Humane Society Awards Port, Saukville Students, Residents

Fifteen Port Washington and Saukville residents will be honored this weekend during the Wisconsin Humane Society-Ozaukee Campus' Be Kind to Animals Awards Ceremony.

"Every year the WHS Ozaukee Campus takes this opportunity to honor people in our community who have shown an exceptional dedication to animal welfare," a press release from the organization said. "Children and adults from Ozaukee County who have shown a great amount of compassion for animals over the past year will be awarded. These individuals have done everything from compassionately delivering humane teachings to rescuing animals from likely death."

Area award winners include:

student Connor Gruetzke received 2nd place in a poster contest for first- and second-graders; student Ella Mueller received an honorable mention.

For the third- and fourth-grade poster contest, Saukville Elementary student Cayla Egle took second place, while student Erin Grisar recieved an honorable mention.

For the fifth and sixth-grade contest, student Louie Schurrer of Port Washington took first place; Valerie Verhunce of Saukville took third place and Emily Jacque of Port received an honorable mention.

Poetry contest winners include: third-grader Jessica Clements of Port Washington; Rosemary School sixth-grader Jon Vichich of Saukville; and Thomas Jefferson seventh-grader Addie Bretl of Port.

Rosemary School sixth-grader Hannah Bell of Saukville was one of the winners in the photography contest.

Volunteer awards will go to: Kevin Driewer of Port Wahsington and Sue Shannon of Saukville.

The Humane Educator of the Year award goes to Port Washington resident Sue Michael.

Dunwiddie Elementary students, under the direction of teacher Lois Hartwig, will recieved a Kind Kid award for their efforts to raise $200 through popcorn sales.

The BKA Awards Ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, at the shelter, W. Dekora St., Saukville.

Be Kind to Animals Week was started in 1915 by the American Humane Association, according to the press release. The Wisconsin Humane Society joins other humane organizations from around the county in recognizing the important role that animals play in everyone’s lives. This week is also a time to educate everyone about theimportance of treating all animals with compassion.