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Jillian Whalin, manager of the Madison Heights Animal Shelter at 801 Ajax Drive, holds Batman, a young domestic short-hair cat. He has been at the shelter since July after he was found thrown out with the trash at an apartment complex. He is currently looking for a home.
Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
Avalanche, 2, was brought to the shelter with six other cats, including her kitten, Glacier. All seven were found abandoned in Rosie’s Park. They once lived together at the same home, until their owner released them into the park. Avalanche is going through the vetting process while nursing her baby.
Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
MADISON HEIGHTS/HAZEL PARK — Like arts and crafts? Love cats and dogs?
An upcoming event will cater to your creative side while helping raise much-needed dollars for animal shelters in Madison Heights and Hazel Park.
The benefit is hosted by the Madison Heights Women’s Club, part of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, or GFWC. It will take place at the Hazel Park Community Center, 620 W. Woodward Heights Blvd., from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30. There will be craft demonstrations and make-and-take crafts to try at home.
Admission is $20, which includes a light breakfast and lunch. Proceeds benefit the shelters in both Madison Heights and Hazel Park. There will also be door prizes, and a 50/50 raffle where you must be present to win.
“The staff and animals here thank everyone, deeply, for their support,” said Paige Wallace, animal control officer for Madison Heights. “There are just so many animals with medical issues upon intake and during their stay. We simply cannot address them without everyone’s continued support.”
For the event, the Madison Heights Women’s Club won use of a room at the recreation center during a spring auction hosted by the Madison Heights/Hazel Park Chamber of Commerce.
Robin Wojta, the club’s first vice president, said that many club members are passionate about animal welfare. The shelter in Madison Heights is located at 801 Ajax Drive, while the Hazel Park shelter is at 24211 Couzens Ave. Both make valiant efforts to rescue every dog, puppy, cat and kitten that comes their way. This often involves treating animals for heartworm, spaying or neutering, and getting them vaccinated. It can also involve emergency surgeries.
There are other recurring costs, too. For example, the shelters always need cleaning supplies, such as bleach and paper towels, as well as non-clumping kitty litter. The shelters can always use wet food for the cats, and Purina cat and kitten chow, which has extra fat and protein that kittens need.
People can donate directly to the shelters and inquire about specific needs at the moment. The Madison Heights shelter can be reached at (248) 837-2666, while the Hazel Park shelter can be reached at (248) 546-4096.
“I am a huge animal lover,” said Roslyn Yerman, spokesperson for the Madison Heights Women’s Club, in an email. “I was pleased to see this event benefit the shelters, and the important work they do for their communities.”
It’s just the latest in a long line of charitable events by the Madison Heights Women’s Club, which dates back 46 years.
Founded in the fall of 1977, the club was once called the GFWC Madison Heights Intermediate Women’s Club. The word “Intermediate” was used because many charter members felt they were too old for the Junior Women’s Club, yet too young for the Senior Women’s Club.
Since then, club members have put in countless hours each year with their volunteer work, raising money and in-kind donations for all sorts of projects. At its peak just before COVID, the club had 92 members. Today, it has 69 members from 17 communities.
The club is open to women of any faith and is nondenominational. Members meet on the third Monday of each month, except December and July, at 6:30 p.m. in the new Active Adult Center, located between Madison Heights City Hall and the Madison Heights Public Library, at Civic Center Plaza on 13 Mile Road just west of John R Road. Member dues are $45, with a $35 annual renewal.
Recently, the club participated in Secure the Call, a drive that collected cellphones as part of a larger GFWC initiative. The phones were then redistributed to people in need, including survivors of domestic violence, providing easy access to emergency services.
The Madison Heights Women’s Club collected nearly 400 devices. In addition, the group also recently collected and donated school supplies for Central Church’s Back to School Movie Night.
Wallace said her shelter appreciates any and all help. Madison Heights Animal Control even accepts cans and bottles that can be returned.
“Last summer was probably the worst summer in animal welfare rescue in decades,” she said. “During COVID, many people adopted pets while they worked at home, but last summer, the shelters filled right back up as quickly as they had emptied. This year has been especially horrible for cats — they just keep coming. Right now, I have nine cats waiting to come in, and another 18 cats that nobody wants to adopt. So we need that money for the shelter right now. When we get full like this, we’re really crunched for money.”
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