This September, Helen Woodward Animal Center will once again unite with animal welfare proponents and organizations worldwide for the 3rd Annual Remember Me Thursday® candle-lighting ceremony. This year, however, the event is reaching an even younger group of animal-lovers. The program that asks participants to light candles on the exact same day globally to honor the millions of pets who lost their lives over the past year without the benefit of a loving home, has extended its reach into local schools with new lesson plans and heartwarming art projects. Helen Woodward Animal Center invites the community to share these materials with classrooms and kid-focused social groups and then take part at scheduled ceremonies or online Thursday, September 24th, 2015.

The first Remember Me Thursday® took place on the fourth Thursday in September, 2013. Moved by the staggering statistics of homeless pets who lose their lives each year (The Humane Society of the United States approximates this number at 3.4 million annually in the US.), Helen Woodward Animal Center President Mike Arms put out a call to rescue organizations in an attempt to create a global awareness campaign. As creator of the International Pet Adoptathon and the International Home 4 the Holidays program (placing over 10 million pets in homes since 1999), Arms was able to send out an expansive request and the response was significant. Last year, the event illuminated 138 countries with individuals uniting to support the movement by holding candle-lighting ceremonies of their own, visiting the Remember Me Thursday website and spreading the message through social media using #LIGHTFORPETS. The enormous swell of celebrity support resulted in the topic trending on both Facebook and Twitter, garnering more than 200 million social media impressions.

Globally, grass roots programs and events sprung up around the world, in countries such as Germany, Mexico, Canada, Spain, the Philippines, Japan, Puerto Rico, Australia, the United Kingdom and many more. Significantly, a number of these events found their way into children’s classrooms. Puerto Rico Alliance for Companion Animals, Inc. led the charge by developing a lesson plan, tailor-made for young minds, bringing the event to local schools and assisting with the creation of an impressive wall of coloring-candle-projects.

“The only way to change the future is educate our children,” stated Helen Woodward Animal Center Education Manager Heather Disher. “Children naturally have open hearts and connect to animals. They are the ones who will make difference in the world of animal welfare. All they need is an understanding of the huge impact they can make.” This year, Helen Woodward is proud to offer free Remember Me Thursday lesson plans and art projects for children ages 4 through 10. Materials can be found on www.remembermethursday.org.

Remember Me Thursday® continues to grow in support with multiple candle-lighting ceremonies and special events already being organized internationally. This year, Helen Woodward Animal Center will hold its public candle-lighting ceremony on September 24th at the Horizon Christian Fellowship.

“Only 30% of pets in US homes come from rescue facilities,” stated Arms. “Lighting a candle this September 24th will bring awareness to these wonderful orphan pets and can help in increasing adoptions and decreasing euthanasia.” By uniting in this way, the worldwide awareness campaign hopes to shine a light on the millions of orphan pets still awaiting adoption. 

For more information on Remember Me Thursday and a full list of participating celebrities and animal welfare organizations, go towww.remembermethursday.org. For more information on the US west coast candle-lighting events contact PR Manager Jessica Gercke at (858) 756-4117 x 335 or jessicag@animalcenter.org.

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About Helen Woodward Animal Center
Helen Woodward Animal Center is a private, non-profit organization where “people help animals and animals help people.” Founded in 1972 in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., the Center provides services for more than 57,000 people and thousands of animals annually through adoptions, educational and therapeutic programs both onsite and throughout the community. Helen Woodward Animal Center is also the creator of the international Blue Buffalo Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption drive, the International Remember Me Thursday® campaign and The Business of Saving Lives Workshops, teaching the business of saving lives to animal welfare leaders from around the world.  For more information go to: www.animalcenter.org.

About Remember Me Thursday®
Animal lovers and organizations across the globe unite on the 4th Thursday of September to light a candle in remembrance of the millions of orphan pets who lost their lives without the benefit of a loving home and to shine a light on the millions of orphan pets still waiting for their forever homes. The Remember Me Thursday global awareness campaign is championed by Mike Arms, President of Helen Woodward Animal Center, and creator of both the International Pet Adoptathon and International Home 4 the Holidays program which, in partnership with national animal organizations, has placed 10 million pets in homes since 1999.  For more information, please visit www.remembermethursday.org.