The Spirit That Keeps Us Going

Dakin staff and volunteers in Spirit Week tie-dye outfits.

In celebration of Dakin’s 57th anniversary on August 1—Dakin Day—we discovered that sometimes the best gifts are the ones you give and receive.

This year, that gift was Spirit.

Earlier this summer, as we began thinking about how to honor Dakin Day, we decided that one day simply wasn’t enough. We wanted to celebrate not only Dakin’s 57 years of helping people and pets throughout Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties, but also the incredible community that has been beside us every step of the way.

So, we expanded the celebration into Spirit Week, July 27 through August 1—a week designed to bring together the people who make Dakin what it is: our staff, volunteers, donors, adopters, partners, supporters and, of course, the countless animals whose lives have been changed through the power of compassion.

We set a fundraising goal of $5,700 in honor of our 57th anniversary and invited businesses, organizations, and animal lovers throughout the region to join us. And we hoped they would have a little fun along the way!

Each day, Dakin staff and volunteers were encouraged to show their spirit with a different theme, including Animal Print Day, Tie-Dye Day, Crazy Hair/Hat/Sock Day, Twin Day, Hawaiian Shirt Day and, finally, Dakin Spirit Day on August 1.

But there was something especially meaningful about celebrating Spirit Week in the middle of our busiest season of the year. Summer is always a demanding time at Dakin. The number of animals needing our help rises, the days are long, and our staff and volunteers work tirelessly to make sure every pet receives the care, attention and love they deserve. By the time Spirit Week arrived, many of our team members were tired—but they were still showing up every day and giving their all.

That’s why the outpouring of enthusiasm from our community meant so much.

Through emails, social media, and other outreach, we invited people outside of Dakin to join the celebration. Businesses and organizations could hold their own themed dress-up days, raise funds, or simply have some fun and share their photos with us. And they did just that.

For one week, we saw our community come together in colorful, creative, and wonderfully spirited ways. We celebrated the animals and people who have been part of Dakin’s story. And, perhaps most importantly, we were reminded that we never do this work alone.

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make Spirit Week so special:

  • Finck & Perras Insurance Agency created a fundraising team, raised funds and participated in our dress-up themes throughout the week.

  • PeoplesBank raised funds in support of Dakin’s mission.

  • Tandem Bagels brightened our week with a generous breakfast donation for our hardworking team.

  • Bueno y Sano contributed a prize for a staff raffle, adding even more fun to our celebrations.

  • Dakin’s Board of Directors treated staff to a Bingo game night, and a visit from the Ice Cream Emergency truck—two delightful events! Some board members also created fundraising pages on our Spirit Week website, donated, and raised funds by promoting it to their networks.

  • Dakin offered cat ear headbands and tribute cards for gifts of $1 or more, with tribute cards honoring special people displayed throughout our adoption floor.

And the generosity didn’t stop there. More than $4,000 has already been raised through Spirit Week, with additional contributions still anticipated before we have our final tally.

While we’re grateful for every dollar raised, what meant the most was the feeling behind it.

For our staff, Spirit Week was a wonderful reminder that the community sees the work they do. That people notice. That people care. And that, even during the busiest and most exhausting days of the year, there is an entire community standing behind them.

That is the real spirit of Dakin.

For 57 years, that spirit has carried Dakin forward. And thanks to you, it will carry us into the next 57.

From all of us at Dakin, thank you for celebrating with us, for believing in our mission, and for being part of the community that makes this work possible. Support like this propels us forward and enables us to remain a valuable resource for our community while continually seeking ways to expand our programs to serve the animals who need us today and tomorrow.

We may have started Spirit Week to celebrate Dakin—but you gave us something even more meaningful in return: a renewed sense of just how fortunate we are to have you by our side.

Below are some photos from Spirit Week