Event helps Good Cheer feed hungry pets

Published 1:30 am Friday, June 28, 2019

Good Cheer Food Bank & Thrift Stores has something to celebrate, and so do a great many animals — a donation of 320 pounds of dog and cat food received on Monday, June 24.

The donation came from Animal Hospital by the Sea, which organizes the annual Pawz by the Sea 5K, 10K and Kids Fun Run event. Proceeds from the event held in May want to Good Cheer Food Bank and the Happy Hounds 4-H club.

Organizers said this year’s run had the highest number of participants to date with 174 people.

The 15 bags of food have been repackaged into three-pound portions and will last for about a month’s supply, Carol Squire, the director of Good Cheer, estimated.

“We don’t use our food budget money for pet food, so we are so grateful for this donation,” she said in an email.

Karen Korbelik, the food bank manager, said their four-legged visitors “are always delighted to find pet food available.”

There is nothing more disappointing than to have to tell someone that they’ve run out, Korbelik said.

“Good Cheer encourages the donation of any kind of pet food, including of open bags that more finicky pets didn’t fully appreciate. In the past, we have received food for birds, hamsters, rabbits and once, for hermit crabs. All have been gratefully received by our shoppers,” Squire said.