TUNNEL HILL, Ga. — Students at Northwest Whitfield High School who helped raise money for a bulletproof vest for the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office’s newest K-9 drug dog said they love to support a worthy cause.

“And who doesn’t love a dog and a cause?” asked sophomore Jessie Adams. “I really care about animals and what the police do to help serve our community. It is well worth the money and the effort to keep him safe, and he is just really cute.”

Adams was one of many students, faculty and staff whose fundraising efforts enabled the school to present a $900 check on Thursday to Sheriff Scott Chitwood for a safety vest for Eddie, a 15-month-old German shepherd who has been with the department since the end of January. Chitwood said he was amazed at the generosity of the students and how quickly the community at the school got behind the cause.

“When you think about how this spread throughout the student body and the entire school and that they raised $900 in less than 10 days, my hat is off to them,” Chitwood said. “This will be another tool to help keep him safe, and from tracking to patrol and drug work, Eddie will more than pay for himself in a short period of time.”

The initial push behind the fundraising campaign came from Kate Sanders, the school’s athletic department administrative assistant. After hearing about the dog from the school’s resource officer Michael Hawkins, Sanders said she asked what kind of safety equipment the dog might need. When she found out a vest was something wanted but was not in the budget for this year, she took action.

“I just thought that was something we would be interested in doing,” Sanders said. “The faculty and staff got behind it, and the students really embraced it. The kids were just wonderful and they took it to heart.”

Joshua Davis, a sophomore who is in teacher Josh Ruben’s fifth-period drama class which raised the most funds for the project, said giving to the project was a no-brainer for a guy with a Great Dane and a mixed labrador/pit bull at the house.

“My motivation was I just really wanted to help,” Davis said. “I have a giving heart, and when Mr. Ruben told us abut it, I pulled out my wallet.”

Deputy Todd Thompson said in the brief amount of time he and Eddie have been training and living together there is already a bond between the two and he is happy to have an extra piece of protection for his partner.

“It is amazing and it makes me feel fantastic,” Thompson said. “It is a wonderful feeling for the community to back a program like this. The support from throughout the community has just been fantastic.”

Thompson said 41 Feed and Seed is providing Eddie’s food, and Jeffrey Richmond is donating his veterinarian services.

“The love of a dog in this community is overwhelming,” Thompson said. “I have a big responsibility with him, and it really is like having a kid. I want to see him protected just like I would a fellow officer.”