Beaver using North Star Badge project to benefit the Humane Society

by Sylene Argent

Photo submitted to EFP

When seven-year-old Erica Davison started to think about what she wanted to do in order to earn the North Star badge as a third-year Beaver with the 3rd Essex Scouts, she knew her love for animals would influence the direction of her project.

  In order to earn the coveted North Star Badge, Beavers have to host a project that will benefit the community in some way. Davison loves the two dogs that compete her family, and her passion for her pets inspired her to host a collection drive for the Windsor-Essex County Humane Society.

  “I have two dogs, and I like animals,” the local Beaver said of the inspiration of picking the local animal shelter as her project’s beneficiary. “I Want to support [the animals at the Humane Society] to get good homes.”

  Davison and her supportive family members have been collecting items for a couple of months, and will continue to do so until either the end of March or whenever the Province lessens restrictions as part of the COVID-19 reopening plan. Humane Society staff, she said, urged her to wait until then to drop off the items, so she can do so in person.

“We’ve got quite a bit, but want to get some more,” Davison said of her collection. At first, she set out to collect twenty items, but her mom, Melissa Brown-Davison, suspects they will need to take a couple of pick-up truck loads down to the Humane Society, once the collection is over.

  Before she began collecting items, young Davison contacted the Humane Society to see what the animals needed. She was told they were in need of paper towels, newspapers, towels, laundry soap, bleach, and blankets, in addition to monetary donations.

  Because she was able to collect so many of the items on the list, Davison called back to see if there was anything else she could help with. As a result, she was given a second list of specific brands of dog and cat food, in addition to puppy training pads. She used some of the monetary donations she received through her collection to purchase these items

  Anyone able to help Davison support animal as they search for their perfect, fur-ever homes, can call her mom, Melissa, at 519-819-7939 to arrange an e-Transfer or discuss what items are best to donate.

  Davison urges area individuals and families in a position to give to help her through her collection for the Windsor-Essex County Humane Society, “Because they can adopt [out] dogs, cats, and other animals that don’t have a home.” Knowing there are animals out there without a loving home makes her sad. She said it is important to help others realize there are animals out there that need a little help, while they wait for a special family to call their own.