Glenda Taylor DeLawder’s gift of generosity was able to reach a worldwide audience.
The story of the late Carter County resident leaving her estate, worth $1.2 million, to benefit the animals within the region reached millions, appearing in well-known publications including PEOPLE Magazine and The Telegraph – based in the United Kingdom.
After Carter County Mayor Leon Humphrey announced the administrators of the estate bestowed $540,000 to the Elizabethton/Carter County Animal Shelter for expansion and other items during the Christmas weekend, officials joined together Tuesday, Jan. 3, to break ground on upcoming expansion, the first of two phases of work to be done at the shelter.
“If it wasn’t for the DeLawder gift, we wouldn’t be able to do this,” Humphrey said. “We’re going to be able to provide things for the animals that otherwise wouldn’t be possible.”
The first phase of expansion includes revamping the area outside the main entrance to better suit the feline population. At certain points of the year, cats were moved inside the shelter due to overpopulation in the current cat room.
“This will consist of a little over 1,000 square feet under roof,” Humphrey said about the expansion. “There will be around a little over 1,000 square feet of concrete slab that we will install three to four ‘catios’ on. At certain times of the years, these cats will be able to live in a much larger environment. They’ll have much more room to exercise and have more of a healthy environment to life in.”
Prior to the groundbreaking, Humphrey shared the story of the shelter over the past months.
“During my six years, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a story like this,” he said. “This isn’t just a local story, a regional story … it’s reached a national audience.” He later went on to add DeLawder’s gift is continuing to add on to the positive stretch the shelter is currently undergoing and appreciated the gift.
Relatives of Delawder, Sherry Taylor Miller and Estill Taylor, were on hand for the event and added that DeLawder would enjoy what’s going on within the county.
“If we can save an animal’s life, it’s real important because that’s what she tried to do,” Taylor said about DeLawder. “She took the animals in on her own. She had 32 animals in the house at one time. She would bring in more, she would try to give them away, but she’d usually took care of them herself. She had them spayed, neutered … just loved animals.”
After touring the facility, both Miller and Taylor commended the efforts of the shelter.
“I think they’ve done a great job,” Miller said with a smile following the event.
The shelter recently capped off the second “Empty the Shelter” event and Shelter Director Shannon Posada noted there were record adoptions. With the work put in by Posada, former interim director Susan Robinson and the rest of the staff, the county mayor sung the praises of the employees and everyone involved. The bright spots comes on the heels of the facility undergoing two director changes within the span of a month.
“It’s been exceptional,” Humphrey said about the shelter. “Everything has been exceptional. We’ve had a lot of folks take tours of the shelter today. The overall population of shelter is down, the overall cleanliness is at the best it has ever been. We’re following the protocols. I’m proud of each and every one that had a part in this reorganization.”
Animal Shelter Advisory Board Chairman Mike Barnett has been on the forefront, along with other individuals, in helping get the shelter steered in a forward motion and thank the DeLawder family for the gift.
“This is beyond words,” he said. ““This is very humbling. This is going to make life better for the animals here.”
Elizabethton City Councilman Wes Frazier was on hand added the progress was a great thing to see and added he loved seeing the animals getting taken care of. Along with Barnett and Frazier, County Commissioner Charles Von Cannon also took time out to praise the efforts made at the shelter.
Construction on shelter expansion is expected to take place Monday, Jan. 9. Another portion of the $540,000 will go toward a van to be outfitted and used for spay/neuter travel for animals and access for animals to make it to events.
The mayor added the van is scheduled to arrive by March 1.