A new Langley foundation has just infused $100,000 into a program to care for sick cats.
Eric Woodward, on behalf of his new namesake foundation, committed $20,000 a year for five years – and maybe beyond – to the Langley Animal Protection Society (LAPS).
Starting in 2019, he’s earmarked money for the operation of the new cat intake, isolation, and recovery centre opened earlier this year at the Patti Dale Animal Shelter in Aldergrove.
It is the single largest contribution made to LAPS since the animal care facility opened in 2003, said chair Kristine Carrick.
The contribution was announced Saturday night, during the LAPS 11th annual Furry Tail Endings gala at Cascades Casino, an event that grossed $152,000 for the cause (the second largest tally in the gala’s history).
“People will always donate to capital campaigns to build a building, but then it always places an operational cost burden on the society… operating costs are a significant problem,” said Woodward, on hand for the announcement and to offer up two live auction items that raised more coin for the cause.
“A lot of people don’t want to donate to operating costs. So, what we thought would be really important and really, really cool would be to cover the operating costs for the ISOasis facility for about five years or so,” said the newly elected Township councillor and Fort Langley developer.
He even suggesting the contributions could continue further into the future, which brought a smile to Carrick’s face.
“Obviously that would be incredibly generous, and we’d welcome that,” she said.
Recently, Woodward and his foundation were revealed as a major mystery donor to the Langley Memorial Hospital Foundation.
In October, he committed up to $1 million, matching donations to the new emergency unit and MRI suite.
READ: Langley Memorial Hospital: Million dollar matching donor revealed
When that announcement was made, the Eric Woodward Foundation board chair Tom Kirstein indicated it was one of many future donations.
“The Eric Woodward Foundation was created to support charities and causes within Greater Langley,” Kirstein said.
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