By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

The Humane Society of Chilton County will hold Bow Wow Bingo at the Chilton Country Club on April 13 from 4-7 p.m.

Bingo cards are $1 each, and attendees can purchase as many cards as they would like. Cards for larger prize rounds may have a higher cost.

The board of directors is collecting donations of prizes (money or items) for winners.

Mike Williams will be the caller for the event.

Planning has also begun for this year’s golf tournament fundraiser.

“Everyone had a blast,” Board President Lee Helms said of last year’s event. “I heard a lot of good things.”

The event raised close to $2,000.

The board hopes to have the event in the late spring or early summer, potentially May.

During the March 22 meeting, Renee Helms read the treasurer report, since the board does not have a treasurer at this time.

The shelter started the month of February with $6,867.16. It received $23,251.66 and spent $26,436.57 for an ending balance of $3,682.25.

A major expense in February was repairs to the shelter runs for larger dogs and other repairs.  This was paid for with a portion of a $14,000 donation made by an anonymous donor through Alabama Corporate Electric.

“When we first came in, we were over $60,000 in debt,” Helms said of when he first joined the board. “Today, we are not in debt.”

“And we have a new van,” Humane Society member Tina Austin added.

Helms said the costs to keep the facility maintained are hurting the organization’s budget.

The shelter’s 2019 budget, based off of last year’s numbers, projects it will take $204,300 to operate the shelter.

Expenses for veterinarian services are reimbursed when animals are adopted. Costs for veterinarian services are expected to come in lower than the $50,000 budgeted now that the shelter has paid off its debt.

However, the expense budget does not include a specific line item for repairs to the building, which has been an ongoing issue.

The animal shelter has three full-time employees and three to four part-time employees.

The board is in the final stages of paperwork to submit to the United Way of Chilton County for funding for this year.

Anyone interested in serving as treasurer or joining the Humane Society as a member should contact the animal shelter at 205-755-9170.