A bake sale for four-legged friends

La Monte student Alicia Adair holds Mango, a kitten up for adoption at the Sedalia Animal Shelter, Tuesday afternoon. Nine students from La Monte’s Exploring FACS 1 class recently hosted a bake sale, raising $109 for the shelter. The students also baked animal treats for the cats and dogs at the shelter and spent Tuesday afternoon walking and spending time with the animals.

http://sedaliademocrat.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_tsd102115animals1.jpg La Monte student Alicia Adair holds Mango, a kitten up for adoption at the Sedalia Animal Shelter, Tuesday afternoon. Nine students from La Monte’s Exploring FACS 1 class recently hosted a bake sale, raising $109 for the shelter. The students also baked animal treats for the cats and dogs at the shelter and spent Tuesday afternoon walking and spending time with the animals.

Austin Daves walks, Cinnamon, a Doberman that is available for adoption at the Sedalia Animal Shelter. The shelter has 16 dogs and 10 cats available for adoption, according to shelter manager Andrea Martin. Since July, 125 cats and dogs have been adopted from the shelter.

http://sedaliademocrat.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_tsd102115anmials2.jpg Austin Daves walks, Cinnamon, a Doberman that is available for adoption at the Sedalia Animal Shelter. The shelter has 16 dogs and 10 cats available for adoption, according to shelter manager Andrea Martin. Since July, 125 cats and dogs have been adopted from the shelter.

Mason Shireman, an eighth grade student from La Monte, holds one of the 10 kittens available for adoption at the Sedalia Animal Shelter. Individuals wanting to adopt a pet or volunteer at the shelter may do so by visiting the shelter at 2900 W. Main St.

http://sedaliademocrat.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_tsd102115animals3.jpg Mason Shireman, an eighth grade student from La Monte, holds one of the 10 kittens available for adoption at the Sedalia Animal Shelter. Individuals wanting to adopt a pet or volunteer at the shelter may do so by visiting the shelter at 2900 W. Main St.

Sedalia Animal Shelter Manager Andrea Martin, left, accepts a check from the La Monte Exploring FACS 1 class for $109 Tuesday afternoon. The students hosted two bake sales to raise the funds. As part of a class service project for teacher Doris Jolly, the students chose to raise funds and volunteer at the shelter.

http://sedaliademocrat.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_tsd102015animals4.jpg Sedalia Animal Shelter Manager Andrea Martin, left, accepts a check from the La Monte Exploring FACS 1 class for $109 Tuesday afternoon. The students hosted two bake sales to raise the funds. As part of a class service project for teacher Doris Jolly, the students chose to raise funds and volunteer at the shelter.

Josiah Vansel hugs one of the dogs he walked Tuesday afternoon at the Sedalia Animal Shelter. Vansel spent most of his time at the shelter walking and playing with some of the 16 dogs up for adoption but he also spent part of his afternoon holding and giving the kittens at the shelter some attention as well.

http://sedaliademocrat.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_tsd102015animals5.jpg Josiah Vansel hugs one of the dogs he walked Tuesday afternoon at the Sedalia Animal Shelter. Vansel spent most of his time at the shelter walking and playing with some of the 16 dogs up for adoption but he also spent part of his afternoon holding and giving the kittens at the shelter some attention as well.

A bake sale usually results in something good. For the students in Doris Jolly’s Exploring FACS 1 at La Monte School, class it was a benefit to their two-legged friends and family but it was a special treat for the cats and dogs at the Sedalia Animal Shelter.

After a recent bake sale, the nine students in the class were able to raise $109 for the Sedalia Animal Shelter, but that is not the only donation the students made.

On Tuesday afternoon, the students went to the shelter to spend time playing and cuddling with the cats and dogs in addition to bringing them some school-made treats.

“One of the things the exploring FACS class does besides teaching them life skills is they learn FCCLA leadership skills,” Jolly said. “A part of that is doing a service project.”

Jolly commented that typically the students want to do something at the school for a project but this year they came up with the idea that they wanted to help the animals at the shelter.

“You never want to squelch the enthusiasm the students have,” Jolly said. “So when they came to me with the idea there really wasn’t a question about it; you just really hope they want to continue helping others when they become adults.”

The Sedalia Animal Shelter is always in need of volunteers and so when Shelter Manager Andrea Martin received the call from the school she was thrilled.

“During the summer we had a lot of students who came and volunteered at the shelter,” Martin said. “Knowing that they are back in school those numbers have slowed so this is really wonderful and awesome that they would want to help like this.

“We currently have 16 dogs and 10 cats available for adoption,” she added. “We have a low census on cats right now but we can always use volunteers to give the animals some extra attention.”

Part of the reason for the lower numbers at the shelter is the high adoption rate the facility has seen in recent months.

“In the last three months, we have had 125 adoptions,” Martin said. “We have also been able to return 20 lost dogs to their owners.”

The shelter has also transferred some cats to a facility that had a low census and transferred six dogs to the Puppies for Parole program.

For many of the students the best part of the day was spending time with the animals that were up for adoption.

“The bake sale was fun and making treats for the animals was too,” Mary Martinez said. “But the best part has been petting the kittens.”

Individuals who are interested in adopting animals or who would like to volunteer at the shelter should visit the Sedalia Animal Shelter, located at 2900 W. Main St.