Whip City Animal Sanctuary to Host Annual Back-to-school Celebration

WESTFIELD — Whip City Animal Sanctuary will host its annual Back to School Celebration on Saturday, Aug. 27 from 10 a.m. to noon. The sanctuary is located at 232 Montgomery Road, Westfield, and entry is free for animal lovers, while donations are always appreciated.

In addition to spending time with the animals, kids can enjoy water-balloon activities and a “Big Trucks or Bust” exhibit featuring heavy equipment and many of the area’s first-responder vehicles. There will be snacks available for purchase, and the event will feature raffle prizes as well as a guest appearance by Boomer from the Springfield Thunderbirds.

“We are very excited to offer this event again this year,” said Robin Plourde, president and founder of the sanctuary. “We ask a lot of our community in support of our mission, and they really show up for us, so we feel it’s vital to give back to our community as much as possible. We love hosting free events for the area’s children. We want them to learn about the animals, become passionate, and look forward to them becoming volunteers someday.”