Honoring the memory of former colleague

School district support staff helping local animal shelters Westfall — The Delaware Valley Education Support Professionals Association has embarked on a new project aimed at helping local animal shelters, while honoring the memory of an animal-loving former member of the staff. For the past several years, The association, consisting of bus/van drivers, bus assistants, cafeteria workers, custodians, instructional assistants, licensed health room nurses, maintenance staff, secretaries, and traffic control officers, has carried out many projects to help senior citizens including participating in the Meals-On-Wheels Program. Additionally, they have carried out a yearly “Cookie Share Program” at Thanksgiving time for local nursing homes, assisted living facilities and recipients of Meals on Wheels. “We’re very excited about expanding our ongoing mission to give back to the community and this year we’re aiming at helping local animal shelters. The current economic climate has impacted animal shelters, which rely on public donations for pet supplies. This is a great opportunity to help them and honor a past colleague at the same time,” said Fran Rosario, association president. The project appropriately named “Pat’s Pet Passion” will be carried out throughout the school district in memory of Pat Gelderman, an instructional assistant and longtime employee of the district. “Mrs. Gelderman, who passed away, was not just our colleague, but a friend who had a strong passion for animals and dedicated almost every spare minute to helping the local animal shelters. Therefore, we want to give back to the community in her honor this year,” said Rosario. The association will be helping their friends at the local animal shelters by donating towels, blankets, sheets, curtains, paper towels, mop heads, bleach, cat litter, canned or dry dog food or cat food (no red dye) throughout March.