CALEB NICKERSON
FORT COULONGE
Feb. 11, 2019
On Monday morning, representatives from the Caisse Populaire Desjardins des Rivières du Pontiac were at École secondaire Sieur de Coulonge for an important donation to a unique program at the school.
The Caisse donated $2,000 from its #DesjardinsFoundation Prizes to the Famille Animalis program, which provides a small collection of furry creatures for students to feed and care for.
The donation comes during the week of scholastic perserverance, which is observed every year during the third week of February.
The Animalis program has been going on for nearly three years, and features ferrets, a rat and a guinea pig that students interact with and are responsible for. The additional funding will go towards adding two rabbits to the program’s stable of small creatures.
“The animals have therapeutic effect on kids, to calm them down, so it’s good to help them with their concentration,” said Caisse director general Stéphane Labine.
Science teacher Francis Lamarche explained that around 10 to 15 students take part in the program, coming in before school and on their lunch breaks to feed and care for the animals.
