Rescue cottage drawing (click for larger image)
“How’s the Ashford sanctuary coming along?” is the question that Our Companions supporters are asked most frequently. First, here’s where we’ve been in the past three years:
- In 2007 we completed the demolition phase of our capital campaign, successfully raising $300,000 to clean up and demolish the chicken coops on the property, and remove the tons of debris, oil tanks, and other unsightly junk.
- In December of 2008 we completed the 6- month process of having our engineered site plans approved by the Town of Ashford’s Inland Wetland commission.
- In the beginning of 2009, with the economy in crisis, we suspended our capital fundraising efforts and re-focused on our annual fund, which supports our rescue and adoption services that handle over 1,300 animals each year. We anticipated (correctly, as it turns out) that we would see much more demand for our rescue services, given the state of the economy.
- In the fall of 2009, noting that the economy was no longer in freefall, we decided to launch the first $1 million capital campaign fundraising phase. Since then we have raised $405,000 in cash and pledges, largely due to the generosity of OC board member Valerie Friedman, and her sister Lida Orzeck, who put forth a $100,000 challenge pledge. OC has met and surpassed this challenge and is one-third of the way toward its phase 1 goal of $1,000,000. We expect to raise the $1,000,000 by next summer (and most likely sooner).
Moving Forward
Per the town’s requirements, the sanctuary will be built in two phases. The first phase, expected to cost $1 million, will include the building of the main rescue cottage, a two-level building where rescued animals can be cared for and re-homed. This phase also includes all the site work for the future phase. The second phase, including 16 cottages and an education center, is anticipated to cost nearly $4.5 million dollars.
Now that we have the Inland Wetland Commission’s approval, we have been working with our architect to develop detailed, site-specific drawings of the buildings proposed for the property, of which the drawing on this page is an example (click on the drawing for a larger version).
The Sanctuary is drawing closer to becoming a reality, and, in the meantime, have a look at what the site looks like today (on the right)! It’s amazing pristine beauty makes it difficult to believe that it was once a factory farm.
We invite
you to join us on a tour as we unveil our exciting plans for a brighter future.
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