Vandergriff students to raise money for animals in Fayetteville

 Charlie Brown
Charlie Brown

FAYETTEVILLE -- Vandergriff Elementary School teacher Sherri Wheeler and her chocolate Labrador Charlie Brown had a tradition every last day of school.

Wheeler would go home, pick up Charlie Brown and bring him to school to assist in presenting money raised at the Charlie Brown Book Sale to the Fayetteville Animal Shelter.

Charlie Brown Used Book Sale

• From 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and Thursday

• From 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday

• Vandergriff Elementary School, 2975 E. Township St., Fayetteville

• Children’s books and adult paperbacks are 50 cents. Adult hardback books are $1.

• All proceeds benefit Lib Horn Animal Shelter of Fayetteville

Source: Fayetteville School District

"He knew we were coming up the street to Vandergriff," Wheeler said. "He would start barking with excitement. He would throw his head back. He knew it was all about him."

The sale started when Charlie Brown was a puppy, Wheeler said. For several years, the class contributing the most books would win a pizza party and a visit from Charlie Brown, and the teacher of the class also would receive a kiss from Charlie Brown.

"I would get up on stage," Wheeler said. "He would do obedience -- sit, stay and come. All the kids just love it."

The annual book sale has raised more than $40,000 for the shelter in 14 years, she said. This year's book sale takes place today through Friday at Vandergriff. The money is donated to the shelter during an assembly on the last day of school, which is May 25.

Charlie Brown wasn't able to participate in the last few years of his life, and it broke Wheeler's heart when he died in September at 14 1/2 years old. Continued interest from the community convinced her to continue with the sale.

Wheeler came up with the Charlie Brown Book Sale as a way to help the animal shelter. The concept started with children bringing in used books to be sold for 50 cents each, Wheeler said. Only third-graders participated the first year, but now the event involves the entire school and dozens of volunteers. It reaches parents and the community. Organizers in previous years have collected 12,000 to 15,000 books to put in the sale.

"It's really cool because the kids get summer reading for 50 cents," said Wheeler, who now teaches second grade. "They get so excited about buying books real cheap. It benefits the animal shelter."

The book sales generate about $5,000 to $7,000 each year, and the event is the largest single fundraiser for the Lib Horn Animal Shelter of Fayetteville, said Justine Lentz, director of Fayetteville Animal Services.

"We really love that it promotes reading as well as helping animals," Lentz said.

The city budget provides $900,000 annually for animal services, Lentz said. Last year, more than 2,700 animals came into the shelter, and since January, the shelter has adopted out 360 dogs and cats. Late spring and the summer are the busiest times for the shelter when it will have 70 to 100 cats and dogs at a time.

Volunteers such as Gannalyn Morris were busy Tuesday sorting books and setting them on tables inside the Vandergriff cafeteria. Morris started volunteering when her twin grandchildren started kindergarten at the school. They are now in third grade.

"Everybody brings books," she said. "Many mothers and fathers help and come and work. The staff is extremely involved."

Wheeler wishes more schools would start similar projects and is willing to help them, she said.

"There are so many people who really have a heart for homeless animals," she said. "This is a way they can channel their heart to help."

NW News on 05/04/2016

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