Faithful Friends shelter nearing completion

By Shavonne Potts

spotts@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — The interior is coming alive in the long-awaited Faithful Friends Animal Sanctuary, the county’s no-kill shelter.

Crews have begun putting paint on the walls and installing cabinets.

“This wasn’t like this last week,” said President Mary Padavick as she touched a cabinet door.

Padavick marveled, during a walk-through, the progress that’s taken place since her last visit.

The reception/entrance area will be a deep orange, followed by a purple room, neon green and teal.

Padavick said the idea behind the bright colors was to make it cheerful and vibrant throughout the building.

Faithful Friends is also in the process of searching for an executive director.

Despite weather delays, construction is rolling along and is expected to be completed by July.

This week crews will finish interior work specifically painting and installing cabinets.

Project Manager Jay Aldridge of Professional Products in Greensboro said the company spent nearly two weeks in the shop making cabinets.

“In the next few days we will be done,” he said.

The steel beams are up, outlining the office space, retail area, dog and cat quarters and in the coming months so will the interior walls.

There have been numerous fundraisers throughout the years. Some of the most popular fundraising projects for the nonprofit include recycling aluminum cans, which has raised more than $6,000. Other fundraisers have been recycling ink and toner, which has been exchanged to purchase needed supplies and donations via the Food Lion Community Rewards that are granted once the shopper notes Faithful Friends as its choice of charities.

In the summer of 2010, Summit Developers in Salisbury was chosen to build the shelter. Jon Palmer is the architect for the project.

A year ago the community gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony.

“We have had a lot of very generous donations,” Padavick said.

There have been numerous donations, from its inception — the land, money and even time. This has been a project more than five years in the making.

In 2008, David Clark donated the 10-acre site, which sits on Grace Church Road, in honor of his late wife, Connie.

The 5,400-square-foot building will also house 1,100 square feet of outdoor space for dog runs and a cat porch.

One thing that was not in the original plans, but was made possible because of a donation was the brick exterior.

The brick was donated by Taylor Clay Products, Padavick said.

Recently Salisbury Moving and Storage donated property, which was bought by a loyal faithful friend supporter and the proceeds from the sale benefited the nonprofit.

Board member Robert Van Geons is assisting in the application search.

“We are seeking the first executive director. We are reviewing what we’ve received so far,” he said.

It is not too late to submit a resume, Van Geons said.

“We will still consider applicants until the position is filled,” he said.

The organization will be ran primarily by the executive director and volunteers as support staff.

“We need someone who can be flexible and respond to emergencies as they arise,” Van Geons said.

The person would also need to be good at working well with the volunteers and taking care of the animals.

“That’s our goal, to get them adopted. It can’t just a be 9-5 Monday through Friday,” he said.

Van Geons said the hope in the future is to expand from just a director and volunteers to add full-time staff.

“Funding will govern everything,” he said.

Van Geons will gather all the applicants and present them to the board and hiring committee.

Applicants are asked to be sent via mail to Mary Padavick, President, Faithful Friends Animal Sanctuary, P.O. Box 3097, Salisbury, NC 28145. Also electronic submissions can be emailed to faithfulfriendsnc@gmail.com.

For more information about the application process visit www.faithfulfriendsnc. org.

Contact reporter Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253.

The following are upcoming Faithful Friends fundraising events:

• 5th annual Pick of the Litter Yard Sale, Saturday, June 4, begins at 8 a.m. in the Railwalk Arts District, 421 N. Lee St., next to the Salisbury Emporium.

Volunteers are collecting yard sale items now through June 3. For more information, call 704-633-1722 or email special event@faithfulfriendsnc. org.

• Flower-cutting event in a private garden, from 8 a.m. to noon on July 23, 505 Steeplechase Trail, Salisbury, at the home of Jean McCoy. Contact Faithful Friends about pricing and other event information.

• 2012 Pet Calendar, deadline Aug. 1 to have your pet featured, sponsor a day photo for $15 or a month photo for $125. Photos and payments can be mailed to Faithful Friends Calendar, PO Box 3097, Salisbury NC 28145.

Photos and payment can also be emailed to FFCalendaPhotos@yahoo.com, high resolution photos 1-2 MB, include your name, pet’s name, date requests and city or paid online at faithfulfriendsnc.org.

• There continues to be naming opportunities that include dog rooms and to have your dog included in a mural created by artist Cara Reische, which will be painted on an entrance wall. For more information call 704-633-1722.