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Last June, the Animal Rescue Foundation of Bartlesville celebrated their 20th Anniversary, but here in October, they are excited to celebrate another milestone.

Volunteer Robin Naylor said they are half way through the construction of a loft for their shelter. She said this loft is one of the final pieces to their building that they've longed to have.

The loft will sit in the attic space of ARF of Bartlesville shelter locted along Highway 60 next to the Industrial Park as you head west toward Nowata. It has a small, single bedroom with a half bathroom and living area. This space will house a full-time volunteer.

That individual will help out in emergency situations (i.e. snow and fire emergencies) and will also guarantee the future of ARF by being trained as a backup volunteer in all areas of the building. This includes financial tracking, adoption paperwork, spay and neuter clinics, and animal medical tracking.

Thanks to a $2,500 grant from the Walmart Distribution Center and the Walmart Foundation, ARF of Bartlesville is closer to completing a loft area to house a full-time volunteer. Naylor said they are half way through the construction of a loft for their shelter and the grant money will certainly will help them with their aspirations for the project.

The Walmart Distribution Center has been heavily involved in ARF of Bartlesville over the years. They were involved in the construction of ARF's five-acre dog park. They also completely constructed the chain-link fence after ARF paid for it. The Walmart Distribution Center has even come out to help ARF mow their grass on special occasions at no charge.

Naylor explained that they want to complete the loft by Friday, Nov. 1st. She said there has also been a growing need for a younger volunteer.

At least three of the four main volunteers that started ARF and have ran the program are in their 70's now. Naylor said the other one of the four has Stage-4 Cancer. She said they have always worried about what happens next when they all get closer to retiring and feel as if there health is no longer in a place where they can serve at ARF.

Naylor said those people hold a huge part of ARF knowledge. They will be passing on that knowledge to their new in-house volunteer. In fact, that individual has already been selected and has been learning the ins and outs of the animal shelter while she waits for her new home to be built.