Community Corner

NKHS Student Volunteer Organizes 5K for Animal Shelter in Last Hurrah Before College

"I wanted to do something to give them a final 'thank you'," she said.

There was just no keeping Shannon Emrich out of the North Kingstown Animal Shelter.

"I actually wanted to start volunteering at the shelter when I was really little and they didn't let me because I was too young," Emrich, a senior at North Kingstown High School, said. "But I hassled them."

When she was in sixth grade, she finally got the OK. Since then, every Saturday, she's put in time helping out. It became an important ritual in her life growing up here in North Kingstown.

So it's understandable that it's hard for Emrich to say goodbye when she leaves for college out of state later this year. 

"I wanted to do something to give them a final 'thank you'," she said.

And what she has done is quite a "thank you," indeed.

This Saturday (March 29) dozens, if not hundreds of runners, walkers, rollers and strollers will come out to Ryan Park for the first Friends of the North Kingstown Animal Shelter 5K.

It was an idea that came about thanks to a seed planted in her mind by Russ Shabo, who runs Friends of the North Kingstown Animal Shelter. Emrich was thinking of ways to complete a community service graduation requirement — part of the academic portfolio she has been assembling since day one in freshman year.

It was a great idea, but "I had no idea how to start," Emrich said.

Knowing that it would probably be in a park, she called the town parks and recreation department. They were very helpful, she said, and guided her to the police department to get a permit for the event.

The first park choice, Wilson Park, wouldn't work with the potential for conflict with camps and other happenings in March.

The next thought was "why not Ryan Park?"

She then reached out to area businesses to find sponsors, including the North Kingstown Animal Hospital, who "were amazing," Emrich said.

Tapping into their experience and network, the folks at the animal hospital made quick work of getting Emrich set up with a registration system, goodie bags for participants and reaching out to suppliers to get donations.

Upwards of 100 people are expected to participate and on Tuesday, Emrich said she had 35 registrations and at least 30 people from the animal hospital and her friends promising to show up.

It's not too late to register, either. If you get a registration in the mail by TODAY (Thursday) you MIGHT get the $10 registration price. If not, registrations are accepted at the event with a price of $15.

Organizing the 5K started as a daunting task and Emrich said she underestimated the amount of work it would take.

"I thought it was a great idea but I didn't comprehend how many different aspects of it that are involved," she said. "There were all kinds of little things that you don't think about when you set out."

Ultimately, she got it done with some hard work and a little help from some friends.

With all the groundwork for the 5K established this year, Emrich is poised to deliver Shabo and the Friends of the North Kingstown Animal Shelter a setup that can be used to make the 5K an annual event.

The 5K is at Ryan Park, 210 Oak Hill Road, North Kingstown, at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 29. Registration forms can be picked up at the North Kingstown Animal Shelter or the West Bay YMCA. 

The flyer for the event is attached to this article. You can download it by clicking "download pdf" next to the image.


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