Serving Local Furry Friends

 

By Sharisse Leong

Graduation service hours have always been in the minds of high school students. Getting the 10 hours of service by the end of the year is important to them. Though due to the recent outbreak of Covid, it has not been easy to find opportunities to serve. The high schoolers were ready to serve as an email was sent out concerning a service opportunity at the Cat Beach Sanctuary.

For the graduation hours to be approved, the project has to be something non-school sponsored. On Tuesday, October 6, Zoe Grous, a senior, sent out an email explaining that she had contacted the people working for the cat beach, stating that they needed volunteers to help out at the shelter. She sent out a signup form, and up to 32 kind-hearted high schoolers were willing to participate.

I asked Zoe Grous (12) the question of what inspired her to reach out to the Cat Beach Sanctuary: “Through the Student Impact Club I have been able to reach out to different organizations in Penang, which has been very inspiring. I felt inspired to reach out to Cat Beach Sanctuary because often people overlook animals and see them as less important. Providing the high schoolers with a service opportunity seemed like a great way to get students involved and give back to the community.”

On Saturday, October 17, a group of high schoolers ranging from freshmen to seniors made their way to the Cat Beach Sanctuary, located in Teluk Bahang. They were met with an unexpected obstacle, where there was heavy traffic. What was supposed to be a 25-minute ride became a 45-minute ride due to a fallen tree on the way.

Even though the students got to the cat beach later than expected, they still kept the smiles on their faces. Once they entered the gates, the local cats greeted them with excitement, rubbing against their legs, meowing, and purring. The students fell in love with the furry friends instantly.

The volunteers were then split up evenly into three groups. One group got to clean the cats, another had to clean below the main cat house, and the last group got to play with the cats and clean around the area.

The volunteers continued their work for two hours, till four in the afternoon. It was an exceptionally hot day and there was no air conditioning, but nobody complained. Everyone worked hard and made sure that the cats were left clean and happy.

At four, the students were picked up by their parents, and some of them left with a grab, paying about 4 to 6 ringgit per person for the ride back. The sweat and hard work were worth it, knowing that they had done something good for the community and provided a better environment for the Cat Beach Sanctuary cats.

It was heartwarming that the group of high schoolers were willing to take time off their fall break to serve the local community. This shows what Dalat is all about: being selfless and serving the community.