Friends of JAS held our second Annual Meeting on October 20 at Lacey City Hall, bringing together members, volunteers, supporters, board members, and representatives from Joint Animal Services for an evening of updates, recognition, good food, and a look toward the future.
It was a wonderful evening and a great opportunity to celebrate just how much has been accomplished over the past year.
Past, Present & Future of Joint Animal Services
Our special guest, Sarah Hock, Executive Director of Joint Animal Services, gave an informative and engaging presentation on the “Past, Present, and Future” of JAS.
Sarah shared how much Joint Animal Services has changed and grown since 2019. Among the many improvements have been the development of an in-house medical program, expanded field services, increased staffing, changes to adoption practices, and tremendous growth in the community cat program. Today, the shelter is able to perform the vast majority of its surgeries in-house — a major change from just a few years ago.
She also spoke candidly about the challenges ahead. The current shelter building is aging and much too small for the community it serves. Planning is underway for a potential new facility that would provide significantly more space and better meet the needs of animals, staff, volunteers, and the public. Sarah also discussed the importance of sustainable long-term funding and continuing to build trust and accessibility within our community.
It was exciting to hear how much progress has been made — and to learn more about the vision for the future of animal services in our community.
Celebrating a Year of FoJAS Accomplishments
Kathlyn and Chris followed with a presentation highlighting the many ways Friends of JAS supporters and volunteers have made a difference during the past year.
It was an impressive list!
FoJAS volunteers helped remove 3.3 tons of debris during a major shelter cleanup, tackled landscaping and maintenance projects, added new enrichment equipment to the off-leash area, helped improve the meet-and-greet room, and supported the creation of a new Surgery Annex to give the JAS medical team additional working space.
Donations and fundraising have also helped provide important medical equipment, sponsor adoption fees for some of the shelter’s longer-term residents, support community vaccination efforts, and fund other projects that directly benefit the animals and people served by JAS.
One especially heartwarming moment came during the update on medical equipment improvements. We learned that an adorable kitten, Ember, who had needed a leg amputation — a surgery made possible by equipment purchased with FoJAS support — had been adopted into her forever home that very day! It was a wonderful reminder of the real difference these contributions make in the lives of shelter animals.
Seeing all of those accomplishments together was a powerful reminder that seemingly small contributions — a donation, a few hours of volunteer time, helping at an event, serving on a committee, or supporting a fundraiser — add up to something much bigger.
Recognition and Thanks
The evening also gave us an opportunity to recognize the people who make this work possible.
A special moment came when Candy Mattson was recognized for her leadership and determination in founding Friends of JAS and helping build the organization into what it is today.
We are also incredibly grateful to all of our volunteers, donors, members, community partners, JAS staff, fosters, and supporters. FoJAS succeeds because so many people are willing to contribute their time, talents, ideas, and resources.
And, of course, a big thank-you goes to everyone who helped organize the Annual Meeting — including those who provided the amazing selection of food that everyone enjoyed throughout the evening!
Looking Ahead
The meeting concluded with our annual board elections, successfully filling four positions: President, Treasurer, and two Member-at-Large seats. We are delighted to welcome this talented and dedicated group of board members, all of whom bring valuable experience and a strong commitment to animal welfare through their involvement with Joint Animal Services and Friends of JAS.
Our elected board members are:
President: Beth Garcia Norris
Treasurer: Nicole Bisping
Member at Large: Janine Stephens
Member at Large: Chris Nixon
Their hands-on experience as shelter volunteers, fosters, and FoJAS supporters brings valuable insight and enthusiasm to the organization. We look forward to working together in the coming year!
As we begin another year, we are excited about what comes next. There are many ways to be part of the work of Friends of JAS, whether through a committee, a hands-on shelter project, a community event, fundraising, or simply helping spread the word about JAS and the animals it serves.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our second Annual Meeting and to everyone who has supported Friends of JAS throughout the year. We have accomplished a lot together — and we’re looking forward to what we can accomplish next.
