Jun 30, 2008 6:48 pm US/Mountain
Downtown Workers Donate To Dogs In Need
Written for the Web by CBS4 producer Libby Smith
The idea behind CBS4's Pay it Forward Colorado project is to give $1,000 to a Coloradan (or group of Coloradans) who will use the money to change someone else's life. Submit your ideas
on YouReport
. Below lies CBS4's June 30 report. DENVER, Colo. (CBS4) - In the current economy, more and more families are giving up the family pet and that's putting a strain on area animal shelters.
"There are a lot of animals out there. I think just about all the shelters are at capacity. The economy hasn't helped," said Scott Rupp, director of the MaxFund, a no-kill shelter in Denver.
But Monday the MaxFund got an unexpected treat. The workers at ING paid it forward in the amount of $5,000.
"We're very happy to present this grant award to an organization so deserving, working so hard in the Denver community to support injured, abused and homeless animals," said Elisa Young, executive sponsor of the community volunteering program at ING.
Employees of the Denver branch of the financial services conglomerate won the money by performing the most volunteer hours of any North American branch. Young says of the 200 employees, about half do volunteer work, and the company supports 40 volunteer hours a year.
"Many of our people are very volunteer-oriented and truly enjoy the volunteer community," Young told CBS4.
The employees voted on giving the money to MaxFund at a time when they really could use it. Right now 40 kittens reside in the cat sanctuary at MaxFund and dozens of dogs are getting rehabilitated for adoption.
"Sometimes we have animals that have been abused; that have come from some very bad circumstances and we just feel they deserve a second chance," Rupp added.
The infusion of $5,000 should go a long way to providing more treats, and therapy and even space for animals hope to someday have a good home.
(© MMVIII CBS Television Stations, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
