For many people, the month of December is a time of giving. This act of charity is no different for one club at Oakville High School: FCCLA.

“FCCLA is Family Career and Community Leaders of America. It is a FACS club and it is a nationally recognized leadership organization,” club sponsor Jamie Daughaday Said. 

The club completes various tasks including running the Coffee Cart and coordinating Tiger Takeout, among other things. 

“I do the Coffee Cart portion where we take special education students and help them deliver drink orders to teachers and give them change. It puts them in real-world situations,” Emma Ramic (10) said. 

However, during the month of December, FCCLA diverts its attention to a different cause — helping animals in need. 

“Presents for Paws is a collection drive for local animal welfare groups, shelters and organizations who collect pet products for people who possibly can’t afford them but still want to keep their pets in an effort to keep pets in homes and out of shelters and the streets,” Daughaday said. 

This event goes beyond OHS and takes a great deal of planning, prepping and execution for the collection and donation of items to run smoothly. 

“We are always working on Presents for Paws,” Daughaday said. “It’s a lot and there’s a lot that goes into it.”

The donation of goods is a small part of a much larger process that makes Presents for Paws possible each year.

“Generally there is a day where puppies are brought into school for you guys…” Daughaday said. “We also have pet pictures with Santa that goes along with the event. We work with Pet Supplies Plus in Oakville and take pictures there.”

Thanks to those who donate, the event is able to compensate for the needs of local pets year after year. 

“We actually started it when I took over FCCLA because it was free and we had no money…” Daughaday said. “It’s beneficial to FCCLA and to the community.”