“What Can You Do for the Kentucky Humane Society?”

As I reach the end of a six-year term on the Kentucky Humane Society’s board of directors, I have been reflecting on my time with the organization.

I vividly remember having dinner with CEO Lori Kane Redmon and several board members more than six years ago as they considered me for a board position. I was asked lots of questions that night, but the one I most remember is, “What can you do for the Kentucky Humane Society?”

To be honest, I don’t remember how I answered. I guess the response must have been suitable though (or they were really short on board members), because I got the job.

I will say this: whatever I did for the Kentucky Humane Society over the past several years pales in comparison to what they have done for me.

To begin with, they introduced me to two of the very best things in my life: Cotton and Steel. These previously unwanted, perfect dogs remind me every day what unconditional love really means. I admit there is separation anxiety at my house, but I am more a victim than my dogs are. I simply don’t like being away from them, and I barely remember what my life was like before they were in it.

KHS is as much about people as it is about pets, and I have also been blessed to meet some truly amazing people through the organization – people that I bonded with immediately because of our shared love for animals. They have become some of my dearest friends and I’ll look forward to sharing those friendships for the rest of my life.

While the pets and the people would be more than enough, KHS has given me something else that is very important: pride. I have never been more proud to be associated with an organization. Every staff member I meet, every story I hear, every facility I visit, every animal I interact with – they all make me proud of KHS. Some amazing things have happened in the past several years – the opening of our SNIP Clinic, the renovation of our Steedly shelter and the opening of our new facility on Lyndon Lane. Year after year of record-setting adoption numbers and ever-increasing numbers of spays and neuters. I am also extraordinarily proud of the willingness of our team to help other animal organizations that have benefitted from the leadership, expertise and commitment of KHS employees.

It makes me wish there was a better word than “proud,” because that doesn’t seem big enough.

I’ll miss the monthly board meetings, but I am enthusiastic about continuing to be a financial supporter, a volunteer and a vocal advocate for what I think is the best animal welfare organization anywhere.

And as I move forward, I will keep asking myself that same question over and over, just to make sure I stay focused on what is most important:

“What can you do for the Kentucky Humane Society?”

Maybe it’s a question we should all ask ourselves now and then.

-Rick Maynard