Faithful Friends breaks ground

Anne Cannon and Millie Cress look at the plans for the shelter. Photo by Shelley Smith, Salisbury Post.

A large crowd of Faithful Friends supporters gathered Saturday morning for the groundbreaking ceremony. Photo by Shelley Smith, Salisbury Post.

Faithful Friends board members and rescue dog, Hope, break the ground at the Mount Hope Church Road site. Photo by Shelley Smith, Salisbury Post.

Mary Ann McCubbin and Ginger, a Faithful Friends rescue, embrace during a prayer at the groundbreaking ceremony for Faithful Friends. Photo by Shelley Smith, Salisbury Post.

Dozer, a Faithful Friends rescue, is excited to hear that more dogs will be saved with the new shelter. Photo by Shelley Smith, Salisbury Post.

Sadie is a Faithful Friends rescue. Photo by Shelley Smith, Salisbury Post.

Carly Burleyson, 9, donated $200 to Faithful Friends Saturday, money she made from selling homemade salsa. Pictured with Carly are Anne Ingram and Mary Ann Pool. Photo by Shelley Smith, Salisbury Post.

Sabrina Knouse and Princess share a moment during the groundbreaking. Photo by Shelley Smith, Salisbury Post.

By Shelley Smith

ssmith@salisburypost.com

Hundreds of animal lovers gathered for a historic groundbreaking event Saturday morning at the future location of the Faithful Friends no-kill sanctuary.

”Building a no-kill sanctuary for animals was one of those ideas that just wouldn’t go away,“ Faithful Friends founder Anne Ingram said.

Since Faithful Friends’ inception in 2007, things have taken shape, making Ingram’s dream a reality.

In January of 2008, Rodney Cress discussed donating the 10-acre site on Grace Church Road with land owners David and Connie Clark. A few weeks later, Connie passed away, and David donated the land in her memory. The David and Connie Mitchell Clark Building will be the new home to rescue animals.

Ingram said she knew it was right when she read her horoscope the morning she signed the building contract:

”Gemini: Your aim is straight and true, so go ahead and shoot for the stars. Depend on faithful friends and the counsel of close companions to guide your hand.“

”What a great day this is for Faithful Friends,“ Ingram said. ”When you talk about something for a long time and your dream starts to become a reality and take shape, it’s an amazing feeling.

”I’m incredibly grateful and incredibly humble.“

Ingram said more than 8,000 animals are taken to the county shelter annually and she hopes to eventually save at least 1,000 each year.

Faithful Friends’ shelter will be able to hold up to 50 cats and 34 to 50 dogs, depending on size, and the organization will also still be using foster care.

”There’s no way we can save 8,000 animals a year,“ Ingram said, encouraging folks to spay and neuter their animals. ”If we can impact 400 the first year and up to 1,000 the next year, I think that will be a wonderful goal.“

Rodney Cress, a member of Faithful Friends’ Board of Advisors, said the groundbreaking ceremony was held because of ”three years of dedication by a lot of people who all have the same goal — to save the animals.“

”We’re blessed that in this economy we have givers that will share with their big hearts,“ he said. ”We hope the future of Faithful Friends will grow through the kindness of the citizens and it will be a place Rowan County will be proud of.“

Mary Padavick, president of the Board of Directors, called the groundbreaking a ”major milestone for a grassroots organization in Rowan County.“

”Everyone should just be so proud of it,“ she said. ”Within the next year I really look forward to it opening and having animals in there.

”Our mission is really greater than just this building.“

Padavick wants to find venues to offer low-cost spay and neuter clinics and she looks forward to partnering with the schools for education, from teaching children on how to properly groom their pets, to making their pets a part of the family.

”There’s such a need in the community for education,“ she said.

Padavick was impressed by the hundreds of supporters who came out for the groundbreaking event.

”Not only was it amazing, but we received about another $28,000 in donations today,“ she said. ”It was overwhelming. It was just a really great day for Rowan County.“

The sanctuary will feature walking trails, a memorial garden and pet cemetery, and a dog park.

The land is now cleared and ready for construction. For updates, visit www.faithfulfriendsnc.org.

Contact Shelley Smith at 704-797-4246.