By Sameeha Jilani
Contributing Writer
Dogs may be a man’s best friend, but that doesn’t mean that all dogs are given the love and respect they deserve. That’s why Erin Lovejoy began the Lovejoy Foundation in 2010. The Foundation’s goal is to make a difference for the hundreds of abandoned and abused dogs in Los Angeles.
Sophomores Trace Demarest, Ollie Saltzman and Joe Rosenberg created the Lovejoy Foundation Club at Costa earlier this year in order to promote the Foundation and bettering the lives and treatment of animals. The Organization does this through community programs and weekly adoptions.
“I went to the adoptions many times before actually creating the club and had such a great time playing and working with all the dogs,” Demarest said. “I wanted to try to make a difference in the dogs’ lives so I started the club to try to get more Costa students involved. I also wanted to try to get as many of the dogs adopted as I could.”
The Foundation currently holds weekly puppy adoptions from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekend at the Global Pet Food Outlet Express in Redondo Beach. Volunteers receive community service hours for walking the dogs and helping visitors find their perfect pet.
“Each time I visit Lovejoy adoptions it’s truly better than the last,” sophomore Erin Clifford said. “The dogs are wonderful and sweet, and so are all of the volunteers.”
At club meetings the presidents update members about the status of the dogs at the adoption from the previous weekend, take sign ups for volunteering at the next week’s adoptions and brainstorm fundraising ideas and community awareness campaigns.
“I’m proud to be a part of Costa’s Lovejoy Foundation Club and raise awareness about animals in need,” freshman Julia DiFiori said. “The animals we work with have been through abuse or abandonment, and the fact that they can still put their trust in us is heartwarming and rewarding. They rely on us to find them loving homes, and I feel that I’m doing my part by volunteering through Lovejoy.”
In addition to volunteering at the adoptions every weekend, club presidents also hold fundraisers for the Foundation itself. Through bake sales and fundraiser nights at local restaurants, the club plans to raise money to donate to the Foundation.
“The Foundation uses the money we raise in order to benefit the dogs directly,” sophomore Jaya Loharuka said. “It’s really fulfilling to be able to know that the work we do goes directly to making the dogs’ lives better and more endurable after the trauma that they have gone through.”
The club also sponsored a school-wide competition photo up to May 3 in which Costa students submitted funny pictures of their pets and winners were selected by club members to win an iTunes gift card. The club hoped the promotion would give students an opportunity to get involved with the Foundation and help raise awareness about the club.
“Lovejoy is a great club to be a part of if you want to help raise awareness about abandoned dogs,” Saltzman said. “It’s also great if you want to help teach people what they can do to get involved and help the dogs.”
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