Arlington Unveils Emergency Animal Shelter
The Animal Welfare League of Arlington unveiled their disaster preparedness trailer Feb. 16. Designed to help area residents' pets, the 20-foot trailer will be equipped with everything needed to maintain a temporary pet shelter in the event of an emergency.
In 2005 the Arlington County Office of Emergency Management applied for a grant from the Department of Homeland Security. Inspired by the plight of animals affected by Hurricane Katrina, part of this grant proposal included a shelter for residents' pets. After the grant was approved the county began working with the Animal Welfare League to plan the shelter. In addition to food and cleaning supplies, the trailer will include food and water bowls, litter pans and animal crates.
When an emergency requiring evacuation takes place, the Office of Emergency Management will notify the Animal Welfare League (AWL). The League will then tow the trailer to the evacuation site and League staff and volunteers will set up the shelter and operate it.
"First we will be training the league staff," Kay Speerstra, executive director for the AWL said, "Then we will be included in exercises with the County Office of Emergency Management to make sure that we are working together in a coordinated manner." Speerstra also recommends that pet owners create a pet-friendly disaster kit at their homes. " Include up-to-date medications and vaccination history, medical records, veterinarian's phone number, a pet first aid kit, and don't forget an out-of-state phone number of a friend or relative to contact should your home phone be out of service, " she said.
For more tips on building a first aid kit for your pets, or to volunteer for the Disaster Preparedness training, visit www.awla.org for more information.
Winners Announced in College Savings Program
On Feb. 26 Governor Timothy Kaine announced the winners of the Virginia College Savings Plans 10th Annual Poster Contest "Drawing Your Dreams."
Nicolas Zevallos, a ninth-grade student at Washington-Lee High School, is one of the 13 grand prize winners. Nicolas will receive a tax free four-year university contract from the Virginia Prepaid Education Program which will cover undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees at any Virginia institution.
Diana F. Cantor, executive director of the Virginia College Savings Plan, phoned the winning students on Friday. Nicolas said he nearly missed the call because his sister almost hung up on Cantor, thinking she was a phone solicitor. Nicolas' mother and father, Samantha Roberts and José Zavallo , laughed when they said that all those years of teaching their daughter how to handle strangers on the phone suddenly kicked in at the wrong time.
Nicolas, who prefers sketching as opposed to the watercolor painting which won the contest, heard about the poster contest through his art instructor, Joan Bickelhaupt. "The brochure was on our fridge for at least a month," Roberts said. However, Nicolas didn't believe he could win and was reluctant to enter his work. "I told him, 'If you win this, we'll buy you a car' — that was an error in judgment," Roberts joked.
Nicolas began working on his submission three weeks before the due date. He made three versions of the poster and the final submission took him three days to complete. "I wanted to do something in color," Nicolas said, "I don't usually work in colors, I mostly do black and white." Nicolas plans to use his scholarship to attend a school focused on the arts.
Governor Kaine, currently attending the National Governors Association winter meeting, called from Washington D.C. to congratulate the winners. Kaine stated in a written release, "I couldn't be happier for these young Virginians who are showing through artistic expression their hopes and dreams for the future."