Holiday Inspiration from Table Mountain Animal Center
‘Tis the season to get involved with Table Mountain Animal Center (TMAC) — metro Denver’s second largest animal shelter that takes in 10,000 animals each year! As TMAC looks for ongoing community support, a young artist’s talent and passion are being dedicated to helping provide the best C.A.R.E. possible to all of the animals in its charge — including horses.
Earlier this year, Jefferson County Animal Control seized 16 horses and one donkey from a property in Arvada. The animals suffered various degrees of neglect, but through the financial support of TMAC, they have all recovered and have since been adopted into caring homes. In an effort to help expedite the adoption of the horses, a Golden professional photographer and mustang advocate, Pam Nickoles of Nickoles Photography, took photos of the horses.
At about the same time, 14-year-old Adrianne and her mother, Susan, contacted Pam about the possibility of drawing some of her professional photographs of wild mustangs to then sell to benefit nonprofit organizations. Pam agreed with the suggestion of the seized horses as a project to benefit TMAC.
Since then, Adrianne has beautifully drawn three of the horses in charcoal and offered them for sale through Table Mountain Animal Center. Each drawing takes her about eight hours to complete. She graciously plans to complete the entire group of 17 animals! All monies raised from the sale of the portraits will be donated to the shelter to help offset the costs of bringing the horses back to health. To add to this wonderful community effort, Grizzly Creek Framing and Gallery of Arvada has generously donated the professional matting and framing for each piece of artwork.
Although Adrianne has since moved from Colorado to Texas, she continues to send her drawings to the shelter. This dedicated young lady, with the hopes of one day becoming a veterinarian, decided to use her own natural talent to assist with the shelter’s mission. Her enthusiasm and genuine desire to help animals, especially as a teenager, is an inspiration to others. “My love and passion for horses and animals made me want to help,” she says.
You too can join the growing list of TMAC supporters who are committed to improving the community resources the shelter offers. Table Mountain Animal Center looks forward to its future in a brand new facility, which will also have a new name of Foothills Animal Shelter. The 30,000-square-foot $9.7 million facility will be over twice the size of the current and outdated building. It will allow the organization to significantly enhance current services and greatly improve living quarters for the animals — while also making it more inviting to the public. The shelter will still remain an open-admissions shelter in its new facility (never turning away an animal). The new building is currently under construction on three acres of land just west of 6th Avenue and Indiana, near Colorado Mills Mall and the Jefferson County Fairgrounds. It is expected to be completed by the fall of 2010.
The Table Mountain Animal Center Foundation has received pledges of approximately $790,000 toward its $3 million campaign goal. The Foundation Board continues to actively seek donors to secure the remaining funds needed for the educational, adoption and outreach services of the new shelter and the creation of an endowment to support these programs into the future.
With this exciting future on the horizon, staff and volunteers are even more determined than ever to continue carrying out the shelter’s important mission — to provide the best C.A.R.E. possible for every animal who enters its doors. Community, Adopt, Reunite and Educate (C.A.R.E.) are the four key principles of Table Mountain Animal Center.
Like Adrianne, you also can help Table Mountain Animal Center. Whether it’s giving to the Capital Campaign to help build a new and improved community shelter, volunteering your time or adopting a homeless pet, you can help make a difference!
Visit www.tablemountainanimals.org to find out how to purchase Adrianne’s drawings, view current animals up for adoption and to learn more about volunteer opportunities.
For more information on how you can contribute to the new shelter project, contact Krista Lewis, Marketing and Development Manager at klewis@tablemountainanimals.org or call 720.407.5212.
Happy Holidays from your friends at Table Mountain Animal Center!