The Estevan Humane Society received another major financial boost this past week when the executor of the estate of Dennis Jensen delivered a second cheque in the amount of $120,000 to assist them with their capital projects and operational needs.
The society's president, Marlene Moore, accepted the cheque with gratitude, noting that she wished the group could thank Jensen in person, but was also grateful for the work his executor, Ron Wilhelm was doing in tending to the details.
Wilhelm noted that Jensen, who passed away two years ago at the age of 66, did not have immediate family as survivors so he was simply following the instructions his friend gave him "while we were out fishing on Boundary Dam a few years ago."
Jensen's largesse was directed mostly to St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation and the local humane society.
Wilhelm said he has delivered two cheques to the hospital foundation for a total of $540,000, the most recent one being a $240,000 donation earlier this year.
The Humane Society received $150,000 from the Jensen estate last year with the follow up $120,000 last Friday.
"We've kept some of the money we received from Dennis's estate last year to help us with a project to complete some dog runs that we hadn't been able to do before. We also need some more cat kennels and a dog bath and there is some landscaping work that needs to be done around the shelter," said Moore, adding that the additional donation will go a long way toward meeting all these capital cost obligations.
"But there are lots of places for it to go to make it a better shelter."
Wilhelm said the secondary cheques were made possible following the successful sale of Jensen's residence and the completion of some other financial obligations. He said there is still, "a little bit left that I'll have to dispense later but just a little now, I'll have to hold back some in case Revenue Canada or somebody like them expects more. "
Moore said the humane society will probably move forward with a plan to erect a plaque at the shelter in Jensen's memory to acknowledge his love of animals and his appreciation of the work the society did. St. Joseph's has already mounted a plaque in his memory in their imaging department since the majority of the funds donated in his name were used to purchase imaging and diagnostic equipment.
