Breaking Ground - OHS Building Campaign

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February 2010

Keeping Rugby's Memory Alive

Rugby

MaryLynn Strong is keeping the memory of her border collie alive by naming a room in the new OHS shelter after her.

Local lawyer Marylynn Strong is making a gift to the Breaking Ground Building Campaign in memory of her dog, Rugby. Because of her $20,000 pledge, the animal intake room in the new shelter will be named forever for the lovable border collie.

Marylynn has had a long relationship with shelter animals. She remembers visiting her local shelter with her parents to walk the dogs. Strong recalls, "They wanted to get me involved with something that was important to the community. It stayed with me during my life. When I was able to have a dog of my own, I knew that the only place to get a dog was from the Humane Society.

That is how I found Rugby. She and I were great companions — she added so much to my life and made it a better life — for 15 years. Rugby is gone now but I still think of her each day and want to keep her spirit alive. What better way than to make a gift to the Ottawa Humane Society, both for the on-going care of the animals today and for the new Ottawa Humane Society facility and future generations of animals.

I can keep Rugby's memory alive through my gift to the OHS and in naming a part of the new facility. Animals give so much to us to enrich our lives. By giving back to the animals we make a better life for them and make it possible for other animals to become that special animal that will add so much to someone else's life and give them what Rugby gave to me."

Check out the campaign website at www.breakingground.ca for naming opportunities in the new facility for your beloved pet!

Project Managers make their Own Gift to the Campaign

MHPM Project Leaders, the project management firm helping the OHS to build a brighter future for the animals, gave the OHS a Christmas present on behalf of their staff, in the form of a pledge to the Breaking Ground Campaign. Announced at MHPM's annual Christmas lunch, the pledge moves the OHS one step closer to achieving its campaign goal.

According to the firm's Vice-President, Greg Ashley, "The MHPM staff team is very committed to making this project a success because we care about the OHS, its work, and the animals it cares for. So in addition to our professional expertise, we wanted to contribute financially in recognition of our staff."

The company's gift is in addition to gifts made by individual company employees.

See Design Influences on the New OHS Shelter!

Visit www.breakingground.ca to see pictures taken at the Edmonton and Winnipeg Humane Societies. Both shelters — one less than a year old and the other about two and half — have influenced the OHS shelter design heavily. According to Executive Director, Bruce Roney, "We have tried to learn from the best of both facilities, and the very few aspects that didn't work as well, so that we get our new shelter right. You can read all the books you want, but seeing a new, functional shelter in operation really allows you to make good decisions about the layout and design."

A slide show and commentary are now posted on the site. To get a sneak peek at what the interiors are going to look like, visit the campaign site today!