The nonprofit Amy’s Purpose has awarded six students scholarships to attend College of the Desert’s (COD) veterinary assistant program.
Amy’s Purpose is an animal protection charity that wants to educate owners about the dangers of wild predators in the valley, like coyotes, and how to keep your pets safe. The founder of the non-profit, DeAnn Lubell, was motivated to start the charity after her rescue terrier was attacked and killed by three coyotes outside her home.
In August, the charity held a benefit concert with local entertainment writer Bruce Fessier. Lubell and Fessier realized the charity could one day help ease the long wait times at veterinary offices when minutes and seconds could be the difference between life and death for sick or injured pets.
Part of the reason for the long wait times is the shortage of veterinary assistants. So, the money from the benefit concert went to providing scholarships to students who want to train to be veterinary assistants.
One of the six recipients is Rosemary Ramsey from Palm Springs. Ramsey received an additional scholarship of $3,200 thanks to Nancy Joseph, principal of the Palm Springs-based boutique public relations and marketing firm, N.Joseph Marketing Communications. Joseph personally selected Ramsey due to the strength of her application, and may continue helping her throughout her long educational road ahead.
“Hopefully we’ll stay in contact,” she said after the meeting. “If there’s a way in the future to help support further endeavors, I would like to do that.”
More COD veterinary classes begin in January and April, and Amy’s Purpose has committed to providing 12 $3,200 scholarships to students who enroll in those classes.
For more information, contact Izurieta at PaCE at (760) 862-1367 or veizurieta@collegeofthedesert.edu.
