Ashe County Humane Society Born Public Invited To Friday Meeting By Miles Tager A groundswell of support has made it official; the Ashe County Humane Society has been formed and will meet this Friday, March 12 to continue organizational efforts and bring in other members of the community interested in the safety and rescue of domestic animals. Just two meetings in late February and earlier this month have established wide spread interest, the formation of an executive committee, and formal adoption of the name Ashe County Humane Society, according to organizer Suzanne Montgomery. The 15-member board is chaired by John Lisk and includes representatives of Ashe County Animal Control. “We are working very closely with Animal Control, Montgomery said; “we didn’t want to divide up the pie, we just wanted to do more.” The initial meeting in February filled up the back room at Sweet Aromas in West Jefferson; “we had been hoping that maybe fifteen people would show up but we couldn’t get everyone in,” Montgomery said. Participants included animal trainer John Quy and weatherman Ray Russell; some people eating in the restaurant joined the meeting and then pledged their support, Montgomery said. The follow-up last week created the steering and other committees, with the group beginning pursuit of full tax-exempt, non-profit status. Montgomery had discovered a four-week old kitten abandoned and clinging to a tree; one of a number of animals she had found and rescued. “I didn’t think I could bring another one home so I took it with me to town,” Montgomery said. At the bank teller’s window she decided she had nothing to lose, and held up the bedraggled kitten to see if anyone could give it a home. The teller happened to be B.J Pim, proud owner of “twelve cats and six dogs,” including many rescues, Montgomery said. She parked, went inside the bank, and “we started talking;” customers came up and joined in. Pim took the cat – now named Lucky – and the ad hoc discussion group “decided we needed to meet to see what could be done about all the animals in Ashe County,” Montgomery said. The next meeting will be held in the downstairs meeting room at the Ashe County Library 6:30 Friday, March 12; anyone interested is invited. The temporary number for more information about the Ashe County Humane Society is 336-877-5176.