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Volume 53, No. 22
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CHESTERLAND NEWS Wednesday, March 16, 2022
Your Community Newspaper Since 1967 Community Meetings Listed are public meetings and executive sessions for the coming two-week period, unless otherwise noted. Chester Township: March 16, 7 p.m., Zoning Commission; March 24, 6:30 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at the Township Hall, 12701 Chillicothe Road, unless otherwise noted. Russell Township: March 17, 6 p.m., Board of Trustees; March 23, 7 p.m., Zoning Commission. All meetings are held at Russell Town Hall, 14890 Chillicothe Road, unless otherwise noted. (NOTE: Trustees new meeting dates are first and third Thursdays.) West Geauga BOE: March 28, 7 p.m., regular meeting. All meetings are held at the BOE Community Room, 8615 Cedar Road, unless otherwise noted.
Cat Sanctuary Celebrates 40 Years of Saving Felines By Grace Hare editor@karlovecmedia.com Happy Tails Cat Sanctuary has spent the last four decades saving the lives of and providing a shelter for numerous felines and is hosting an event April 9 in Chester Township to celebrate. The nonprofit organization was formed by Jeanne Bones, who volunteers call “an incredible, cat-loving lady.” Bones opened Happy Tails Cat Sanctuary in 1982 after she noticed many stray cats around her area in need. Current sanctuary president, Tom Vasko, said Bones wanted to help these struggling cats in need and decided her home would be the perfect place to open a shelter. “What began as just a dream became a wonderful reality as she began to rescue strays,” Vasko said in a recent interview. The organization takes in elderly and “special needs” cats, some of whom are adoptable and others who will live out their lives at the sanctuary, he said. Soon after opening, the shelter experienced an influx of people bringing cats to Bones, or just leaving them on her property, so she decided to build “cat-friendly” buildings on the several acres of land on her property. Vasko said Bones had worked tirelessly in her endeavors to support the cats and as a result, word got out about the organization and people started reaching out to volunteer. “A cadre of volunteers formed to help Bones with the monumental task of running the sanctuary which is ‘no-kill’ and a nonprofit,” he said, adding it was officially designated a nonprofit in 2005 and held its first
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State Rep. Diane Grendell (R-Chester Township) holds the commendation she sponsored in the Ohio House of Representatives in honor of Happy Tails Cat Sanctuary’s 40th anniversary. Also picture, from left, are Happy Tails board members Cynthia Slezak (holding “Max”) and Mary Treanor; board member Doreen Lazarus-Harris; and Cats’ Inn owner Lynn Tezak (holding “Tank”).
fundraiser in October of that same year. As successful as it has been, the sanctuary has also experienced hardships. In 2010, a fire, due to a faulty electrical connection, destroyed Bones’ home and because of smoke inhalation, three cats passed away. Despite the devastation, Bones’ spirit was never broken, Vasko said. “She built back better, Bones would not be defeated,” he said. “She continued to run Happy Tails and any money she received was put into sustaining the organization.” Bones passed away on Thanksgiving Day in 2015, however, her legacy lived on through her determined volunteers and Vasko.
Doreen Lazarus, a volunteer at the organization, described the years following Bones’ passing. “For the next few years, with the exception of only one day due to a fierce winter storm, at least one volunteer would come to the sanctuary every day to give fresh food and water to the cats, scoop litter boxes, sweep and vacuum the floors and give medicine if needed,” said Lazarus. After Bones’ family sold her property that housed the organization, some of the cats were relocated to the Cats’ Inn Grooming and Boarding on Kinsman Road in Newbury Township, while the majority of the cats were placed into foster homes. See Happy Tails • Page 3
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