A group of four Girl Scouts from Caseyville, Collinsville and Maryville recently collected supplies for Granite City APA, a no-kill animal shelter, before visiting the shelter to learn how to care for pets.
Girl Scout Troop #726 at Granite City APA / Submitted photo
The collection and visit was part of the Red Robin project for local Girl Scout Troop #726. The project first teaches the girls to discover their values, then to connect with others and finally take action to improve their communities and the world, Troop Leader Robin Pinkel said.
Collecting supplies for the shelter, which relies on private donations, was a way to teach the girls about caring for others. It is a lesson they should learn from a young age, Keri Cary, who took the girls on the visit to Granite City APA, said.
“They should want to reach out to help others, whether it be helping people or animals,” Cary said. “Activities such as these show kids that their actions can make a difference.”
At Granite City APA, the girls learned about the services provided by the shelter, met and played with animals and even helped plant cat grass, an herb that cats enjoy and can be grown like a plant. The shelter sells cat grass to help raise money.
In preparation for the visit, and as part of the project, the troop read “5 Flowers, 4 Stories and 3 Cheers for Animals.” The book taught the girls about being courageous and strong and helping others, Pinkel said.
The next step in the project for the troop is to share what they have learned. They will do this, Pinkel said, by teaching younger girls some of things they learned about caring for animals.
Patty Rose, vice president and head of fund raising at Granite City APA said efforts such as those by Troop #726 are important to the shelter.
“If they (donors) didn’t bring items in, we wouldn’t be open,” Rose said.
Human interaction is also important for the animals, and the girls provided plenty. The Girl Scouts visited with the dogs and spent time in the cat room.
“The shelter is a great place, but it’s still kind of lonely sometimes, if you’re a dog.”
Granite City APA does not accept state or federal money, Rose said, because it would subject them to limitations on animals that come into the shelter.
“We have animals that, if they don’t get adopted, they just live out their time here,” Rose said.
Open for 42 years, the shelter conducts fundraisers throughout the year to raise money for the many supplies and expenses needed to maintain operations. Their next big event is July 20 at the American Veterans (AMVETS) office, located at 1711 Kennedy Dr., in Madison, where they will be selling tacos.
Rose said the event is very popular each year. The group typically sells between 500 and 1000 tacos.
Anyone interested in volunteering or donating to the Granite City APA can contact them at 618-931-7030.
“We always need volunteers,” Rose said.
Aanya Sharpe, Dani Cary and Felicity Zaganelli, from Troop #726 visited the shelter, along with guest Jade Harper, who is a junior. Anastasia Prokopich was not able to attend. Co-leader Crystal Westmoreland accompanied the girls on the visit.
Donations of supplies were collected at the Caseyville Village Hall.
