BY MEGAN FIELDS ’17

The Nichols campus found itself teaming with silky black and gold Labrador Retrievers on Tuesday, Oct. 25. Six K-9 Unit members and their handlers joined the Criminal Justice Club on the Academy lawn with cookies and pies, ready to fundraise for a tear-inducing cause.

The State Police Association of Massachusetts has raised $4,000 for their goal of $11,000 to establish a memorial for the Fire Marshal Fire and Explosives Investigation Unit. Twenty K-9s have passed away in the program due to the dangerous nature of the job.

Cookies in the shapes of dogs and bones, baked by Nichols staff member Jackie Baker, were sold to students and faculty. Students had the opportunity for a golden half an hour to throw a pie at criminal justice professor Boyd Brown, and to purchase raffle tickets for autographed Patriots gear.

All proceeds from the fundraising event were donated to the Mass. State Police in a ceremony at the end of the event. In just a few short hours, the club raised $425 in donations to present to state police lieutenant Paul Zipper, who organized the event with Nichols professor Kimberly Charbonneau.

“For Nichols students,” Prof. Charbonneau said, “this gives them an opportunity to help others and gain strong experiential learning through this event.”

Charbonneau was assisted by club members Elena Kilduff and Megan Faulker in organizing the event, as well as overseeing the day’s events leading up to the presentation of the donation.

The donations didn’t stop with the money raised; the club donated the remaining cookies to the Webster Boys and Girls Club after the conclusion of the event.

The club will continue their collaboration with Lt. Zipper and the Mass. State Police in a follow-up event in the spring titled “Denim Day”.

If you would like to donate to the Fire Marshal Fire and Explosives Investigation Unit K-9 Memorial Fundraiser, please visit the State Police Association of Massachusetts website at www.statepoliceassociationofmass.com and click on the link to donate through the SPAM Benevolent Fund PayPal account.