SHELTER from the STORM
Courtesy photo The expansive gardens of Duane and Lola Hagadone in Casco Bay on Lake Coeur d’Alene will be open on Wednesday, Aug. 7, for a Kootenai Humane Society fundraiser to benefit the nonprofit’s new building campaign.
The Kootenai Humane Society plans to build a 24,000-square-foot animal shelter on the west side of Atlas Road north of Hayden Avenue in Hayden when most of the $6.5 million is raised or pledged. (Courtesy rendering)
By BRIAN WALKER
Staff Writer
COEUR d'ALENE — A limited number of tickets remain on sale for the fundraiser at Duane and Lola Hagadone's expansive gardens at their home in Casco Bay on Lake Coeur d'Alene that will benefit the Kootenai Humane Society's new animal shelter.
The fundraiser will be held Wednesday evening, Aug. 7.
Guests will enjoy food and cocktails in the gardens and arrive via a cruise boat.
The Hagadone gardens are the largest privately owned gardens in the Pacific Northwest, with more than 300,000 plants and flowers on 12 acres.
Plush lawns, impeccable landscaping, enchanting water features and inspiration abounds in the Hagadone gardens, where the couple and their staff work to maintain more than 12 acres brimming with the diverse flora.
"What the Hagadones do for our community is incredible," said Rick Rasmussen, chairman of the capital campaign, citing other nonprofits such as the Boys and Girls Club of Kootenai County that have benefitted from the couple's generosity. "They are outstanding people and we are very, very lucky to have them in our community."
Boarding is at 5:30 p.m. at Independence Point. Guests will return at 8:30 p.m.
Tickets are $200 each.
"All of the money goes toward our capital campaign for our new home and can be used as a tax deduction," said Vicky Nelson, the Humane Society's director of development. "It's very generous of the Hagadones to hold this event."
There will be a "Raise Your Paw" paddle raise during the outing.
A summer evening cocktail cruise for up to eight people on Lake Coeur d'Alene aboard the Sizzler, Hagadone's 60-foot sailing yacht, will be auctioned off. The package includes a shoreside dinner at the waterfront Floating Green Restaurant before the cruise.
To purchase tickets to the fundraiser or support the capital campaign for the new building, visit www.kootenaihumansociety.com, call Nelson at 208-819-2812 to place a credit card order, or visit the shelter at 11650 N. Ramsey Road next to the Coeur d'Alene Airport.
More information and tickets for the fundraiser at the Hagadones is under the "Pawsome Event" tab on the website.
Capital campaign donations can be made under the "Capital Campaign" tab or sent to P.O. Box 1005, Hayden, 83835. Designate "new shelter capital campaign" with your donation.
Kootenai Humane Society, celebrating its 40th year, will build a new 24,000-square-foot shelter on the west side of Atlas Road north of Hayden Avenue in Hayden.
More than $2.7 million has been raised and pledged toward the $6.5 million fundraising campaign. Ground will be broken when 90 percent of the funds are in hand or pledged.
Recent donations have included $250,000 from the Schneidmiller Family Foundation and $10,000 from Washington Trust Bank. Portions of the new building will be named after those donors.
The nonprofit's current 15,000-square-foot cinderblock facility lacks energy efficiency, sufficient space for animals and operations and visual appeal inside and out.
"Everybody seems to be receptive to the need for a new shelter, especially people who have been out here before," Nelson said.
KHS has been at the same location since it started. The facility was added onto in the early 1980s and again in the late 1980s.
"Staff and volunteers do an amazing job in a very tough environment, but I truly believe it is time to build a more efficient and effective facility," Rasmussen said. "There are sections that are falling apart and the working conditions are not fair to the animals, staff or volunteers."
Contrary to popular belief, KHS is not a part of Kootenai County government, doesn't receive county funding and is not a part of The Humane Society of the United States.
The nonprofit adopted out 2,023 animals last year, including dogs, cats, rodents, rabbits and birds, compared to 1,231 in 2010.
The current facility can take in a total of 60 dogs and 60 cats, including isolation areas for sick animals.
The cat side is always at capacity with a waiting list. The dog portion generally doesn’t see demand as high, but it's still tight.
The new building will be able to accept about 85 dogs and 120 cats.