During the musical season, students at Fort Dodge Senior High School enjoy finding a cause to support.

For this year’s 98th annual musical “Anastasia,” the students will do the Bring Them Home Project to support the Pups & Paws Pound in Fort Dodge.

“We chose to support Pups & Paws this year for our community service project because it connects to our musical this year while also adding a fun and interesting spin,” said sophomore Lauren Patterson. “It’s also a way to get our cast more involved.

“The musical’s community service project has been something I’ve been looking forward to helping with again after last year’s Winnie Foster project. My favorite part about the project is seeing how everyone comes together for a good cause.”

Patterson has seen the cast share the cause.

“Seeing the cast promoting the information, parents putting in their time, and finally seeing the grateful faces when we drop off the donations,” Patterson said.

Throughout the musical “Anastasia,” the main character, Anastasia, is trying to figure out who she is and eventually her family.

The Bring Them Home Project is partnering with Pups and Paws, located at 2502 270th St., to gather donations and help animals find their families.

Participants are asked to donate clumping kitty litter, cat food, dog food, dog treats, lead ropes/leashes, laundry detergent, paper towels, dish soap, bleach and garbage bags.

Items can be dropped off in the high school choir room or in the Fort Dodge Middle School lobby before the shows Thursday through Saturday.

“Our goal is to fill a van full of items, and we ask for your help to make it happen,” said the group in a statement.

“We chose to partner with Pups and Paws because it’s a smaller nonprofit agency,” said senior Cortney Hoover, who also said senior Alexa McHone was a big part in helping guide the students.

“We felt all animals deserve to find a loving home or family,” Hoover added. “People feel compassion for animals, so we decided to create this project in hopes to collect lots of donations for the shelter.

“By helping with Pups and Paws, we are able to help spread the message of rescuing, fostering, or donating to animals in need. It is important for animals to be able to live happily and unite with their forever families.”

Senior Madison Sullivan loves being able to help the community with the project.

“This project is special to us because it’s a way to help our community through the musical. The musical is something that brings together a lot of people,” Sullivan said. “By creating a service project through the musical, you are bringing so many more people to your cause. This project is also special to us because we all have animals. I have gotten many dogs through different pounds and we all believe it’s incredibly important to adopt, as well as give these animals a forever home and second chance on life.”

Being able to help the pets is a big reason to reach out for the students.

“It means a lot to be able to help out with our service project,” Sullivan said. “I have wanted to participate in the past, but this is the first year participating in our service projects, aside from just donating. I’m really excited to be giving back to our community, and to be working with a pound that does a lot for our city’s animals.”

Patterson, who has been involved in the musical project the past two years, loves being able to give back.

“It means a lot to be able to give back to the community and connect it to my love for acting,” Patterson said. “Not only are we focused on the people in our community, but its animals, which is really awesome, especially since we all hold our animals so close.”