The Rainbow Friends Animal Sanctuary has received a grant to build a new, long-awaited adoption center. The Rainbow Friends Animal Sanctuary has received a grant to build a new, long-awaited adoption center. ADVERTISING “We so thank Mr. Paul Jolly, executive
The Rainbow Friends Animal Sanctuary has received a grant to build a new, long-awaited adoption center.
“We so thank Mr. Paul Jolly, executive director of the Petco Foundation, for believing in us,” said Mary Rose Krijgsman, sanctuary founder. “At the moment we are preparing the site, and construction will be on the way soon, with a grand opening ceremony to be announced.”
The sanctuary in Kurtistown was founded in 2000 “to take in animals who are homeless, provide medical care, love and play and find them wonderful new homes.”
The good-hearted facility is run by a small, dedicated band of volunteers who serve the nonprofit enterprise in many ways, some on a regular routine, others on an ad hoc basis. They come in assorted sizes, ages and areas of expertise, and believe as one in the importance of treating animals with kindness.
It’s been a busy few months, with some major projects still in the works.
A contingent of both two- and four-footed supporters from Rainbow Friends marched in the annual Volcano 4th of July Parade.
The sanctuary’s former Dog Town site is being transformed by young volunteers who are cleaning up the area and separating recyclable material from scrap. This is where the adoption center will be built.
“We are working very hard on renovating Dog Town to become an adoption center,” said John Thornton and Brian Vega. “This is a really big project and we can use all of the help we can get.”
Construction also is under way for the new Rainbow Friends Cattery. The foundation for this project was laid, literally, by a seventh-grade Girl Scout and her small, but elite, ad hoc support group.
Caitlin Anderson, age 13 and a home school student, has been working toward earning her Silver Award, the highest possible award a Girl Scout cadette can earn. In so doing, the member of Troop 2096, which is sponsored by the Girl Scouts of Hawaii, was charged with identifying a problem in the community, then researching to determine the root of the problem, then developing and carrying out a solution.
Anderson’s problem: feral cat overpopulation in Hawaii and the subsequent inhumane treatment of cats.
Her solution: No 1 — educate the public about the importance of spaying and neutering your pets and how they can do this affordably; No. 2 — help Rainbow Friends Animal Sanctuary build another cattery so the shelter’s volunteers can house/socialize and adopt out more cats into loving homes.
“Caitlin volunteered at the sanctuary on a few occasions as part of her research, to see how the cats are kept, and she was provided with a building supply list for her building drive,” said Anne Anderson, Caitlin’s mom and the troop leader. “She wrote letters requesting donations and mailed them out to all the building supply places that she could find in the Hilo area.”
“In response to her request, Mike Pearring of Jas Glover Ltd. has provided the pillars for the foundation of the cattery free of charge. Caitlin also enlisted the help of Kyle Naylor, a junior at Hilo High School, and his truck to deliver the pillars to the sanctuary,” said Anne Anderson.
In addition to her building drive, the younger Anderson participated in this year’s Earth Day celebration at Hawaii Community College. She prepared two story boards, one educating folks about cat overpopulation and the importance of spaying and neutering, and another showing several of the Rainbow Sanctuary’s catteries and asking for building materials to be donated.
Needless to say, the Rainbow Friends ohana has been most impressed with the Girl Scout’s levels of dedication and energy.
“In response to her request, Mike Pearring of Jas Glover Ltd. has provided the pillars for the foundation of the cattery free of charge. Caitlin also enlisted the help of Kyle Naylor, a junior at Hilo High School, and his truck to deliver the pillars to the sanctuary,” said Krijgsman.
In addition to her building drive, Anderson participated in this year’s Earth Day celebration at Hawaii Community College. She prepared two story boards, one educating folks about cat overpopulation and the importance of spaying and neutering, and another showing several of the Rainbow Sanctuary’s catteries and asking for building materials to be donated.
Needless to say, the Rainbow Friends ohana has been most impressed with her levels of dedication and energy.
“And, we are pleased to announce that a very generous person has donated the funds to allow construction of the new cattery. This will provide a new home, with a garden area, for the cats currently living in the ‘Field’ cattery and at the annex. Of course, this is just the start. A lot has to happen before the project is complete and the cats can move in,” said volunteer Cheryl Crabtree.
About a year ago, Rainbow Friends launched a Project Doghouse upgrade in an attempt to improve the housing for dogs in an area called Forest.
Forest is situated in a lushly tropical space and houses between 22-28 dogs at any one time. The previous Forest houses were constructed from recycled materials and were at least 10 years old. Thus, it was decided that complete demolition was needed in each of these 12 kennels and a completely new structure was to be built for each group of dogs.
Through generous donations from community members and groups as well as sanctuary volunteers, the last new house was completed last month.
“Without the help of others, this project would not have happened,” said Krijgsman. “The Rainbow Friends Animal Sanctuary, a 501(c)3 nonprofit no-kill sanctuary, would like to extend its deepest appreciation to these contributors within the past year: Newton Inouye, Lorna Doi and their crew, Darla Deville, Sabina Ludwig and Larry Gallagher, Dale and Cheryl Crabtree, Sharon Emery, Linda and Mike Turco and Marcia Krijgsman. “And we want to thank the Hilo High Rainbow Friends Club and Hawaii Youth challenge for all of their demolition skills and hard work.”
If you are interested in getting involved with upcoming dog or cat building projects, please call 982-5110. Also, tax-deductible donations may be sent to: Rainbow Friends, P.O. Box 1259, Kurtistown, HI 96760. Please state whether you would like your donation to be used for cats or dogs, if you have a preference.
The Rainbow Friends weekly volunteer orientation time has been moved to every Monday at 10 a.m. at the sanctuary in Kurtistown. Give the office a call to find out the details.
“We embrace the vision in which we see a time where all animals have a home with caring and responsible people and a time where there is a compassionate and loving relationship between humans and nonhumans,” said Krijgsman.
The Rainbow Friends mission statement calls for the following:
— To establish a safe no-kill sanctuary for animals who are unwanted, rejected, abused or otherwise neglected, by rescuing, rehabilitating, fostering and providing food, medical care and safe shelter for them until they can be permanently placed into caring and responsible homes or live out their lives at the sanctuary or foster locations;
— To help other people to set up and run similar sanctuaries;
— To establish a network of temporary-care locations to serve as foster homes for animals in need;
— To educate people about the relations between humans and nonhumans;
— To establish a trap-neuter-return management program for feral cats and other animals where appropriate;
— To educate the public regarding the need to reduce the population of stray or abandoned animals in Hawaii through spaying and neutering their companion animals;
— To prevent over-breeding of animals by providing or supplementing funds to people with companion animals to have their companion animal spayed or neutered;
— To cooperate with different types of institutions by providing volunteer experiences within the sanctuary and/or community service opportunities;
— To assist in the prevention of cruelty to animals, and such other purposes as the directors may from time to time adopt, consistent with the overall mission of the sanctuary, and
— To operate exclusively for charitable and educational purposes, and for the prevention of cruelty to animals.
