SHORELINES

"The boys learned a lot. They had to work together. Really what one didn't know, someone else knew," Carter explains, remembering one Scout who learned roofing skills from his father. Family members also pitched in, working with the six Scouts to complete the houses. The Scouts earned service hours as well as merit badges for pet care and model design and building for their hard work. "They were so proud of themselves, it really was a team project for our troop," Carter says. Once the boys finished the houses, it was time for the artists to decorate them. "We have supporters and youth who are always looking for ways to help us," Chandler explains. "This was another opportunity for them to contribute." Chandler reached out to local artists, volunteers and friends of the shelter, and asked them to paint the dog houses for auction. Businesses such as Sherwin-Williams and Home Depot contributed paint and supplies. Artists had a few weeks to paint the houses, lending their own interpretation of dog house decor. "They turned out really 16 nice. There were lots of different colors and they looked great lined up all together," Carter says. Alexander City's City Hall opened its doors for the auction, displaying all of the decorated houses in the front lobby. "We would not have had enough space here at the shelter, and it was really meaningful to see all of their hard work displayed at City Hall," Chandler says. For weeks, people came into City Hall, admiring the houses and placing bids on them. Meanwhile, the shelter hosted an online auction for the houses on its Facebook page. As the auction was drawing to a close, one benevolent supporter bought all the dog houses. Rescue K911, an outdoor shelter in nearby Camp Hill, needed refuge for its animals. The supporter gave the dog houses to Rescue K911. "She recognized another need, which spread this project even farther," Chandler says. "The outdoor shelter really had a need for these houses and we were thrilled to be able to help them out." The dogs of Rescue K911 have been enjoying the houses for months, and support for LMAS is growing. In addition to housing animals in need, LMAS' mission is to educate the community, and to get people involved. "It means so much to see so many people in the community who are willing to support us, and who wanted to be involved with this," Chandler says. Even the Boy Scouts are continuing their involvement by making dog biscuits for the dogs at the shelter. Chandler already is thinking of ways to do a similar project next year. For more information on pet adoption or how to get involved with Lake Martin Animal Shelter, visit http://www.lmanimalshelter.org/ or call 256-234-5533. - Allison Westlake, Alabama Power Use your smart device to find: more information on Lake Martin Animal Shelter www.lmanimalshelter.org

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