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Northeast SPCA reaching halfway mark in raising funds

May 21, 2015 | 6:53 AM

A group of dedicated volunteers are working hard to ensure animals in northern Saskatchewan have a safe place to go.

The Northeast SPCA is working diligently to raise the funds needed to build itself a building in Melfort. 

The building would be located on Hamilton Avenue on land generously donated by the City of Melfort.

Ken Ottenbreit, the new fundraising campaign manager for the Northeast SPCA, said their Helping Paws Campaign is now looking to reach out to businesses.

He said they are working on sponsorship packages and gathering information on businesses in the northeast, which is the one area the Helping Paws Campaign hasn’t done yet.

On May 30, they will be hosting a luncheon at the Kerry Vickar Centre in Melfort to hand out those packages and speak with local rural municipalities and municipalities.

“We’re having kind of a kickoff luncheon for the Helping Paws Campaign. We’ll get information circulated out to the northeast and see how much of the business community would like to participate in this.”

The luncheon is also a way to recognize the volunteers who are working tirelessly over the last four years to make the Northeast SPCA a reality.

The target goal is to raise $400,000 to $500,000, the amount of money needed to build the new facility.

He said right now they are about half way to their goal. “The overall amount raised to this point is somewhere in the neighbourhood of $200,000.”

The hope is to have the groundbreaking of the new building this year.

“There is no SPCA facility in the northeast, as it stands right now when they receive animals they have to transport them to either Saskatoon or Regina so having a facility in the northeast will better serve neglected animals in the area.”

He said they are looking forward to the luncheon and meeting their goals.

If anyone would like donate time or funds can call Ottenbreit at 306-752-9421 or go to the Northeast SPCA website

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