• Rotary Year: 2017-2018
  • Application Date: 5/31/2017
  • Club Name: Chatham
  • Project Name: Outdoor exercise/visitation area at Pittsylvania County Animal Shelter
  • Project Total Expenditures: $24,000.00
  • Grant Amount Requested: $4,000.00
  • Describe the Project, its location and its objectives: Pittsylvania County leadership has made a significant commitment to build a new Animal Shelter where every adoptable, healthy, well-behaved pet in need of a loving home will be provided one. The new Shelter, scheduled to open in July 2017, will provide significant improvements for the care of unclaimed dogs and cats, as well as more visible and easier access for citizens interested in adoption.

    The current county shelter was never intended to support the level of care that animals waiting for adoption need. The building is unequipped to provide a healthy environment for the animals, due to poor air exchange, poor sewage disposal, and porous housing materials. It is too small to accommodate the number of animals cared for and its location at the County Landfill is unappealing and not easily accessible. There is no space for get-acquainted or counseling areas and work areas are constrained and lack properly equipped, dedicated spaces for animal evaluation and other key tasks.

    The new Animal Shelter, located on 10.5 acres on US Highway 29 in Chatham, is designed to meet the County’s needs now and in the future, providing significant improvements, a healthy, spacious modern environment, and improved visibility in the region. The shelter will be clean, spacious and state-of-the-art, with indoor and outdoor areas for dogs and cats. Areas for animal intake, family bonding, humane education, storage and administration will make the space more functional. The friendly environment will increase its exposure to the community, be a more inviting environment for residents and volunteers, and therefore increase adoption rates.

    The Rotary Club of Chatham will partner with the County to add an outdoor fenced exercise/visitation area on site at the new shelter – a space where prospective adopters, visitors, volunteers and staff may commune with the animals in a safe and comfortable atmosphere.
  • This is the Club’s: Primary Project Application
  • Expected Start Date: 8/1/2017
  • Expected End Date: 2/28/2018
  • Expected Number of Beneficiaries: 6000
  • Describe how the project will benefit the community and/or improve the lives of the less fortunate: (Note: 6,000 is 10% of the population of Pittsylvania County.)

    By creating a safe and inviting area for the community to interact with the animals at the shelter it is expected that the number of these interactions will increase. This should help the rate of adoption and increase the number of stray animals that may be taken off the street. The effect an animal can have on the health and well-being of an individual or family is well documented. By creating this friendly interactive space, animals are more likely to be placed in a home that suites them and where they will not be returned to the shelter. The space may also be used for volunteers to come and commune with the animals. The Rotary Club of Chatham is already discussing a regular “dogs with the dogs” lunch meeting in which the public would be invited for hot dogs and a chance to commune with animals and learn more about Rotary.
  • Estimated Total Project Volunteer Hours: 120
  • Describe the Rotarian hands-on activities in the project (i.e. non-financial participation): Rotarians will assist with the construction of the outdoor visitation area, including fencing and landscaping. In addition, we plan future service projects at the shelter creating opportunities for the public to interact with the animals and Rotarians.

    Other Rotarian duties will include grant writing, grant management and accounting duties, and public relations efforts.
  • Describe the publicity plan to inform the general public that this is a Rotary sponsored project: We plan to incorporate Rotary signage into some aspect of the area. The Chatham Rotary Public Relations Committee will provide news releases to local news media – newspaper, radio, television. In addition, the grant activities will be shared through social media, the club’s website, and the District 7570 newsletter.

  • Cooperating Organizations – Please list each cooperating organization, if any: N/A
  • Project Expenditure Budget – list detail uses of funds for the project, or use the Budget Upload: See budget upload
  • Project Funding Budget – list detail sources of funds for the project, or use the Budget Upload: See budget upload
  • Budget Upload:Chatham Grant budget.xls
  • Primary Contact Name: Sherry Payne
  • Primary Contact Rotary Position: Projects Chair
  • Primary Contact Email: nursepayne_2000@yahoo.com
  • Primary Contact Phone: 434-941-7450
  • Financial Contact Name: Phil Mauger
  • Financial Contact Rotary Position: Treasurer
  • Financial Contact Address: 
    PO Box 855
    Chatham, VA 24531
    United States View on Map
  • Financial Contact Email: phil@outstaffing.com
  • Financial Contact Phone: 434-432-8600
  • District Grant Project Authorization LetterProject Auth letter Chatham.pdf
  • Grant Number: 1718-19
  • Grant Award: $4,000.00