2 weeks Ago
The Lawrence County Humane Society’s capital campaign for a new $5-million animal shelter is underway after soft-launching it over the weekend. LeeAnn Wawrzynski said a full marketing campaign will be released soon after some details were unveiled at Saturday’s second A Cause for Paws Fur Ball, a humane society fundraiser of which she was the event coordinator. The society is building the new shelter on a 22.
5-acre plot of land across from Flaherty Field on Cascade Street around the corner from the existing shelter. The new shelter will increase capacity for dogs to 36 from 23 with cages double the size and room for more cats. Wawrzynski and Humane Society board President Lois Winter-McElravy said the current shelter is too small and has outlived its usefulness.
“We need to get them into a new up-to-date facility. It’s like we’re putting Band-Aids on,” Wawrzynski said. “The new facility can’t come soon enough.
” The new shelter, in addition to more indoor and outdoor space, will have an activity room to host fundraisers, activities, training classes and board meetings. To send early donations toward the campaign, money or checks can be delivered to the society during business hours, or by mail at P.O.
Box 62, 628 Pearson Mill Rd, New Castle, PA. Lawrence County commissioners in May allocated $100,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding toward the project and also received $50,000 from the state Department of Community and Economic Development grant for architectural and engineering work through Youngstown-based Copich Architects. Wawrzynski said the community has been supportive of the society in the past and hopes that generosity can continue with the capital campaign.
She said sponsorship opportunities will include naming square footage or even a kennel. She also said the society is always looking for more volunteer help and for those to foster dogs. Story continues below video “We do rely on the community a lot,” Wawrzynski said.
That generosity was on display during the Fur Ball. Around 270 people attended and more than $50,000 was raised to help spay and neuter, vaccinate, deworm and microchip dogs and cats for adoption, as well as other necessary vet care. “I think it was a great success.
We had a lot of great representation from the community,” Wawrzynski said. “It brought a lot of people together. It brought a lot of awareness to the community.
” The event was held in memory of Alaina Hughes, a Neshannock Township resident who was an avid animal lover and volunteer. “They were very supportive,” Wawrzynski said of Hughes’ family. Wawrzynski said the shelter staff and volunteers have the animals’ best interests at heart, and work tirelessly to give them the care they need and to make sure they find their forever homes.
“The shelter staff love these animals like their own,” Wawrzynski said. “They do their homework to try and get them into good homes.” nvercilla@ncnewsonline.
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