On Friday, October 15, at approximately 11:30 am, Atlanta Animal Rescue Friends took a huge step forward.We closed on our new building at 6570 James B. Rivers Drive in Stone Mountain!
It's an exciting, scary, thrilling adventure so far. When we walked into the building on Friday afternoon, I was overwhelmed with the possibilities. The room that will be the cat adoption center has a "closet" that is really just framed in. When we open it up, we'll be able to almost double the space for adoptable cats! We'll have room for visitors, volunteers and potential adopters to spend time with the cats and help to get them ready for new homes.
I imagined a room full of dogs and their people in the training room, not only teaching and learning commands, but learning how to be a team, increasing the bond between dog and person and decreasing the chance that those dogs will ever leave their homes.
I also imagined that same room full of dogs on the weekends who are looking for their new homes. I can't wait to open up that space for not only AARF adoption days, but for any rescue group that wants an indoor, secure, climate-controlled space for adoption days. No more setting up crates outside in the rain, heat or cold winter wind. No more chasing dogs across the parking lot when someone drops a leash. Instead, comfy couches to snuggle with potential new family members.
Our new AARF Central will offer so much for pets and their people -- adoptions, training, grooming and pet supplies. But the thing that I know is going to make the most difference in what we do are the cats who will move from a county shelter to our cat adoption center, the dogs who will find their new families at our weekend adoption days, and the dogs in danger of ending up at a shelter who find a second chance in our training facility.
For those of you who have already supported AARF Central, I am so grateful and I hope you will be proud of how we use your donation. For those of you who haven't yet joined us in this journey, I hope you will. I invite all of you to our "Fund the Building" Party on Saturday, October 23, from 4:00 - 8:00. Check out the details on Facebook or view the invitation here.
Can't come to the party? Download a pledge form or a donor tile form, or make a donation online. We need you now, more than ever!
Want to donate items to help with renovations? Check out the list, and bring them to the party or schedule a time to drop them off at the building. Item donations are tax-deductible, too.
Wish list:
- Refrigerator/Freezer
- Washer & Dryer
- Coffee maker
- Large plastic storage bins
- 3 Computers (Desktop or Laptop) Mac preferred
- Printers
- Copier
- Fax machine
- Power tools
- Hand tools
- Large garbage cans
- Drywall and drywall supplies
- Home Depot, Lowe's, Wal-Mart, Sears gift cards
- Cement floor sealant
- Paint brushes, rollers, paint trays (unused)
- Wooden decking and fence material
- Microwave
- Coffee maker
- Toaster oven
- Storage shelves
- Sofa
- Television
- Unused PVC pipe
- Dog crates
- Cat carriers
