Kennebec Valley Humane Society receives $2 million donation

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) - The Kennebec Valley Humane Society is fundraising to build a new, multi-million dollar facility in Augusta.

To kick off the campaign, one local family is giving $2 million, the largest gift in the history of KVHS.

“It has been absolutely the highlight of my career to work on this project,” said Hillary Roberts, KVHS executive director.

The Kennebec Valley Humane Society wants to help more pets find their happily ever after.

“We always want to do the best for the animals here in our community and animals elsewhere, so we’ve known for a while that we need a new facility,” said Roberts.

The shelter’s Capital Campaign launched with a splash.

Charlie and Nancy Shuman, along with their family and Charlie’s Family of Dealerships, are donating a total of $2 million.

“For more than 20 years they’ve been ambassadors, champions, donors for our work and animals in our community. When we began conversations about the future and the need for a new facility, they were there immediately to make the largest gift in their family’s history and the largest gift in our organization’s history,” said Roberts.

This current facility was built in the 60s and just isn’t working for KVHS anymore. They plan to start construction on this new location in spring 2020 and hopefully have it completed within a year.

“It’s actually beautiful the way that it happened. Nancy Shuman, who is one of our donors, found the land. It’s in a great spot in Augusta not too far from where we are now and in an area that’s very central to the community. And it was perfect,” said Roberts.

The 19-thousand square foot Nancy Shuman Animal Shelter will sit on 75 acres on Leighton Road.

“We’re excited that we will have a clinic where we’ll be able to provide even more for shelter animals but also for publicly-owned animals. We want to really be a partner to people in the community that need preventative healthcare for their animals, or spay-neuter surgery for their animals,” said Roberts.

The shelter will also feature a community room, helping to ensure it’s not just pets that find that fairy tale ending.

But Roberts says, there’s still work to be done.

“We’re about halfway there in our fundraising goal, so we still need support and we’re hoping that other people who want to help support our work, who want to help provide this promise to dogs and cats and other animals in our community will consider making a donation and joining us in our path forward,” said Roberts.

For more information about the humane society’s Capital Campaign, visit: https://pethavenlane.org/happily-ever-afters-capital-campaign/

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