The Flin Flon/Creighton and Area SPCA is looking for four new board members.
SPCA president Erica Husberg said the group went into this year looking for two new members and had two leave.
“Members are there to guide the staff, create the policies and procedures for the staff to follow. They’re in charge,” she said.
“We’re also in charge of making sure that there’s enough fundraising events going on.”
The SPCA felt the sting of missing board members in their financials for 2018. The group had their AGM on May 21, during which they learned that they lost $55,000 in 2018. Husberg said the problem was fundraising. The SPCA raised $22,000 less than in 2017 and took in $23,000 less in donations for 2018.
Husberg linked the poor financials to their lack of board members.
“It was really just a lack of people to to organize or come up with the ideas,” she said. “We did have a fundraising meeting that we opened up to the public late last year and we had some really good ideas come out of that. But again, it’s just a matter of getting the people on board to help.”
The group’s big fundraising efforts this year will include a raffle for $10,000.
“If we can sell out of those tickets, it’s a good healthy profit for us,” Husberg said.
The SPCA is also linking up with specialized shelters across Canada to help overcrowding. Their shelter only has room for 12 dogs and 12 cats. Earlier this month, the shelter sent dogs to another facility in Nova Scotia.
“Specifically (the Nova Scotia shelter) is there to alleviate the shelters that are overcapacity,” Husberg said.
“Nova Scotia is quite a ways away, but they were a really good, reputable rescue to work with.”
At the AGM, Husberg also spoke about the work Debbie Ramsay did for the shelter. Ramsay died in 2018.
“She sacrificed so much for us to be here today,” Husberg said at the meeting. “She was my mentor, my voice of reason, and my friend. Her voice is still in my head when situations come up.”
The shelter took donations from Ramsay’s family to build a “catio” in her honour at their shelter, and it is currently under construction. The SPCA plans to have a dedication ceremony this fall when the “catio” is complete.
