Fifteen animal-loving volunteers have stepped up to lead the Humane Society of St. Thomas into its new campus and chart a fiscally solid future for the non-profit.
Society members elected the new board of directors at the non-profit’s annual meeting on Sept. 19. At the new board’s first meeting last Tuesday, its members selected Andrea Martin as president. Besides being a longtime animal advocate, Martin is the owner of Cloudwalk Services, a public relations consulting firm. Tiffiany Holmes, executive assistant manager of the Ritz-Carlton, was named vice president, while Dexter Freeman, network services manager of AT&T, was appointed secretary. Kristi Bush, controller for Blue Shore Grill and Lotus Grill, will serve as treasurer.
The other members of the new board include Joe Aubain, Karen Congero, Divya Daswani, Laura Garten, Jorge Gonzalez, Jim Hines, Dellia Holodenschi, Lisa Michelle Komives, Kris Macken, Trudie Prior and Ray Szymanski.
Martin said the Society has struggled to raise capital funds to finish the new Humane Care Campus on Weymouth Rhymer Highway, while keeping the current facility in Estate Nadir open for animals in need. “It’s been a difficult road to do both, but we are looking forward to finally opening the Humane Care Campus very shortly,” Martin said. She thanked the community for their patience and contributions to the facility, in terms of funding, volunteer services and items.
The bargain-filled Flea Market will be up-and-running for the annual Barktoberfest from noon to 5 p.m.on Sunday, Oct. 23. It will be a great opportunity for members of the community to tour the new campus and participate in family fun activities.
SIDEBAR: HSSTT Facts-at-a-Glance
· The V.I. Government pays the Humane Society to deal with all of the island’s unwanted, abused and abandoned pets. For Fiscal Year 2011, the government gave the Humane Society $90,000 to do this, or about 20 percent of its operating budget.
· The Humane Society took in approximately 2,000 homeless animals in 2010. Of those, 420 were adopted into new forever homes, about 60 were returned to their owners and 1,580 had to be euthanized due to illness, temperament problems or lack of shelter space.
· The Humane Society’s low-cost spay/neuter program helps pet owners afford the surgery, which supports their pets’ health, prevents many temperament problems and keeps unwanted animals from being born. Since its inception, the Society’s Cat Café program has also sterilized nearly 1,030 stray cats. They were released into their colonies to live out the rest of their lives without having unwanted kittens.
· The Humane Society is thankful for its approximately 400 members, whose membership fees provide about five percent of its operating budget.
· Individual memberships cost only $35, while family memberships are $50 and business memberships are$150. To become a member or learn about other ways you can help the animals of St. Thomas, visit www.hsstt.com or call 775-0599.
