THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 7, 1994 TAG: 9412060164
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LINDA McNATT, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WINDSOR LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
When animal lovers get medicine for their pets at Oaks Veterinary Clinic these days, they also get a little sentiment.
Most of the medicine bags feature a likeness of some member of the animal kingdom, and many have get-well wishes or special reminders to owners as well.
``Don't forget us at Christmas,'' one bag with a frisky cat hanging from a wreath urges.
``Don't forget to have my teeth checked,'' says another, decorated with the image of a grinning shark.
The bags are a project of fifth graders at Windsor Elementary School and elementary art students at Isle of Wight Academy. The students are spending their spare classroom time decorating medicine bags for the local veterinary clinic and coordinating the art project with their studies of animals.
The decorate-a-bag project was the idea of Mary Ann Edwards, wife of local veterinarian Ryland Edwards. The clinic, on Route 10 near Smithfield is always looking for a way to involve local students in the care of animals, she said. Using the students' art work on the bags, she said, is one way of doing that.
``The imagination of the kids is just delightful,'' Edwards said. ``I think the clients really appreciate it. Some of them know the children. For many reasons, we'd like to get away from using plastic, and this is a fun way to do it.''
The fancy bags started last year when Isle of Wight Academy art teacher Nancy Whitley agreed to let her students decorate medicine bags, Edwards said. Academy students are working on the project again this year.
The project moved to the public schools when Nancy Laine, a fifth grade teacher at Windsor Elementary, received one of the bags when she picked up one of her own animals at the Oaks.
Laine said she thought it was a cute idea, something her youngsters would enjoy. So she decided to coordinate the art project with the students' study of animals in their science curriculum.
``This is an example of integrated subjects,'' Laine said. ``It's a combination of art, language arts, with the messages on the bags, and science. We're working now on a chapter about classifying animals. The kids have been decorating the bags in their spare time - in the morning before school and after they finish their other work.''
All four fifth grades at Windsor Elementary are participating in the project: Laine's class along with classes taught by Sheila Lawrence, Linda Lashbaugh and Annette Wilson. The public and private schools, working together, hope to produce at least a thousand medicine vet bags, enough to last the clinic for quite a while.
And for all of the students' hard work, Edwards said the local clinic will be making a donation to both schools, possibly to buy more art supplies.
``Our clients really do like them,'' she said. ``We've had several of them comment that they like the fact that we're using local talent, and they are delighted to carry the bags home.'' ILLUSTRATION: THOUGHTS ON ANIMALS
``Inside of an animal, if they have tapeworms, the worms can get
really long and curl up. I thought the worms were short.'' Ashley
Ruth, 12
``A mollusk is shaped like an octopus.'' Andre Delk, 12
``Animals have rights.'' Victoria Cahoon, 10
``Dogs can't give you germs. But you can give them germs.''
Brittany Faircloth, 10
``You have to cut dogs' toenails every once in a while.'' Suzanne
Farrar, 11
``Amphibian means two lives. First, they're born in the water.
Then, they live on the land.'' Brandon Sease, 10
``Dolphins have holes on their backs to breathe, and perfume
comes from whales.'' Dyshan Anderson, 10
by CNB