By Julie Costa
CCC Journalism Program
BLACKWOOD – Camden County College will host Camden County Animal Shelter’s second annual dog walk Oct. 11 to raise money and spread awareness for sheltered animals.
Many events will go on during the dog walk, including a one-mile “Pledge a Paw” walk that dogs and people can participate in.
Monica Munciello, event coordinator at Camden County Animal Shelter, has been planning for the dog walk for months.
“For an event as big as this, we have to be prepared ahead of time so nothing goes wrong,” Munciello says.
The website for this event was launched March 1, and now the animal shelter is focusing on getting donations, sponsor companies and vendors that aren’t all animal related. This year, event organizers are hoping to raise $60,000 that will go straight to helping the animals at the shelter. Adoptable animals will participate in the walk as well in the hope of finding a nice family to go home with at the end of the day.
“We’re having this walk to raise money and awareness and to get the community out to promote adoption,” Munciello states. “Fundraising is important, but adoption is our number one goal, and that is why we have events like these.”
Last year, the “Pledge a Paw” dog walk raised $4,300 that went straight to helping the animals. Andrea Huhn, a 4-year Camden County Animal Shelter volunteer, participated in the event.
“It was very successful raising funds for the shelter, and I can’t wait for this year’s event,” Huhn says.
The three other animal shelters in Camden County also come together and help out with this event so they can get as many animals as they can adopted.
“If you can’t adopt, foster. Everyone can do something, large or small, to help save a life,” Huhn stresses to the community to help the animals get placed in a loving home. “I encourage volunteering at a local animal shelter, it’s always needed and there’s always a way to help.”
The “Pledge a Paw” dog walk will take place noon to 4 p.m. Oct. 11 2015 at Camden County College, 200 College Drive, Blackwood. Anyone interested in registering or donating money to the walk and the shelter can go to ccasnj.org.
The Camden County Animal Shelter is on Barnsboro Road. By Julie Costa, CCC Journalism Program