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Groundbreaking held for $10 million Angel Wing

Angels for Animals co-founder and general manager Diane Less along with financial supporters, board members, volunteers and a cancer-surviving shelter dog named Miss Rhubarb celebrate breaking ground for Angel Wing, a $10 million expansion project on the Angels for Animals campus at 4750 W. South Range Road, Canfield. The groundbreaking event held Sunday attracted a lot of supporters who donated and earned naming opportunities for various features of the new medical building which will house a 24/7 full-service veterinary clinic with dental and X-ray, expanded spay and neuter service and expanded animal intake area. (Salem News photo by Mary Ann Greier)

CANFIELD — A wing and a prayer and donations, lots of them –that’s the hope for Angel Wing, a new medical facility planned at Angels for Animals to offer 24/7 veterinary services with dental and X-ray capabilities, expanded spay and neuter services and an expanded intake area.

“We have a long way to go, but people have been very generous,” Angels co-founder/general manager Diane Less said.

Less spoke briefly to a roomful of supporters at the shelter facility Sunday for the Angel Wing groundbreaking ceremony, talking about the $10 million project and how it will keep the shelter going, provide affordable vet services and help more animals get spayed and neutered.

To date the campaign has raised $5.8 million with another $4.2 million left to reach the goal.

As Less walked around Andrews Hall, supporters kept coming up to her and handing her checks, telling her where they wanted their name written in. Across the wall was a board listing the many naming opportunities where supporters could put their money and have their name listed as a donor, for themselves or in memory of a loved one.

Angels for Animals needed an additional $4.2 million to reach the $10 million goal set for Angel Wing when a groundbreaking event started Sunday afternoon, giving supporters a chance to donate for naming opportunities for the many areas of the new building. To donate to Angel Wing, contact co-founder/general manager Diane Less at 330-502-5352 or go to AngelsForAnimals.org. (Salem News photo by Mary Ann Greier)

Pogo Bartell donated $1,000 for a dog kennel in the animal intake area, signing the board in memory of her late husband, Michael Bartell, who passed away six months ago. He worked maintenance for Angels and also volunteered his time for many years — now he’ll be a part of the new building when it’s constructed.

The campaign kicked off in 2015 with a dinner at the Lake Club in Poland. Less said they raised $62,000 that night alone, but their cause really got a kick from three $1 million donations. Janet Collier of Boardman and her late husband Jack are listed for the main lobby of the 24/7 vet clinic for $1 million. Poland residents George and Lynn Mitchell donated $1 million for the portico of the 24/7 vet clinic and Dave and Janet Flynn of Columbiana donated $1 million for the portico/entrance for the expanded spay/neuter section. Flynn oversees finances for the facility.

The shelter located at 4750 W. South Range Road operates on a $2 million yearly budget and handles 17,000 animals per year, with 10,000 to 11,000 spayed or neutered each year. Less wants to increase that number, noting that Angels for Animals is a no birth shelter — they don’t want to euthanize animals, they want unwanted animals to not be born and the best way to ensure that is by spaying and neutering.

The 24/7 vet clinic will include two euthanasia rooms, one of which Less has pledged to fund herself. The poster inviting investors to the Angel Wing groundbreaking event described the new building as a place “that supports all animals in our area and beyond. Where no animal will be turned away ever again.”

The idea behind the 24/7 vet clinic is to offer affordable care for animals in the area besides serving as a revenue stream for the shelter.

Beaver Township resident Pogo Bartell signs the Angel Wing naming opportunities board in memory of her late husband, Michael Bartell, who volunteered and worked maintenance at Angels for Animals before his death six months ago. She donated $1,000 for one of 20 dog kennels planned for the animal intake area. (Salem News photo by Mary Ann Greier)

“This is going to be a place for every animal to go. Our goal is to save every adoptable animal,” Less said.

Out of the 38 employees of Angels, 20 are medical, with two full-time veterinarians and two part-time, but she said they want 10 more veterinarians and they want to hire some right now, putting the word out for veterinarians to come forward. Other employees work in the shelter, the office and information technology. Angels also relies on 200 to 300 active volunteers.

Work on clearing the land for Angel Wing began a month ago with Less Contracting prepping the site. The general contractor is Murphy Contracting of Youngstown. The architectural firm is Copich Architects of Hubbard. Less said the plan is to build the structure in phases, with the shell and the 24/7 vet clinic first, then the holding areas and spay/neuter expansion.

“This is awesome,” Jerry Serbel said after the groundbreaking. “We need something like this.”

Serbel, of Youngstown, volunteers at the Mahoning County Dog Pound and volunteers for Angels. A dog lover, he has five of his own at home.

Angels for Animals co-founder/general manager Diane Less tosses some dirt after a groundbreaking ceremony for the shelter’s new 25,000 square-foot medical building dubbed Angel Wing. Standing next to her is Dave Flynn, owner of the Flynn Auto Group. Flynn and his wife, Janet, who handles finances for Angels for Animals, donated $1 million toward the project, along with two other $1 million donors, Lynn and George Mitchell, and Janet and the late Jack Collier. (Salem News photo by Mary Ann Greier)

Scott McCuskey, a board member and vice president for Angels, was accompanied at the groundbreaking by shelter pet and cancer survivor Miss Rhubarb, a four-year old Beagle/hound mix who’s available for adoption. McCuskey also operates the Pet Lodge in Boardman.

To donate to the cause or ask questions about the project, call Less at 330-502-5352. Donations can also be made online at www.angelsforanimals.org.

Miss Rhubarb, a cancer surviving shelter pet available for adoption at Angels for Animals, barks her approval during the groundbreaking for the new Angel Wing building, accompanied by Scott McCluskey, Angels board member and vice president. (Salem News photo by Mary Ann Greier)

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