Ava Area Animal Welfare League Junior Meets In Regular Monthly Session

The Ava Area Animal Welfare League Junior met in regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 21. Members in attendance were: Mary Chipps, Betty Stout, Karen Davis, Rachel Pitts, Maria Linder, Kacie Abels, Brandy Johnson, Barbara Andrus, Paul McKee, and Marilyn Alms.

The meeting focus was finances. Members were presented spreadsheets listing income and expenditures for the year of 2011. The organization raised $4,257.27 (via grants, fundraising activities, yard sale, donation cans, and individual donations). In turn, they have given back to the Ava community $4,150.55 primarily paid to veterinarians to help offset the cost for their services with the spay/neuter programs. In the past few years they have really increased the number of pets getting spayed/neutered and decreased the number of unwanted animals roaming around. Throughout 2010, they were able to help 57 pet owners get reduced spay/neuter cost. In comparison, in 2011, they helped 116 pet owners. Appreciation to everyone who has made donations, helped write grants, worked at the yard sale or Farmer’s Market, or assisted to keep this program growing and working. Your time and effort is appreciated.

AAAWLJ has submitted another grant to the “I’m Pet Friendly” Spay/Neuter Grant project and should know the results by the next meeting date.

An individual donor has contributed money to help the students working on promoting local pound adoptions, which is much appreciated.

The local organization can be contacted by email at aaawlj@gmail.com  or you can now see them on the web at aaawljr.moonfruit.com. Their new webpage is a work-in-progress and will continue to grow.

The next monthly meeting will be March 20 at 3:30 p.m. in Mrs. Karen Davis’ classroom on the Ava R-1 School campus.