THE ECHO

By Jerica Bernfield // Reporter

After two years of dormant waiting, the Helping Paws club is ready to jump back in this 2025-2026 school year.

Helping Paws, a recently inactive club, has finally found its footing again with President Kayla Ferman, a senior, rallying a new set of officers to help reestablish this fur-loving group. Among the officers is also Vice President Ava Uhl and social media manager Olivia Droschi, both seniors.

“I was in it, but I think the seniors graduated and the club just kind of died,” Uhl said.

The first order of business was to build up the new group staff and start planning volunteer opportunities. The large turnout for the callout meeting and events already being sorted out makes a starting path for both volunteers and social bonds to be made throughout the club.

The Helping Paws coordinator, Regan Cooper, is working to plan volunteer opportunities while also working around the data from only one callout meeting. Their first official meeting to join is Sept. 10. Ferman explains, “Our first goal right after the meeting, just to get a group of people and go and help out” when asked about their volunteer plans for Bow Wow Bash on Sept. 20.

Aside from volunteering—which Uhl says she wants to provide more opportunities for—the club does animal related crafts to donate, and animal drives for shelters such as food, blankets, toys, or other supplies.

“Our vision was to just spread awareness of animal care, a kind of environment for people to come and make new friends,” Ferman said.

Photo by Jerica Bernfield