Humane Society sees rosy future after 2018 “fiasco”, announces new programs for animal shelter

The Humane Society of Warren County Board of Directors, photographed with their new Julia Wagner Animal Shelter executive director, Meghan Bowers (far right) at the HSBC annual meeting April 9. / Courtesy photo by Ken Thurman

It was all good news and good fun at this year’s recent annual dinner meeting of the Human Society of Warren County compared to what some members termed “the 2018 fiasco.”

The board of directors was and is functioning well, there’s a new and promising animal shelter director on board, adoptions are mostly up, fund-raisers, including a couple of big ones, are back on track, and the accounts are in the black.

A mid-year membership meeting and a board retreat were held shortly after last year’s annual meeting leading to a revival of a then flagging organization.

The dinner at the Bowling Green Golf and Country Club was a small-ish affair for an organization with membership in the hundreds, but sufficient of a quorum to re-elect president Ellen Aders, Amy Thurman and Deb Myers, to the board.

Aders opened the meeting by crediting the vestiges of last year’s board – there were a couple of resignations announced after the 2018 annual meeting – coming together and correcting past mistakes while at the same time introducing new goals to benefit staff and the homeless animals they are charged with caring for.

The appointment of a new executive director, Meghan Bowers, effective last December, was considered a huge step forward. She was lauded by Aders for advancing a “legacy giving plan” allowing animal lovers to give shelter donations through their wills. Aders drew a few gasps in announcing among new objectives the revival of an old plan to build “our own spay and neuter clinic” and to purchase outright the Progress Drive shelter facility. For the shelter staff led by manager Kayla Wines, she promised to look into better pay and benefits for staffers that would include health insurance and a savings plan, similar to the national 401K savings program.

Unlike certain other organizations in the town and county, treasurer Michelle Kosiorek was able to report “a clean audit” for the year, and a net income over expenses of $7,969. It cost $610,768 to run the shelter last year; gross income was $618,737. While Warren County underwrites about half of the expenses, the shelter received some $36,000 in grants; and $109,000 through its “Save the Paws Alliance” program involving 22 major donors.

The animal banks one sees on store and office counters around town raised $3,458 last year. Fundraising events, which suffered last year when the Society dropped the ball on the popular “Waggin’ for Dragons” boat race on the Shenandoah River, nevertheless realized $41,600 from individual fundraisers supported by volunteers and the general membership. Sixteen corporate sponsors also contributed, thus helping HSWC to remain in the black at year’s end. HSWC hopes to emulate past years net receipts ($40,000 plus on average) with the re-emergence of the boat race in August of this year.

Significantly Aders singled out the scores of volunteers (staff volunteer coordinator is Sue Wagoner) who zeroed in on directly helping the homeless animals, principally dogs and cats, and her board members (Julie Covert, vice president; Michelle Kosiorek, treasurer; Amy Thurman, secretary; Katrina Meade, Amy Cavalier, Melania Catron, and appointee Debbie Myers). For additional praise, she singled out Thurman, a former HSWC president, who was invited to bring her experience to the board mid-year and remains this year as board secretary.

She said 22 foster families helped 113 cats and five dogs in 2018 and 123 volunteers provided 3,589 hours of service to the shelter. Caroline Craig topped the volunteer group by contributing 500-plus hours of service, the gold standard. Aders herself contributed 250-499 hours reaching the silver level. Other bronze medal (100-249 hours) recipients were: Ruth Lewis, Terry and Virginia McKinnon; Katrina Meade; Abbe Mulvena; Robin Whittington; and Michelle Kosiorek. “Sheer Elegance Pet Boutique” was honored with the Community Partnership Award.

Executive director Bowers reserved most of her podium time to recognize “our leadership team” whom she identified, and introduced as being responsible for maintaining a high – 95.7% “save” rate (dogs) and $94.4% “save” rate for cats, thus continuing the Julie Wagner shelter its “no kill” status for another year. Michael Kerns, feline team leader, received special recognition for his 15 years service at the shelter.

Bowers, on behalf of last year’s staff work before she arrived, advised 930 dogs and cats that were adopted out. “A big thank you to our adopters…we couldn’t do it without you,” she said. In addition, 270 “strays” were reclaimed by owners.

After the meeting, Bowers said a new animal transportation van purchased last year would be recognizable by its “wrap” – a new paint job prominently identifying HSWC – later this week – thanks to the late Pearl Zigler and the Rotary Club of Front Royal.