Written by Tamie Taylor –
AHWAHNEE – Another hurdle in the building of the Eastern Madera County SPCA animal shelter has been overcome, and the project is moving forward.
The EMC SPCA has been working hard for many years on plans to build a much needed shelter which will be located on Highway 49 across from Wasuma School.
“We recently surmounted an important milestone in the process,” says EMC SPCA President Sharon Fitzgerald. “We are excited to announce receipt of our conditional use permit from Madera County. The next step is hiring a company to locate the best site for the well.”
Fitzgerald says she is so proud of the mountain community and people’s willingness to help.
She further reports the organization is happy to have Alan Hendry as the architect on the project.
“Alan Hendry is a local person who cares about the aesthetics of the area, and has had the unique experience of designing shelters in the past,” she says.
The architect anticipates the final plans will be ready by November of this year.
There are many opportunities for the community to support the project including a raffle, bake sales and upcoming events such as Whine and Noses.
The SPCA also has an honorary mayoral candidate, Brian Gearhart, in the annual race sponsored by the Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce. Every dollar raised for the SPCA between Apr. 17 and July 10 will be counted as a vote for the candidate.
If Gearhart wins, he will continue to fundraiser for the EMC SPCA in his role as Honorary Mayor of Oakhurst.
Buying raffle tickets is an easy and fun way to help the SPCA. One of the prizes is a stay at a five star resort. Tickets can be purchased at The Cat’s Meow in Oakhurst or from SPCA volunteers.
Linda Chappell has organized a series of bake sales at True Value Hardware every other Saturday throughout the summer. The next one takes place on June 1. Most items cost only $1 and gluten free goodies are usually available.
Linda will have the floor plans for the shelter on hand to show off to those who are curious.
The EMC SPCA is a private non-profit organization run by volunteers and supported by the local mountain community.
