Lafourche Parish Public Library’s Bayou Blue Branch made a heartwarming donation to the Lafourche Parish Animal Shelter in Thibodaux on December 20, 2018, thanks to the branch’s Ezra Jack Keats grant-funded community project, Cause for Paws.
Bayou Blue Branch Librarian Crystal Robichaux and Branch Manager Lori Olin received notice earlier this year that their Cause for Paws community project idea had been awarded a grant by the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation.
The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation awards up to 70 grants nationwide to libraries and schools who develop a creative and innovative activity that benefits their community. According to the Ezra Jack Keats Foundations website (ezra-jack-keats.org), “Ezra Jack Keats (1916-1983) was a pioneer in American children’s literature. He based the lives of his multiracial characters on his childhood but added loving parents, friends and pets. He wanted no child to be an outsider. ‘If we could see each other exactly as the other is,’ he wrote, ‘this would be a different world.’”
Lori got the idea for the grant proposal from Ezra Jack Keat’s book, My Dog is Lost. In the book, a community helps a little boy find his lost dog. Lori had worked with rescue groups in the past, and was aware that shelters are in constant need of supplies and materials. After researching what was most needed in local shelters, Lori decided that the Cause for Paws project would focus on making pet beds and bandannas for the shelter animals. Lori explains, “We wanted a project that all age groups could take part in, and pet beds and scarves fit our vision perfectly.”
Over the course of two months, Bayou Blue patrons and staff came together several times a month to make pet beds and bandannas for the Lafourche Parish Animal Shelter. Crystal shares, “I was really excited about this project. It was wonderful to see members of the community working together and giving their time to benefit our parish’s animal shelter.” Bayou Blue staff member Ramona Gregoire and her sisters were especially helpful in showing patrons how to make the pet beds. Ramona and her sisters gave lots of advice and tips on how to make the beds different shapes and sizes for a variety of animal types and breeds.
On December 20, 2018, Lori and Ramona, along with Cause for Paws participant, Cheyenne Eveland, delivered 58 beds and 76 scarves to the Lafourche Parish Animal Shelter in Thibodaux, just in time for the holidays. Lori shares, “It was very satisfying to see the project fulfill its intended outcome. The shelter personnel and the pets seemed to appreciate our donation.”
Animal shelter staff immediately distributed beds to the animals currently housed in the shelter. The animals were interested in exploring the new additions to their home, and some curled right up on the beds and took a cat nap! Ramona shares, “It felt great to see the animals using the beds right away!” Indeed it was uplifting to see the animals appreciating the hard work of the Bayou Blue library community.
The Cause for Paws Project was a lot of fun for all involved, and turned out to be a great success. Crystal shares, “There have been a number of requests for us to do this as a library program where patrons can make their own personal pet beds, so we are looking into the idea for 2019.”
The Lafourche Parish Public Library would like to thank everyone who was involved in Cause for Paws, as well as the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation for funding the project. Everyone’s work and dedication is sure to be appreciated by the shelter animals for a long time to come.
Did you see an animal in this blog that you are interested in adopting? Contact the Lafourche Parish Animal Shelter (lafourchegov.org/services/animal-shelter) at 985-446-3532 or lpas@lafourchegov.org for more details!