6
NEWS 3
Arenex crumbles under wet snow COMMUNITY 12
Family fun after Christmas SPORTS 32
THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND
Boxing club’s future uncertain CHRISTMAS EDITION DEC. 23-24, 2016
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LOCAL NEWS – LOCAL MATTERS
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N E W S P A P E R
NEW WEST TRIO SPENDS HOLIDAYS ON A SPECIAL PROJECT
Helping critters in Guatemala By Theresa McManus
tmcmanus@newwestrecord.ca
A politician, a business owner and a lawyer may sound like the opening line of a joke, but it’s no laughing matter for homeless animals in Guatemala. While many Royal City residents are enjoying the holidays with their families, lawyer Angela Kerslake, Coun. Lorrie Williams and Greens and Beans Deli owner Leona Green will be volunteering at an Animal Aware Guatemala shelter this holiday season. “They operate a shelter for cats and dogs that come in, usually from the street,” Kerslake said. “Right now, they probably have in excess of 300 dogs and puppies and about 80 cats and kittens.They are always desperately in need of funds and supplies because, being situated in Guatemala, they don’t have any source of funding outside of donations.They struggle to provide the necessary care for these animals at the shelter and are constantly turning away animals as well.” After her first volunteer trip to Guatemala six years ago, Kerslake decided to do what she could to help Animal Aware Guatemala. Since then, she’s served as a director on its board, raised funds for the shelter, volunteered at the shelter and adopted out about 20 Guatemalan dogs and puppies to homes in Canada. “Sometimes people ask me, ‘Aren’t there cats and dogs close to home that need help?’ Of course the answer is, yes there are,” said Kerslake, who volunteers at the shelter four times a year. “The reason why I have elected to go over to Guatemala and try to help there as much as I can is that they have such a need for resources there and they have to rely largely on people and donations from outside of the country. But they are making a difference.” Kerslake will once again be spending time in Guatemala this holiday season, but this time she’ll be accompanied by Williams and Green, as well as Russell Pohl, the caterer at Galbraith Manor, where her office is located. “It’s so rewarding,” Kerslake said. “If you are an animal lover, you can’t beat it. I love
WOMAN’S BEST FRIENDS From left, Lorrie Williams, Angela Kerslake and Leona Green are off to Guatemala to help at an animal shelter. Kerslake has adopted out about 20 Guatemalan dogs and puppies to homes in Canada. PHOTO STEVE RAY
it.” The women’s paths have crossed through the years through their involvement with the Royal City Humane Society. “I am excited. It’s going to be a lot of work, but working with animals is rejuve-
nating in itself,”Williams said. “I think animals in Third World countries are not well treated sometimes, especially street animals. It will be a pleasure to help some of them.” Green hasn’t had a holiday in four years and thought it would be a great way to go
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somewhere nice and warm and help animals at the same time. She is collecting leashes and collars in a box at the deli and will be taking them to the shelter. When Williams and Green arrive in
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