Huntington High School senior Erinn Petrie is raising money with music to benefit the voiceless. After job shadowing at the Proctorville Animal Clinic, Petrie made it her senior project to benefit animals at the local clinic.

Petrie dedicated her senior Passion Project to raise awareness and money to benefit life-saving pet surgeries for families who cannot afford the necessary surgeries. Petrie said that during her job shadowing, she saw families lose their beloved pets because they could not afford to fix them.

Petrie has planned a series of small fundraisers as a kick-off to her big event, a benefit concert called “Sounds for Hounds” at Bittersweet Coffee House. She has sold cookies in the shape of paws with “Paws for Proctorville” on them at Huntington High. With her cookies, she has raised $200. She has also placed jars around the Huntington/Proctorville area for the public to give donations.

“I wanted to go and help something that I feel like people do not really help,” Petrie said. “People help the shelters. They help the dogs who do not have homes. You do want the dogs to get homes, but what about the people who already have the dogs?”

Petrie said Bittersweet Coffee House is a great place to sit, eat and listen to music, which was a factor in planning her event.

Lilly Dyer, head barista at Bittersweet Coffee House, is looking forward to this event.

“I think this event is very important, especially for the local artists coming in,” Dyer said. “They will get publicity and more people to listen to them.”

Dyer is ready to to get people in the coffee house to show that the business to not just for the coffee, but for the community.

“I think this will affect Bittersweet in a positive way, in the sense that it will make us seem more empathic and involved in the community,” Dyer said.

The event is featuring area bands and musicians like Let Down Linda, Ally Fletcher, Emily Davis, Hannah and Alan from “The Dividends” and Render the Hearts. Sounds for Hounds will be at Bittersweet Coffee House on the corner of 7th Avenue and 20th Street. The event starts at 7 p.m. and tickets include one drink and are $15.

Sadie Helmick can be contacted at [email protected].