Celebrating our blessings and our new Toyota
By Gloria J. Towle
Board of Directors Central Aroostook Humane Society
Wow! Thursday, Oct. 11, had to be one of the biggest days in the history of the Central Aroostook Humane Society. At 2 p.m. at York’s of Houlton, the shelter was presented with a brand new 2013 Toyota Sienna! There are very few words to describe the feeling of all that were there.
The shelter closed its doors at 11 a.m. and employees, volunteers and board members journeyed to Houlton to enjoy a celebratory lunch and then make our way to York’s. There it sat, in the middle of the showroom — larger than anyone of us expected and a beautiful green with gray interior. The back seats will fold down and allow many animals to be carried to vet appointments, nursing home visits, supplies will be carried safely. To know that this vehicle will transport all of our precious cargo, both employees and animals, is such a huge relief to us all.
Annie Breslin, district sales manager for Toyota, arrived from Boston to present the keys. Jamie York, sales manager for York’s of Houlton, was on hand to give us all the grand tour. York’s informed us that they would register our new vehicle for us and also threw in not only the platinum extra car package, but also 24/7 roadside assistance and an additional two-year vehicle service agreement! We thank them so much for their overwhelming generosity.
When I look back on my 15 or so years as a board member, there have been many ups and downs, good times and bad times, but the one constant has been the quality of employees, volunteers and board members that have been and are involved with the shelter.
We are so very blessed to have Betsy our manager (who in fact is responsible for applying for our new Toyota). She works so hard, has a heart of gold and does an amazing job keeping a clean, efficient and well-run shelter.
Sharon, our “Cat Lady,” loves and cares for 100+ cats and kittens every day, giving them medicine, caring for their needs and giving them her whole heart until they find a home of their own.
Crystal and Heather, our kennel techs, have wonderful connections caring for the dogs; they go above and beyond what is expected!
We have been fortunate to have a wonderful and dedicated Board President Christine Robinson, who has been at the helm for many years. Chris’s knowledge of the shelter and all animals never ceases to amaze me.
Our dear sweet Carolyn Cheney has been a board member for 37 years — now THAT is dedication and a testament to her love of animals. She continues to spend many hours handwriting thank-you notes to those who have donated to the shelter — not an easy task but such an important one.
Vi Belanger has been our faithful treasurer and has weathered many a financial storm; she’s our hero! Vice President Hollie Gowen, although a newer board member, has brought many new and exciting ideas to our meetings. She established the Friends of the CAHS group, which gave people who were interested in helping the shelter, but not wanting the commitment of monthly meetings, to become involved.
The Friends group has grown over the past three years. They volunteer at our many fundraisers, make dog treats for our craft sales, do car washes and they created the very successful Toast for the Animals. This wine tasting/silent auction has developed into our biggest fundraiser of the year and has received the support of so many local business and individuals who have stepped up to be a sponsor or donated items for this wonderful event. The Crow’s Nest has become a big supporter in hosting this event and goes above and beyond in making this a wonderful and fun evening!
We just spent the weekend at the Forum Arts & Craft event and had the chance to meet so many folks who have adopted and supported the shelter. A special thank you to the Forum for generously donating our space; it was a very successful weekend and a great chance to hear some wonderful stories!
It just seems to me that we have so many reasons to be thankful. Yes, there are often occasions when the times are stressful and the many homeless animals make our hearts heavy, but today we are celebrating all that is good and all the amazing blessings that have come our way over the years!
October is Adopt A Shelter Dog Month. Won’t you support this cause by stopping by the shelter and seeing if you might find a friend for life? We are located at 26 Cross St. in Presque Isle and are open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., closing for lunch 12-12:30 p.m.
Please be responsible; spay and neuter your pets!
