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Thank you so much for your interest in helping the Athens Area Humane Society.  We do require that all volunteers are at least 12 years old.  Until then, there are so many things you and your family can do to help the animals.  I have included some of my ideas but I know you are creative and can come up with some of your own ideas that show off your unique talents.
 
Children between 12 and 18 can volunteer but they must have a parent present while volunteering and the parent must sign a waiver for the child.   Please click here to get started.

How You Can Help

• Host a movie night, it can be fun and educational. Invite friends, family, neighbors, girl scout troop, and classmates to watch your favorite animal movie (Like Babe, Lady and the Tramp,  or Finding Nemo or one of my favorites Because of Winn Dixie). Make animal-friendly snacks to enjoy with the show (Animal Crackers, Goldfish). Ask attendees to bring an "admission fee" of donations or supplies from the AAHS Wishlist.  When your drive is over, drop everything off at the shelter on Beaverdam Road, please check our website http://www.AthensHumaneSociety.org for our hours.
• Hold a yard sale.  Yard sales are a great way to clean out items from your house you no longer need and help animals at the same time. It could be a School Yard Sale where everyone is asked to bring stuff they no longer need or want and all the sales go to the AAHS.  Ask parents, friends, teachers and neighbors to donate items to your yard sale.
• Make Catnip toys http://www.craftbits.com/viewProject.do?projectID=1107
• Lemonade Stand: Does your neighborhood have lots of yard sales? Set up a lemonade stand.,. better yet, why not grill hot dogs while you're at it?
• Time for a Change-have all your friends, family, and neighbors collect change for a month. Be sure to tell them about the change you want for the animals in our community and how important it is to spay and neuter to help with pet overpopulation.
• Trick or Treat for Wishlist items-send out a flyer to everyone in your neighborhood that you will be "trick-or-treating" for the Athens Area Humane Society and what day you will be around to pick up their donations, don't forget to list suggested items to donate.
• Visit our Adoption Center- Ask your mom or dad to take you to our Adoption Center at Pet Supplies Plus.  The animals there do get lonely sometimes and our adoption counselors can let you know who is in need of a few kisses

Helping in the classroom

• Prepare a report or speech for your class about the pet overpopulation problem or about responsible pet care.
• Ask your teacher if you can do a letter-writing project. Talk to people at your local animal shelter to find out why animals are being turned over to the shelter. Write letters to your local and state government officials and the newspapers. Make a bulletin board and display responses so other students can see them.
• Create a puppet show for your school about responsible pet care and get your friends involved.  Ask your principal if you can present it for an assembly.
• Volunteer to help younger students with their reading,
  and read a story about people helping animals.

Helping in your community

• Do you know an elderly person or someone sick who has a pet? Volunteer to help feed, walk or bathe the person's dog, or change kitty litter. Your help may enable someone to keep a pet they might otherwise have to send to a shelter.
• Create a bulletin board for your school or library with pictures of adoptable animals.
• Hold a bake sale, collect aluminum cans to recycle, or hold a yard sale. The money could be given to sponsor spay/neuter programs or to help feed shelter animals.
• Make posters for the neighborhood about taking care of animals, spaying and neutering, adopting older animals, and everything that is involved in taking care of a pet. Ask permission to put these up in stores, veterinarians' offices, or on community bulletin boards.