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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Volunteers help give Humane Society’s big red barn a face-lift

By Nina Culver For The Spokesman-Review

The big red barn at the Spokane Humane Society got a bit of a face-lift Saturday thanks to a group of volunteers who turned out during a rainstorm to help.

Saturday was National Rebuild Day and volunteers from Rebuilding Together Spokane selected the barn at 6607 N. Havana St. for some loving attention. Students from Gonzaga University also signed on to help, said Development Director Pia Hallenberg.

The Humane Society has a 40-acre campus that includes the barn, which was used for storage and an annual book sale.

“We want to clean it up, fix it up a bit and use it for events,” she said.

The volunteers filled an industrial sized dumpster to the top with old pallets, boxes and odds and ends that tend to accumulate over the years. They also did some landscaping, leveling out the ground in spots, cleaning out flower beds and more.

“We tend to care for the animals,” Hallenberg said. “We don’t always mow the lawn as often as we should.”

The volunteers had planned to paint some fences but couldn’t do the work in the rain. Hallenberg said she’s grateful for the people who brought their tools and dove in.

“Everybody was super helpful,” she said. “The only reason we stopped was because the dumpster was full.”

Hallenberg said she’s particularly grateful for the help of Rebuilding Together Spokane, a local nonprofit group that focuses on doing free home repairs for low-income homeowners and those that are elderly or disabled.

“They usually only do housing for people, so we’re glad that they picked us as a project,” she said.

An upcoming event in June that will benefit from the newly usable space is the Parade of Paws, an annual pet walking event that raises money for the nonprofit animal organization. People collect pledges before participating in either a 2 or 4-mile walk that begins at the shelter, 6607 N. Havana St.