FCCLA Fundraiser Supports Lake County Animal Control

Alexandra Perez, Editorial Manager ♦ March 18, 2026

The donated items sit outside of the Lake County Animal Control. The inspiration to support a shelter came from the desperate need of supplies that shelters lack after the holidays.

The Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) club recently held a pet drive from January 16 to February 6 that donated all given items to the Lake County Animal Control in Crown Point. Not only did students and staff donate, but the whole community did as well, with many bringing unused materials such as dog food or paper towels. These items can be used to support the needs of animals at the shelter.

The drive received plenty of donations. Shannon Hassel, FCCLA advisor and Human Services teacher, listed what sort of items were donated, as all donations went to her room. “We’ve gotten dog food, towels, sheets, blankets, paper towels, and various clothes,” Hassel said.

Karley Cuneo, FCCLA captain, explained the process of planning such a large drive. Though she felt the planning process was smooth and easy, there were still challenges. “The most difficult part was getting and maintaining contact with the shelter. I had to leave several voice mails to get a response,” Cuneo said. “The Griffith Animal Shelter was our first choice, but they never got back to us.”

To promote the drive, members of the club made posters and placed them around the school, hoping to attract attention. Administration also included daily announcements regarding donations and the drive.

By organizing this fundraiser, Cuneo hoped to assist in helping animals, and received an overall outcome greater than expected.

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About the Contributor

Alexandra Perez, Editorial Manager

Alexandra Perez, who goes by Allie, is a sophomore at Griffith High school, and is a 2nd year Editorial Editor in Panther Press. Her favorite things about school are socializing with her friends along with learning about history. In her free time, Allie likes going to the gym and collecting comic books. One of Allie’s defining aspects of herself is that she possesses the ability to put her thoughts into words. However, she can talk for hours at a time about anything and is someone you can trust. A few goals that Allie has is that she wants to fix her procrastination along with her lack of motivation. Her dream career is to be an author of drama and romance, bringing the stories in her head to real life. Allie looks forward to this upcoming year of Panther Press and hopes to fulfill all her classroom goals.