Shelter Connection Raised More Than $500K

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Great Neck Record Staff
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From left: Public Safety Commissioner Andrew DeMartin, Councilwoman Viviana Russell, Councilwoman Lee Seeman, Councilwoman Dina De Giorgio, Town Clerk Wayne Wink, Animal Shelter Director Jenna Givargidze with a Maltese named Benji, Supervisor Judi Bosworth, President of the Shelter Connection Dr. Bob Slifkin, Susan Hassett with a Beagle named Keeper, Councilwoman Anna Kaplan, Receiver of Taxes Charles Berman and Councilman Peter Zuckerman
From left: Public Safety Commissioner Andrew DeMartin, Councilwoman Viviana Russell, Councilwoman Lee Seeman, Councilwoman Dina De Giorgio, Town Clerk Wayne Wink, Animal Shelter Director Jenna Givargidze with a Maltese named Benji, Supervisor Judi Bosworth, President of the Shelter Connection Dr. Bob Slifkin, Susan Hassett with a Beagle named Keeper, Councilwoman Anna Kaplan, Receiver of Taxes Charles Berman and Councilman Peter Zuckerman

The town Animal Shelter’s nonprofit partner The Shelter Connection was honored during a ceremony at town hall last fall.

The Shelter Connection, established in 1999, has created training and socialization programs in order to increase adoptions at the North Hempstead Animal Shelter. With the help of their volunteers and events such as “fun”draisers and friend raisers, The Shelter Connection has successfully raised more than $500,000 in donations since it was founded.

“There are so many beautiful dogs to be adopted and The Shelter Connection is doing a great job of caring for them,” said Supervisor Judi Bosworth. “With programs like ‘Mend-a-Paw’ that raise funds to care for dogs’ special medical needs, they have given the dogs a better life and a better chance at finding a home to call their own.”

From left, back row: Public Safety Commissioner Andrew DeMartin, Councilwoman Anna Kaplan, Receiver of Taxes Charles Berman, Councilwoman Viviana Russell, Shelter Director Jenna Givargidze with a Maltese named Benji, Dr. Bob Slifkin, Supervisor Judi Bosworth, Susan Hassett with a Beagle named Keeper, Town Clerk Wayne Wink, Councilwoman Dina De Giorgio, Councilwoman Lee Seeman; front row (not from left): John Luca, Ruth Stern, Linda Tyras, Paula Kellner, Roseanne Wellmaker, Marianne Sikora, Denise Waters and Kim Lasek
From left, back row: Public Safety Commissioner Andrew DeMartin, Councilwoman Anna Kaplan, Receiver of Taxes Charles Berman, Councilwoman Viviana Russell, Shelter Director Jenna Givargidze with a Maltese named Benji, Dr. Bob Slifkin, Supervisor Judi Bosworth, Susan Hassett with a Beagle named Keeper, Town Clerk Wayne Wink, Councilwoman Dina De Giorgio, Councilwoman Lee Seeman; front row (not from left): John Luca, Ruth Stern, Linda Tyras, Paula Kellner, Roseanne Wellmaker, Marianne Sikora, Denise Waters and Kim Lasek

The Shelter Connection is fighting against the stigma that shelter dogs are “damaged goods” and educating the public about the number of homeless dogs there are and what they can do to help. Educating the public, especially children, about shelters being a place of hope for these dogs is an important goal of The Shelter Connection.

“The caring and warm atmosphere created by the staff at the Town of North Hempstead Animal Shelter was what first attracted the volunteers of The Shelter Connection,” said The Shelter Connection’s President Dr. Bob Slifkin. “Having a town government that was open and welcoming to having a volunteer group at their shelter was another plus for our volunteers. They’re able to help these dogs—some of them who arrived at the shelter sick, injured or with little training—leave the shelter as healthy family pets, and that has been an incredibly gratifying and moving experience.”

Dr. Bob Slifkin cuts the ceremonial cake.
Dr. Bob Slifkin cuts the ceremonial cake.

Various volunteers from The Shelter Connection were on hand for the ceremony including John Luca, Ruth Stern, Linda Tyras, Paula Kellner, Roseanne Wellmaker, Marianne Sikora, Denise Waters and Kim Lasek.

For more information on the town’s Animal Shelter, visit www.theshelterconnection.com or call 311 or 516-869-6311.

—Submitted by Town of North Hempstead 

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