one of the miracles that Paws For A Cause is responsible for completing. Now, Let us take a moment to look through the eyes of those who are impacted by UNICEF. You are a young woman from a third world, developing country. Your parents died a few years back and you were left to take care of your little brother and little sister. You had high hopes for yourself. You wanted to graduate from your local school and open your own shop in a nearby town. Sadly, this hope will never come true. You had to drop out of school to care for your siblings. You care for your one room house and hope that you are able to get food from some of your neighbors so that you are able to feed your siblings who are already malnourished. You walk miles on hot sand and dirt, balancing buckets on your shoulders to a river over two miles away to get murky water to drink. You are carrying out your daily house work when you hear a ruckus outside. Puzzled, you go outside to see what is happening. There is a crowd of people around a few trucks that you have never seen before near the end of the street on which you live. You begin to slowly approach the crowd being careful because you have no clue what they are doing. As you get closer you realize that the people are speaking in a very cheerful matter. You get to the crowd and work your way to the front of the crowd. You get to the front and to your utter amazement there is a crew of men working some kind of contraption you have never seen before that has water coming out of it. Puzzled you ask people within the crowd what is going on. You find out that a charity group called UNICEF has donated money and is installing a water pump at the end of the street of which you call home. You begin to shed tears of joy as you realize that your four mile walk over hot sand and ground is over and you have cleaner, better water a mere block from your house.
Could you imagine this? Could you imagine the joy these things would bring? This is what Paws For A Cause works towards. They volunteer their time to help these people. Paws For A Cause really do make dreams come true and make miracles a reality. Paws For A Cause truly is a great organization with great members.
Paws For A Cause also works with local organizations such as the local Angel Tree program. The Angel Tree program provides needy families with presents and a meal for Christmas. This year Paws For A Cause is sponsoring a family with four young children. To help fund this sponsorship they held a bowling night with the participants all being sponsored per pin. They will also be accepting donations for this event.
Paws For A Cause worked with UNICEF this Halloween and participated in the UNICEF Trick-or-Treat, trick-or-treating in North Baltimore. UNICEF Trick-or-Treat is an event where people who support the cause, in the case Paws For A Cause members, go around trick-or-treating and instead of collecting candy they collect donations that go to UNICEF. Paws For A Cause raised $301.80 which was almost two dollars more than their $300 goal.
To help give you an idea of the groups that Paws For A Cause supports let’s look at it from the eyes of those that are helped. Imagine, December is coming soon with the weather turning cooler and the trees losing their once profoundly green leaves. You know Christmas is fast approaching and that means you also know that another Christmas will go by in which your children whom you love more than life itself will be disappointed once again. You are struggling to keep the lights on; you obviously just don’t have the resources to provide your children with the toys they dream of getting, just as any child does. But, then things change. You get contacted and find out that you are being sponsored by a local community service group called Paws For A Cause who is working with the Angel Tree project to provide your children with these toys you never even could dream they would lay hands on. You wake up Christmas morning and you as well as your children run down stairs to find that, to their surprise, they actually did get those toys they had wished for. Those toys that would bring a tear to their eye as they watched other kids play with them, knowing that they would never have the opportunity to do the same. The tears transfer from their eye to yours as you watch your children’s faces light up as they lay hands on theses toys, a day they have dreamed of forever.
This is just one of the miracles that Paws For A Cause is responsible for completing. Now, Let us take a moment to look through the eyes of those who are impacted by UNICEF. You are a young woman from a third world, developing country. Your parents died a few years back and you were left to take care of your little brother and little sister. You had high hopes for yourself. You wanted to graduate from your local school and open your own shop in a nearby town. Sadly, this hope will never come true. You had to drop out of school to care for your siblings. You care for your one room house and hope that you are able to get food from some of your neighbors so that you are able to feed your siblings who are already malnourished. You walk miles on hot sand and dirt, balancing buckets on your shoulders to a river over two miles away to get murky water to drink. You are carrying out your daily house work when you hear a ruckus outside. Puzzled, you go outside to see what is happening. There is a crowd of people around a few trucks that you have never seen before near the end of the street on which you live. You begin to slowly approach the crowd being careful because you have no clue what they are doing. As you get closer you realize that the people are speaking in a very cheerful matter. You get to the crowd and work your way to the front of the crowd. You get to the front and to your utter amazement there is a crew of men working some kind of contraption you have never seen before that has water coming out of it. Puzzled you ask people within the crowd what is going on. You find out that a charity group called UNICEF has donated money and is installing a water pump at the end of the street of which you call home. You begin to shed tears of joy as you realize that your four mile walk over hot sand and ground is over and you have cleaner, better water a mere block from your house.
Could you imagine this? Could you imagine the joy these things would bring? This is what Paws For A Cause works towards. They volunteer their time to help these people. Paws For A Cause really do make dreams come true and make miracles a reality. Paws For A Cause truly is a great organization with great members.
Tigers Raise Their "Paws" for a Cause
By: Aurelian Greeno - August 28, 2015
Paws For a Cause is a club at North Baltimore that is based around community service projects and volunteer work. Paws For a Cause was started last year by Ms. Lauer and a group of students looking to help out the community. The group is now recognized as an actual club and plans to hold many more meetings and host more events throughout the year. Last year, the club hosted a collection for donations from community members on the night of Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, a Zumba marathon for the Cocoon Shelter, an Angel Tree project, and a project with Habitat for Humanity. The club is advised by Ms. Lauer, and has three officers, juniors Sarina Villegas and Aurelian Greeno, and sophomore Valerie Buchanan. The officers are very excited for this year, and we interviewed them to find out more about the upcoming year for the club.
“I think what made me want to be in the club the most would probably be that I like to help people,” said Aurelian Greeno, “I have always wanted to get involved more and really give back to the community and I think the club is a great way for us to accomplish that. I definitely think that this year is going to be a very successful and productive year for the club. We have a lot of great ideas for upcoming projects and we can’t wait to start working on them. This club is definitely all about helping people. I would say helping people and giving back is our main goal. I wanted to be an officer because I loved being in the club last year and wanted a chance to get even more involved and help out with things more,”
“My expectations for the club this year is that we are going to get a lot more people involved. I think this year is going to be great with all of the events we have planned,” said Valerie Buchanan, “I really like knowing that I am making a difference, and I really just like to help people. I would like to see the club accomplish all the projects planned. I would say that the club is all about helping people who may need even the simplist of things in life more than we do. I heard about the club from Lindsay Davis last year, who convinced me to go to a meeting,”
The club is currently accepting new members and anyone who wants to join is welcome to come to the first meeting to discuss the year’s upcoming schedule.
“I think what made me want to be in the club the most would probably be that I like to help people,” said Aurelian Greeno, “I have always wanted to get involved more and really give back to the community and I think the club is a great way for us to accomplish that. I definitely think that this year is going to be a very successful and productive year for the club. We have a lot of great ideas for upcoming projects and we can’t wait to start working on them. This club is definitely all about helping people. I would say helping people and giving back is our main goal. I wanted to be an officer because I loved being in the club last year and wanted a chance to get even more involved and help out with things more,”
“My expectations for the club this year is that we are going to get a lot more people involved. I think this year is going to be great with all of the events we have planned,” said Valerie Buchanan, “I really like knowing that I am making a difference, and I really just like to help people. I would like to see the club accomplish all the projects planned. I would say that the club is all about helping people who may need even the simplist of things in life more than we do. I heard about the club from Lindsay Davis last year, who convinced me to go to a meeting,”
The club is currently accepting new members and anyone who wants to join is welcome to come to the first meeting to discuss the year’s upcoming schedule.