Roice-Hurst Humane Society
"A No-Kill Animal Shelter"
3320 D 1/2 Rd., Clifton, CO 81520
Phone: (970) 434-7337 Fax: (970) 434-2769
Email: rhhs@ascol.net
Roice-Hurst Humane Society
"A No-Kill Animal Shelter"
3320 D 1/2 Rd., Clifton, CO 81520
Phone: (970) 434-7337 Fax: (970) 434-2769
Email: rhhs@ascol.net
Roice-Hurst Humane Society
"A No-Kill Animal Shelter"
3320 D 1/2 Rd., Clifton, CO 81520
Phone: (970) 434-7337 Fax: (970) 434-2769
Email: rhhs@ascol.net
Roice-Hurst Humane Society
"A No-Kill Animal Shelter"
VOLUNTEER STORIES
BOB and SALLY BELLACQUA
The beautiful photographs of the dogs you see throughout this site are the results of this talented volunteer team. We are extremely blessed and very grateful to have this accomplished twosome at RH.
Sally's amazing expertise with the camera and Bob's remarkable way with the animals are a winning combination.
As you might imagine, dogs just coming in to the shelter are often scared, confused, and not to happy about their circumstances.
Under Bob's calming hands and Sally's obvious love and concern, they are able to soothe the distressed animal and capture the personalities
and hearts of the animals in their pictures.
Bob and Sally Bellacqua moved to the Grand Valley in June 2003 when Sally retired from a career in education. Sally’s twin interests of hiking and photography soon led her to volunteer her time and talents at Colorado National Monument.
Her background in math and computer science led her to AARP Tax-Aide’s volunteer tax preparation assistance program.
Bob, still working part-time, began walking dogs once a week fours year ago at Roice-Hurst.
When the Gateway Auto Museum opened, Bob became a volunteer docent where he shares his interest in classic American cars with the public.
Last year, when Bob learned that the dog photographer moved away, he suggested that Sally use her photographic skills to help the dogs get adopted.
She and Bob now spend one day a week taking photos of the dogs for the web site, newspaper ads, and other Roice-Hurst uses.
We are so very lucky to have such a dedicated and hard working couple volunteering their talent to help our precious pets get adopted.
We have no doubt that their wonderful pictures are essential in helping our furry friends find "Forever Homes".
Hours : Closed on Tuesdays. Mon. - Sat. 10:30 am to 5:30 pm Sun. 1 pm to 4:00 pm
VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR 2011
Jim and Flo Witmer
Visitors to the new Roice-Hurst Humane Society shelter and adoption center at 362 28 Rd. will see the imprint of Jim and Flo Witmer in every room. Before they’re done helping with RHHS’ major remodel of the former Mesa County Animal Services building, this husband/wife team will have logged in nearly 1,500 volunteer hours.
“Jim and Flo have been at our new facility nearly every day for the past several months, doing skilled, very physical labor – carpentry, window and door installations,
patching, painting, cleaning, and so much more,” reports Elaine Johnson-Craig, RHHS board member. “Their tireless work and dedication to creating a wonderful, temporary home for our adoptable pets goes far beyond what anyone could even dream of in a volunteer.”
patching, painting, cleaning, and so much more,” reports Elaine Johnson-Craig, RHHS board member. “Their tireless work and dedication to creating a wonderful, temporary home for our adoptable pets goes far beyond what anyone could even dream of in a volunteer.”
Flo started helping at Roice-Hurst more than a year ago, after a much-loved cat of theirs died. She started spending time at the shelter’s current location in Clifton, socializing with the cats and helping them be more adoptable. Flo is also a dedicated foster mom, taking in a senior, special needs cat who wasn’t doing well at the shelter, but is now thriving in the Witmers’ loving home environment.
Jim became involved in the fall of 2010, when he and Flo attended a RHHS membership meeting and learned about the “land swap” with Mesa County that ultimately led to the acquisition of the former MCAS building. Jim offered his prodigious talents to the board at the end of that meeting, and started not long after planning and redesigning most of the building’s interior.
“It’s hard to estimate how much money this ‘dynamic duo’ has saved our shelter with their ‘sweat equity,’ but it’s easily in the tens of thousands of dollars,” says Johnson-Craig. “It would be hard to overestimate their importance in helping us realize our dream of a new and better environment for our cats and dogs.”
It is also difficult to express the appreciation we have for these two wonderful volunteers, but we will try. "JIM & FLO - WE LOVE YOU! THANK YOU!
A HUGE "THANK YOU" TO MARK DeWOLFE
Commercial construction manager Mark DeWolfe appropriately came into our lives last Nov. 24th, the day after he saw board member Julie Butherus on Channel 11, asking for help in remodeling our new facility (the former Mesa County Animal Services building at 362 28 Rd).
“I’ve always said that if I had the time or the ability to help my community, it would be through helping animals,” Mark said.
More than five months later, there isn’t much doubt that Mark’s arrival was a Thanksgiving blessing that would have a far-reaching impact on our shelter and our animals.
Not only has Mark donated his time and talents as a project manager, he’s joined a handful of other skilled volunteers in doing much of the extensive physical labor required to accomplish this major remodeling project.
As if all that wasn’t enough, Mark has used his photography skills to capture wonderful images of our animals, staff, volunteers, and facilities that he’s using to compile a slide show to be unveiled at our new facility’s open house June 5th.
Without Mark – and our other dedicated building volunteers and donors – the move would have happened, but it would have been into very much the same building that Mesa County vacated. What we’ve been able to accomplish with limited funds is astonishing, and we have Mark to thank in large part for that!
Mark and his adopted buddy, Taylor.
VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR 2010
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