School to support wildlife shelters

AN event planned for later this month is being held with the aim of raising funds to support wildlife nonprofits in the region.

The fundraiser is being run by two grade 6 student leaders at Bannockburn’s St Mary MacKillop Catholic Primary School as part of their curriculum.

Learning and teaching leader Tess Cartwright said animal welfare was an ideal continuation from what the students explored last term.

“We have kind of an enquiry unit each term. The last one was around stewardship and caring for God’s creation and our planet,” she said.

“The year 5/6s got really into a book called 47 Degrees about saving people from bushfires.

“When I was working with our two social justice leaders Chloe and Toby they really liked the idea of doing something to help our local animals and that connected to our local areas.”

With a $1200 goal, the cash from the initiative will go towards two animal rescue shelters, Victorian Lamb Rescue, and Wildlife Victoria via a shelter in Anakie.

The event, which will run on Thursday 23 November for the school community only, will see students donate a gold coin to dress up as their favourite Australian animal.

A parents’ Wildlife Victoria information session will take place that afternoon to offer tips and advice on animal rescue practices.

While the main fundraiser will be for staff, students, and parents, the community will be able to donate to the initiative via a QR code.

Ms Cartwright said the initiative feeds in to the school’s ethos of community support.

“We as a Catholic school want our students to show service and support for the community, to take some of their learning and act it out for the community,” she said.

“It’s a really simple way that our students can help support the animals and people who are already doing things for our local area.”

The donation link will be available via the school’s newsletter and website.