Gifts of Love to Our Four-Legged Soldiers

Fort Hood soldiers and their canine partners introduce
themselves to Daulton Elementary students, parents, and staff.

They may be cute and cuddly, but don’t let the fur fool you. Military dogs are an integral part to the protection of our country.

Students and staff at Anna May Daulton Elementary School are helping those four-legged soldiers get the support they need by raising money and collecting supplies to ship overseas. Through Operation Military Care K9, the campus is sending the military dogs and their handlers items to keep them healthy and protect them from harsh weather conditions.

“I want the kids to know how important these dogs are to our military,” said Lynn Kostel, librarian at Daulton who organized the fundraiser. “These dogs are nobody’s pet, and they’re vital to the survival of our guys.”

A military canine retrieves an object for his handler.

All branches of the armed forces utilize military service dogs specializing in drug and bomb detection. The canines sniff out narcotics, search for explosives, and support in other roles.

To kick off the fundraiser, Fort Hood soldiers visited the school with their canine partners to demonstrate how the dogs are used in different missions. The kids and adults were excited to see the dogs as they exhibited their talents.

“We try to teach kids about what the dogs really do,” said Sgt. 1st Class William Morton. “They always see dogs out and about, but this is a little different from the dogs they have at home.”

After the demonstration, the soldiers were surprised with baskets of supplies that were donated by local businesses. Kostel said the entire community did not hesitate to support when they heard about an opportunity to support the troops.

Local businesses donated gifts for the military dogs.

“I cried when I saw everything that they brought,” said Kostel. “Chick-fil-A sponsored the soldier’s lunch. We also had Petco, Petsmart, and Pet Supplies Plus supply items for the dogs.”

Daulton Elementary hopes the gifts of love keep coming. Money can be donated through the PTA, and the campus will be accepting items through Friday, Feb. 12. A list of needed canine supplies is available here.

Principal and Student Swap for a Day

 Senior Karla Camacho and Timberview principal Derrell Douglas
on a normal school day

They say if you walk a mile in someone else’s shoes, you’ll understand their perspective better. That adage became a stark reality to Timberview High School principal Derrell Douglas and senior Karla Camacho.

The two made the principal-student swap as part of “Douglas Switch Day”—just one of the many fundraising events during Timberview’s “Helping Others Thru Giving” (H.O.G.) week.

Camacho paid to have her ticket in the raffle to become the school’s top administrator for one day and won the big prize. In return, Principal Douglas spent the day attending all the classes in Camacho’s packed schedule.

The experience can be summed up by one word: enlightening.

Douglas, who dressed in full "student" gear for the occasion, said he has a better understanding of how much students go through every day—educationally and socially.

“It was a lot of fun, but still challenging,“ said Douglas. “Karla is an involved student, and I had no idea how hard it was to get from one class to the other on time. I also had to figure out where I was going to sit in the cafeteria for lunch and who would talk to me.”

Camacho and Douglas on "Douglas Switch Day"

Camacho noted that she didn’t realize how much administrators have to manage on a daily basis.

“I observed classrooms, but I also noticed how much happens in the office every day,” said Camacho. “They have to deal with budgets, phone calls, and various requests, and they handle it so smoothly. I have a lot of respect for them after seeing that.”

She added that she is now considering becoming an administrator in education after she graduates college.

This is the fifth year Timberview has held its “Douglas Switch Day.” Principal Douglas said he likes it because it helps break barriers in stereotypes.

“A lot of the students think administrators are just trying to find ways to punish them. We don’t want to do that at all. And as an administrator, I see how much we expect out of our students. They work hard,” said Douglas.