Slegg Building Materials employees pulled into the Rescue And Sanctuary for Threatened Animals location on Chemainus Road last Friday with a considerable donation.
Two truckloads of wood valued were unloaded at the site. The lumber donation amounts to $30,000 plus a $3,000 in-store credit at Slegg.
“It was through social media and Wendy (Morlock),” said Slegg President Tim Urquhart of how the donation came about. “Wendy was really filling us in on what good work they were doing here.
“Through social media, we realized there was a delay in getting this barn that they really need.”
The donation stemmed from Slegg buying the inventory of a business in Vancouver.
Urquhart and staff members are strong advocates of the needs RASTA serves to protect animals who can’t speak for themselves and provide them with a forever home.
“Because it’s needed, that’s good it’s here,” he said. “They’re doing good work.”
Slegg Building Materials has been on the Island for 73 years. There are currently 400 employees on the Island, including 20 in Duncan, the nearest location.
“You have to be involved in the local community as well,” stressed Urquhart.
Morlock reached out to RASTA Sanctuary’s Lucie Cerny to set the donation in motion. Cerny couldn’t be happier at how things are coming together with a new barn that already has the substantial generous support of actress Pamela Anderson.
Related story: Anderson promotes animal compassion campaign on behalf of RASTA Sanctuary
“Not having a barn has been a real challenge,” conceded Cerny.
“It’s such a tremendous gift and so deeply appreciated. It couldn’t have come at a better time as we’re building the barn.”
The loads of fir consisted of shorter lengths on one truck and longer lengths up to 20 feet on the other truck, Urquhart indicated.
They’ll all be put to good use both for the barn and for building shady areas and shelters by the aviary.
“The plan is it’ll be like a jungle for the birds,” said Cerny. “There’ll be a pond we’ll put in with a filtration system and fruit trees.”
Wood was harvested and milled from the site to use for the barn. Anderson recently added to a previous donation to be used for fill to move the project along and start framing.
“The wood we had milled was enough for the downstairs,” noted Cerny. “This will be enough potentially to have us build the upper part.”
There are many other aspects of the project that still require finishing materials.
“Plywood is something we still need to get a fair bit of and roofing metal, along with windows and doors,” pointed out Cerny.
Electrical work is another aspect that will require some expertise.
“If we can find a volunteer electrician, that would be tremendous,” said Cerny.
The RASTA Sanctuary The RASTA Sanctuary was founded by Cerny 20 years ago, originating in Alberta before moving to Chemainus in 2015.
