(Bowling Green)—The Wood County Humane Society (WCHS) will convene its annual meeting on January 19 at 6 p.m. The meeting will be held in the Simpson Garden Park meeting room and is open to the public.
During the program of events, a number of community members and businesses will be recognized for their special contributions to the organization over the past calendar year. Jan Harr will be honored with the Minnibelle Conley Community Recognition Award. Three Special Friend to Animals Awards will be given, including: Nagoya Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi for over four years of monthly sponsorship of one cat and one dog adoption fee; and one each to Joe Schroeder and Stephanie Squire Ringler for their work on organizing and executing the annual garage sale. Barbara Arnold will be acknowledged as the Ellen Fuller Volunteer of the Year, and both Erik J. Thompson and Kyle Silvers will be acknowledged as Wanda Loomis Humanitarians of the Year.
Also slated to be recognized are volunteers who have logged over 100 hours of service to the organization over the past year. Among those to be acknowledged are: Barbara Arnold, Scott Beard, Marissa Bijarro, Connie Black-Postl, Phyllis Chaney, the Cufr family, Kathy Dean, Tracy DeRan, Heath Diehl, Sue Frost, Kristen Grom, Jan Harr, Lynn Helm, Sarah Hemingway, Leyna Jennings, Emily Keegan, Lisa Kern, Lori Keller, Kathy Ledford, Christina Link, Debra Loprete, April McCurdy, Mary Morgan, Tina Robinette, the Rose family, Glenda Schwartz, Matt Skivers, Maria Smithers, Chuck and Christy Spontelli, Geoff Stevenson, Liesel Traister, and Cassie Williams.
The high point of the program will be a keynote address delivered by John Dinon, Ohio Director of Outreach and Engagement for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Dinon’s keynote presentation will include a brief overview of HSUS and its programs (with emphasis on the farm animal programs). The main topic will be management of community cats.
In his current position with HSUS, Dinon works with animal shelters and does some legislative work, but he primarily works to promote and support humane, sustainable animal agriculture. Prior to accepting the position with HSUS, Dinon served as Director of Animal Conservation Programs at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden and as Director of the Toledo Area Humane Society and as a Humane Agent for Lucas County for four years.
The WCHS, located in Bowling Green, Ohio, is a full-service, no-kill shelter providing care for homeless and abused pets and investigating cruelty complaints in Wood County. In addition, the organization assists Wood County residents with its Safe Haven and food assistance programs, spay/neuter transport, and educational presentations. The WCHS provides care for hundreds of animals each year—from dogs and cats, to horses, goats, and pocket pets. The non-profit organization is funded predominantly through donations from local individuals and businesses, Community Shares of Northwest Ohio (a workplace giving campaign), and fundraisers. The Wood County Commissioners help fund a Humane Agent, but the organization receives no additional funding from national humane organizations or the government. For more information on adopting and/or volunteering, see: http://www.woodcountyhumanesociety.org.
