Press release:
For the next 50 days, students in the GCC Veterinary Technology Club will be challenged to take a total of 5,000 pictures in an effort to raise money for two spring experiential learning trips planned for March.
Beginning on Sunday, Sept.11, and continuing until Sunday, Oct. 30, Vet Tech students will take pictures that have both a veterinary technician and an animal in them, posting their candid's to the GCC Vet Tech Facebook page for the public to view and follow along. All pictures must be taken and posted to the Facebook page within the 50-day period in order to count toward the fundraising effort.
Students will solicit and collect pledges much like you would do for a walk-a-thon or bike-a-thon, but the pledge will be per picture with a maximum of 5,000 pictures. For example, a one cent per photo pledge would equal a $50 donation, or a half-cent per photo pledge, would equal a $25 donation. Those who pledge will support the GCC Vet Tech Club as a whole, and all of the posted pictures have the intrinsic value of showing GCC's Vet Tech students doing what they love -- working and being with animals.
"The fun idea benefits students in a multitude of ways," Carrie Caccamise, director of GCC's Veterinary Technology Program, said. "We will continue to accept pledges through the 50-day period, but are starting to solicit pledges now. All pledges will be collected at the end of the Photo-thon. We hope everyone enjoys following along on our Facebook page and will consider pledging!"
Funds raised through the photo-thon effort will support Vet Tech students in one of two trips currently in the planning stages for the College's spring break in March. Both trips will provide important experience in veterinary medicine in a different setting than is not currently available at the College or the surrounding field visits in Western New York.
The first possible destination is the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, Fla., where seniors in the Vet Tech program visited this past spring for the first time. While at the Zoo, the students observed exams and treatments on many exotic animals including a penguin, a two-toed sloth, a spur fowl, white and black rhinos, a pig, tortoises, a screech owl and elephants, as well as armadillos, tortoises and pythons.
The exams involved anesthesia, radiographs, ultrasound exams and blood draws. Since these animals are not as friendly as most dogs and cats, the students were able to observe the different techniques for handling and administration of anesthesia during the examinations. The other Vet Tech student trip being explored for spring break is to an Indian reservation in Arizona that does not offer regular veterinary care.
Anyone wishing to pledge or follow along for the 50-day photo-thon can visit the GCC Vet Tech Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/GCCVetTechGO/ for more information. Those wishing to pledge by check can make checks payable to GCC Vet Tech Club and send them to: GCC Vet Tech Program – D309, Genesee Community College, One College Road, Batavia, NY 14020.
