Volunteer Spotlight:
Amy Hurst

Amy with Benton, who she adopted in 2008

“I love animals as anyone who knows me will tell you,” Amy Hurst says. “Anytime I can work with them I’m happy.”

Well, we’re happy Amy found her way to the HSGKC as a volunteer more than a year ago.  She enjoys her volunteer work with the HSGKC and mostly finds herself helping at the weekend Ray of Hope offsite adoption events. “I find the ‘work’, especially with the Ray of Hope program very rewarding,” Amy says. “But also I have met great people and have made a few very good friends.”

Amy has one cat, Benton that she adopted from the HSGKC. When Amy isn’t volunteering with the shelter pets or spending time with Benton you can usually find her reading or sewing. She hopes to start a side business as a seamstress and is currently working on a sewing project for Benton. It is a cat carrier out of material. Benton is not a fan of his hard plastic carrier and she’s hoping he’ll like this soft one much better! 

The best part of volunteering for Amy? “It means a lot to see an animal find a good home and just to do something good for them when you know they’ve had a rough time,” Amy explains. “I know they appreciate it. I can’t wait to retire so I can spend more time at the shelter.”

Special thanks to volunteer Wendy Flegel for approaching her company State Street with her Flip for Fido idea. Each month State Street allows employees to donate $5 to that month’s chosen charity for a Jeans Day Event. State Street had never supported an animal welfare group through this monthly program and Wendy had noticed! She asked State Street if they would choose the HSGKC for the Jeans Day program and allow employees to wear flip flops too. Well, State Street employees loved the idea and donated $4,000 to the HSGKC pets. Isn’t that great?

If you think your company might flip for the pets with a Jeans/Flip Flop day let us know.

Fletch is one of the many pets saved by the Ray of Hope. He had been a bait dog used in dog fighting.

The Ray of Hope program is saving an average of 50 animals every week. Now seven months into the program, we are fully realizing the total cost of saving Animal Control pets and making Wyandotte County a no kill county: $5,000 to $7,000 a month. We are committed to continuing this program, but need your help in finding the donations to support it. Be part of the solution and create your own fundraising webpage by going to www.firstgiving.com/hsgkc and share the Ray of Hope story with all your animal-loving friends. Thank you to Crissy McNellis, Nicole Setticase, Jamie Brown and Stacey Hsu for being the first to create a firstgiving webpage for Ray of Hope.

Tip your glass to the shelter pets at the first annual Yappy Hour at Tannah’s from 5-9 pm, Thursday, September 24. Tannah’s is located at 5041 W. 135th St, Leawood, KS. Tickets are $20 early or $30 at the door. Tickets include three drink tickets and passed appetizers. The silent auction will be 5-7:30 pm. come enjoy music, great drinks and food – all for a great cause. Purchase your tickets online or call 913-596-1000 x 22.

Volunteers, family and pets are invited to join us Sunday, October 4 at Shawnee Mission Park for fun and festivities. We’ll have more info coming soon.

Art and animals unite once again at the 13th Annual Art Unleashed. It will be held on Friday, August 28 in Hale Arena (the American Royal complex) from 7-10 pm.

House Games by Marie Mason is one of the many art pieces at this year's auction.

You can enjoy the live and silent auction with over 300 pieces of pet-themed art, all donated by local artists. Each piece is either original or limited-edition artwork so you know it’s special. Come enjoy the night’s festivities by purchasing your ticket early for $25 or $35 on the day of the event! If you want to reserve your own table of 8 (includes entry to the Patron Party at 6:15 pm and a food platter at your table) for $500, email Robin.

Go to www.artunleashedkc.org for more info on Art Unleashed and to purchase tickets and preview the artwork. We would love to see you there.

If you want to swing your clubs during our annual golf tournament on September 19 at Ironhorse Golf Club, please complete the registration form on our Golf Classic flyer. Volunteer Christine Salyer is organizing this year’s tournament and she says there are only 4 more team spots left.

Community Christian Church will once again be hosting a Blessing of the Animals service this year on October 4 at 8:30 am at the Southmoreland Park at Emanual Cleaver Blvd (47th St) and Oak Street, just west of the Nelson-Atkins Museum. You are invited to bring your pets (all types) for a blessing from representatives of different faith communities. A portion of the offering collected at the service will be given to the HSGKC.

Big Martini 9 is Wednesday, October 7 at McCormick & Schmick’s on the Plaza. Festivities begin at 5 pm and go until the well runs dry. The silent auction is 5-7:30 pm, the live auction is 7:35 pm. Enjoy this fun and festive cocktail party, do a little dance and raise your glass to toast the shelter pets. Tickets are $20 early or $30 at the door. Tickets include 4 drink tickets and passed appetizers. Purchase your tickets online or call 913-596-1000 x 22

We like to keep things clean around the shelter, which is why we need donations of bleach. Bring in a jug of it the next time you’re at the shelter. We are also desperate for your newspapers! The cupboard is bare.

For a list of other items and services we need, please check out our Sit Up and Beg Wish List. All of these items go to helping our cause become more successful and our animals’ lives become more enjoyable.

Buy your tickets today for the Bark at The K on the Royals web site. Bark at the K is Sunday, September 27. It’s the only day of the year when you can bring your dog to a Royals game.

Our goal is to have 500 dogs attend. Proceeds benefit the HSGKC, Wayside Waifs and Halfway Home Pet Adoptions.

We've Been Adopted!
We're excited to share the news that some of our pets have recently found their forever homes:

Colonel Sanders & Elliott (together), Duke & Star (together),

Flower, Mr. Peaches, Opal & Polly (together!)... and several more!