Recycling drive to help shelter cats

Berkeley County Humane Society plans addition

November 23, 2007|By MATTHEW UMSTEAD

MARTINSBURG, W.VA. ? Just about every cat needs a sun-bathed window sill to lounge on, and the felines sheltered at the Berkeley County Humane Society's facility off Charles Town Road should not be an exception any longer, according to the group's president.

"We don't have any place to let them out to run and play," Shari Persad said. She said space constraints limit the felines to cages, giving them little pre-adoption contact with people interested in taking them home.

Pleased by the community's support for the "Bow Wow" visiting room and exercise area built for dogs at the shelter, Humane Society leaders are hoping people will take part in the organization's newly launched recycling fundraiser to help build an addition to the shelter for the cats.

"We are simply asking you to protect the environment by donating your used cellular phones, inkjet cartridges, DVD movies, video games" and the like to the shelter, Persad said in a letter to friends of the nonprofit organization.

Persad said donations of the used items might be tax-deductible, and the items will be recycled in accordance with federal environment regulations or refurbished and sold. She said 100 percent of the proceeds would support the Humane Society.

"It doesn't cost us anything," said Persad, who expressed hope the business community would support the organization, particularly cell phone retailers.

Proceeds will be used to build an 18-foot-by-21-foot addition to the shelter to provide a cat playroom, Persad said.

"You're not talking small dollars," Persad said of the anticipated cost.

The proceeds also would offset the organization's $5,100 purchase of a disaster preparedness trailer for the rescue and evacuation of pets, Persad said.

Persad said the Berkeley County Humane Society was one of the few organization's in the area to have an emergency trailer available.

The Humane Society intends to keep the recycling project as an ongoing fundraising effort after the addition is paid for, Persad said.

"We just need the community support to help get this recycling thing going," Persad said.

How to donate

To donate to the Berkeley County Humane Society's recycling fundraiser, take items to the Humane Society's offices at 554 Charles Town Road east of Martinsburg. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Among the items that will be accepted for recycling are mobile phones, inkjet cartridges, DVD movies/video games, portable DVD players, laptop/notebook computers, MP3 players, video game consoles, digital cameras, digital picture frames and portable navigation and GPS devices.

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