NEW TAZEWELL — The Claiborne Animal Shelter Board was given a $2,000 donation from the Woodlake Properties Owners Association at their regular meeting on July 3. Jeff Tuuk and Karen Stewart attended the meeting and presented the check to the board. Tuuk said, “We are trying to give back to the community because it is such a worthwhile cause.”

The board has been working hard over the past months to raise funds for the shelter and have plans to keep up the good work. There are three major fundraising projects currently under way. First, the board will be hosting a pancake breakfast on Saturday July 12 from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the New Tazewell Methodist Church Fellowship Hall. The board is currently selling tickets for this event.

The board is also selling Claiborne Animal Shelter tee shirts that depict a cat and dog logo and the shelter name on the front. Tee shirt sales have been going very well and there was a request made at the meeting to purchase more shirts because all popular colors and sizes were sold out. The request was made into a motion and the motion was approved.

The third ongoing fundraising project is a raffle for a doghouse built by Martin Janssen. The doghouse is 7ft long and 3ft wide and has its very own front porch and window flower boxes. Tickets will be sold at the pancake breakfast and the drawing will be held later in the year.

In new business the board discussed the 501(c)(3) status of the shelter. The board noted that Articles of Incorporation had been sent out and that as soon as they were back and notarized the shelter could apply for 501(c) (3) status.

In other new business Liza Martz discussed her findings on a business plan for the shelter. She said that no other area shelters have full business plans. She added, instead they have strategic plans that focus on short and long term goals only. Martz suggested that the board table any further discussion of a business plan and take some time to develop a strategic plan.

Also in new business Martin Janssen approached the board to give them an overview of the San Chris Foster/Adoption program he and his wife have been revived. Janssen gave the board a brief history of the organization and then described what the organization does. He said that the organization was set up as a foster and adoption program for stray puppies. It is currently run out of the Janssen’s home and they are covering most of the costs of vaccines, supplies, and vet visits.

Janssen went on to say, once the puppies at San Chris have been vaccinated and given their health certificates they can be adopted. If they are not adopted locally, the puppies are transported to a no kill shelter in Queensbury, New York.

Janssen said that San Chris is also in the process of applying for 501(c)(3) status. There were some concerns by audience members that if both organizations had non-profit status there would be difficulty getting the appropriate funding, but the board reassured them they did not see a problem. They felt the two organizations would be able to work in the same area successfully.

On a final note Mike Barry said that the board had received a newsletter telling them about the Union County Shelter open house. It is scheduled for July 19 and some board members plan to attend.

For more information on the Claiborne Animal Shelter visit their website at www.claiborne animalshelter.com.



Photo: Jeff Tuuk and Karen Stewart, of the Woodlake Properties Owners Association, presented the Animal Shelter Board with a $2,000 donation during their recent meeting.(ANDREA SCHNEIDER/Claiborne Progress)