Ichabod and Icarus - Fixing them up - Central Dakota Humane Society

When we build it, will you come?
By Cameo Skager, CDHS Board President
As you may know by now, we have purchased of plot of land in
east Bismarck, across the Bismarck Expressway to the east of the
State Penitentiary and just down the road from the south Wal-Mart.
This will be the new home for Central Dakota Humane Society. The
lot is 8 acres, pie-shaped and has access to the city water and sewer
system (Hurray!). Although it will be sad to eventually say good-bye
to our Mandan home, we truly believe that the Bismarck location
will be more convenient and will allow us to serve more animals and
people.
Our building committee has begun working with Kadrmas, Lee
and Jackson (KLJ) engineers to have the lot surveyed and tested. Along with the engineers,
we hope to contract with a local architect who has worked with another animal-shelter. We
feel it is important to work with an architect who has built shelters before and will be able to
design things that work for the animals and the people caring for them. We need to have an
environment that is comfortable and healthy for the animals, easy to clean, safe and aesthetically
pleasing.
As soon as winter is over we will likely be in need of a lot of fill dirt. The lot needs to be
raised since there is some water in the area. (Hay Creek runs directly behind the lot, but has not
flooded the area, even in the recent wet years.)
After our plans for the shelter are completed, we will begin our capital campaign. This will
be the time when we’ll need our supporters and everyone in the community to step up and help
us make this new building a reality. We will be holding many fundraisers and asking everyone
for donations of time and money. I guess there is no way to put it delicately. We estimate that we
will need approximately $3 million to complete the size and kind of shelter that is needed. And
we will be doing a lot of asking.
Stay tuned for updates on our progress. We will know more about our plans and the amount
of money we need to raise in the next few months.
We have no doubt that our supporters and our community will come through. We are a
valued resource in our community and we have the best supporters around. We work hard to
do the right thing, and we will continue working hard to raise the money necessary to give our
project wings.
Spay Day USA 2012
CDHS will recognize Spay Day USA in February 2012 by offering $15 spay/neuter assistance
certificates to help people spay or neuter their pets. People can call the shelter at 667-2020
to request their certificates. Certificates can be redeemed at all local and several central North
Dakota veterinary clinics.
Spay Day USA is sponsored by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) with the
primary goal of increasing the number of pets being spayed and neutered and decreasing the
number of unwanted puppies and kittens born each year. Thank you to our generous donors
who make the Spay/Neuter Assistance Program possible.
Phantom Ball success
Thanks to all who “attended” our Phantom Ball fundraiser. Your “presence” (or presents)
made for a great event! Due to an error at our mailing center, some of the invitations were sent
out late. Have no fear, though, if you received a late invitation, there is still plenty of time to
donate to the event.
Tours & Thanks
& Things
� Thank you to the donor who graciously
donated $133,000 for the purchase of
our new land. You have provided the
foundation upon which we will be
building our future!
� Thank you, thank you to Lewis and
Clark Elementary third-grade students.
They toured the shelter before
Christmas and brought loads of needs
list item for the shelter pets. You guys
rock!!
� Thank you to Horizon Middle School
seventh graders “Team Quest” and
instructor Baron Blanchard, who held
a holiday carnival and raised money
for CDHS with ticket sales, a silent
auction, selling raffle tickets and selling
items from their “food room.” Team
Quest donated $612.53 to CDHS.
� Thank you to Brady, Martz &
Associates, P.C. for letting us use their
meeting room for our membership
meetings. Your generosity is a great
thing!
� Hip, hip, hurray to Horizon Middle
School – the students raised $1,580 and
MDU Resources pitched in to make the
total an even $2,000!
� Thank you to McQuade Distributing
for their annual donation from the
McQuade Softball Tournament. Even
though, due to flooding, part of the
tournament was cancelled – and
part of it was rained out – they still
came through with donations to area
charities.
� Wow! Central Dakota Human Resource
Association designated CDHS as
one of their charities to honor with a
donation. Thank you!
� Thank you to Daryl Braun. He
performed a magic show for a birthday
party. His payment was a donation to
charity and he chose CDHS. A top-class
act!
� Darleen Kautzman, an employee at
Dougherty & Company Financial,
chose CDHS as her charity of choice.
Her employer submitted a matching
gift in her name. Thank you!
More on page 14
Central Dakota Humane Society 4 Bismarck-Mandan’s No-Kill Shelter