"These Children Are A Blessing"

Hats off to the North Oconee High School Humane Society Club.

These animal-loving students meet two Thursdays a month and participate in some kind of monthly volunteer effort involving animals. They have volunteered with both the Athens Area Humane Society and the Oconee County Animal Control shelters to work with and help socialize the animals.

"You could tell they loved the animals and really enjoyed being with them," said Animal Control director Catlyn Vickers. "So many young people are just narcissistic but that's certainly not the case for these young people. They were a blessing."

The club's sponsor, Dr. Meri Blackburn, came to North Oconee from Clarke 
Central, were she worked with the school's student Humane Society Club. So it was easy for her to facilitate a joint fund-raising event between the two clubs.

A fall fund-raiser involving with two clubs netted $800+ for the Athens Area Humane Society's spay/neuter efforts. Other activities include meeting with students from UGA's veterinary college to learn firsthand about school.

Some of the teenagers who are members hope to study animals in college. Tony Purnell wants to be a wildlife biologist. Claudine Pierre-Louis may be typical of the club: she just loves animals.