LAKEVILLE — The Lakeville Animal Shelter received $12,400 in donations through the Snowman Jubilee Act of Kindness project sponsored by the Friends of the Lakeville Animal
Shelter.

A $6,200 dollar check was presented to the shelter Saturday, Dec. 14 during a viewing party that gave community members the chance to see decorated snowman made
from plastic cut-outs displayed on the Old Town Hall Lawn in Lakeville. Those funds were raised through individuals, families and 20 local corporate sponsors, who bought
the snowmen.

That $6,200 was later matched by an anonymous sponsor, Lakeville Select Board officials announced at the board’s Dec. 16 meeting.

The amount of money raised left event organizer Sue Spieler in awe. “I’m blown away by the generosity and enthusiasm of everybody. It’s more than anyone expected,” said
Spieler, who hopes to make this an annual fundraiser.

The idea for the fundraiser came after seeing the success of a similar event in Middleboro last year, said Spieler.

People of all ages participated in the project. Overall winners and winners of the kid’s category were announced, and each was presented with a prize basket during theviewing party.

Each snowman had a message of kindness written on the back.

The purpose of the event was to “bring the community together,” said Spieler. With “the way the world is,” she noted, “it’s important to spread kindness and
understanding.”

Making a snowman gave Morgan Saraceno, whose creation made the top three pick in the kid’s category, a chance to maximize her creativity and bond with friends and
family.

Saraceno’s snowman likely won because it gave viewers a good laugh, featuring a full head of hair made from a wig and a Fu Manchu, family members said. It won despitethe Fu Manchu losing its form after being exposed to the elements.

“It was fun. We had a bunch of random things in the house, [and] we just threw everything on there,” said Saraceno.

For Drew Miller, who also decorated a snowman, the best part was getting to sign his name on his artwork, he said. His mom Kim also put her artistic skills to work creating
her own snowman featuring a sneaky Grinch dressed up as Santa Claus.

“I wanted to do something creative and not your typical snowman,” Miller noted. For her, contributing to the fundraiser was about creating fun memories with her child 
“and help[ing] the animal shelter.”