A new, 18,000 sq. ft. facility for Delaware's Faithful Friends Animal Society some 20 years in the making had its official ground breaking Tuesday, and a longtime board member discovered her name would adorn the new building.
"For our pets and family members, it's been a tough time. But it is an exciting day," said Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long. "This is remarkable. I don't mind if it's raining cats and dogs. We don't mind what the weather is, today we're turning some dirt."
Faithful Friends has been housed in a cramped location along Germay Drive for decades, but the new facility on Airport Road in Christiana is going to give the organization all the space it needs to keep doing its great work helping abandoned and homeless animals find their forever homes.
"There are so many supporters here, so many people who've been through the existing cozy building that Faithful Friends has, and we know that you do so much with not a whole lot," said County Executive Matt Meyer. "The fact we're taking this tiny place you have where you're doing so much--so much saving lives of so many animals that have been forgotten and neglected...The fact that all of you, so many across our community, have committed to a larger presence like this really said something not just about Faithful Friends...But it speaks to all of us, and the way we take care of our community today, and long into the future."
Capital campaign co-chair Jeff Ross said the more than 400 volunteers that impact the lives of animals everyday are a testament to Faithful Friends being more than just a "phenomenal animal shelter and adoption agency."
"Faithful Friends is impacting the wellbeing of animals and the wellbeing of those of us who love our animals. Whether it is one of our training and counseling programs...or our pet therapy programs, one of our many community outreach programs, or obviously our effective advocacy programs at the legislature, Faithful Friends is making a difference," Ross said. "Matter of fact, I like to tell folks about Faithful Friends that we are as much as social agency, as we are an animal welfare agency."
One of Faithful Friends' board members, Sharon Struthers, has lived in Delaware since she was three years old, and after nearly two decades in banking, she spent another two decades volunteering on nonprofit boards and chairing development committees.
All manner of speakers Monday heralded Struthers as one of the primary reasons groundbreaking for the new Faithful Friends facility was even possible. Ten years ago, when her daughter wanted to volunteer with the shelter, Struthers passion for animals led her to a true calling, and the organization thanked her for her years of work--and the "significant" donation from the Struthers Family Foundation--by naming the new institution the Sharon Struthers Adoption and Community Resource Center.
"It wasn't until I got involved with Faithful Friends that I realized how much this organization truly is the voice of homeless pets," Struthers said. "Faithful Friends' focus has always been to do the right thing for the animals. When the organization was started over 20 years ago, the kill rate in Delaware for animals in shelters was over 90%. And now, Delaware has a 90% save rate. The change in the percentage didn't start happening until Faithful Friends began."
It took a lot of work to get to that point, as well, she said. From lobbying and the crafting of legislation, it took years of effort, much of it led by Faithful Friends. Pointing to Delaware's moniker as the First State, Struthers said Faithful Friends has also been first a number of times.
"We were the first to have a pet food bank, first to do low-cost veterinary services beyond spay, neuter, and vaccine clinics," Struthers said. "We were the first to have a pet lifeline resource to answer questions of pet owners. We have a statewide pet-assisted therapy program with over 50 participants throughout the state."
Fundraising is still going on to complete the building as progress has already begun, with fundraising efforts now entering the Building Compassion community phase with private fundraising efforts completed and a number of wings or rooms to individuals, but Struthers said there's no doubt their goal will be reached.
"I think this is such a great honor, I want to thank all of you for coming here and for supporting this," she said. "We still have a ways to go. We are still fundraising, but we do want to make this become a reality."
The organization anticipated the building would be completed by fall 2022.
