The Helping Paws 4-H Club – a community-service group that benefits animals – is accepting new members for 2024-’25
“Our mission is to provide community service to animal shelters, rescues and to other animals in need,” said 4-H volunteer leader Kathlyn Lawrence, “through raising public awareness, fundraisers, donation drives and club activity events while teaching youth important life skills.
“At meetings, we usually complete an animal theme community-service project such as making enrichment toys or feral cat shelters, or have a guest speaker.”
Past club projects have included conservation efforts to benefit snow leopards, cheetahs and gorillas; collection of donations for multiple animal shelters, rescues, zoos, military dog organizations and natural disaster victims; and fundraising to pay for pet oxygen mask kits for fire departments in Gloucester County, among others.
The club is open to youth in kindergarten to 12th grade, as well as college freshmen, who meet on the fourth Thursday of each month from October to July at the 4-H Fairgrounds in either Mullica Hill or Clarksboro. Those interested in joining can email gchelpingpaws4hclub@gmail.com.