Date: Fri 05-Dec-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: DOTTIE

Quick Words:

Dog-Pound-donation-Kerin

Full Text:

Penny Wise, Pound Fortunate

(with cut)

BY DOROTHY EVANS

Got a jar full of pennies collecting dust on a closet shelf?

You might want to think about cashing in your collection and putting those

pennies to good use the way 8-year-old Jackie Kerin recently did.

Just before Thanksgiving, Jackie took over her father's penny collection (with

his permission, of course) after deciding that after ten years, they ought to

be put back into circulation.

Jackie's idea was to use them to give the homeless dogs at the Newtown Dog

Pound a Happy Thanksgiving Dinner. She figured that while waiting to be

adopted by loving families, they might appreciate having something new and

different in their food dishes over the holiday.

A student in Mrs Qualey's third grade at Hawley Elementary School, Jackie

loves animals.

"I've got two shelties at home," she said, adding she knew how important good

food was to their health and how much they liked their special treats.

Besides, Thanksgiving was a time to think about others, and it just seemed a

good idea.

After Jackie and her mother, Andrea Kerin, counted the pennies (there were

more than 2,000 in the jar) Jackie added a few pennies of her own, and they

rolled them before driving down to the bank, where they were given $22 for

their efforts.

Then the family drove over to Super Stop & Shop in Sand Hill Plaza and found

out how much dog food $22 could buy. They came back with three big bags of

dried kibble, three boxes of dog biscuits for medium sized dogs, five

Ken-L-Ration Recipe cans, and a bag of Beefy Burger treats.

On Wednesday afternoon, November 26, the day before Thanksgiving, the Kerins

drove over to the Newtown Dog Pound off Ethan Allen Drive and presented

Jackie's gift to George Mattegat, Newtown Dog Warden.

As though they knew what was coming, the four pound dogs currently in

residence greeted the Kerins with a chorus of excited barking.

Mr Mattegat advised against going inside to visit the dogs, however, "because

it just gets them more excited."

"I thought the puppies might like canned food better than dry," Jackie said.

"A good idea. We never know when puppies are coming in. Right now, we've got

two beautiful Rottweilers, a pit bull mix and a cocker spaniel mix," Mr

Mattegat said.

"This extra food will go a long way toward keeping them happy, even after

Thanksgiving."

He thanked Jackie with a firm handshake and the dogs continued their

enthusiastic barking.