Barks of support

Photo by Leslie Karnowski

Clapping and celebrating the Fouche Foundation donation are, from left, Blount County Mayor Jerry Cunningham, Assistant County Mayor Dave Bennett, Alcoa City Manager Mark Johnson, Blount County Commissioner Brad Harrison, Blount County Commissioner Ron French and Marty Yates, Blount County Building and Codes.

Photo by Leslie Karnowski

Rick Yeager holds a puppy eager for adoption during a celebration of a large donation by the Fouche Foundation to the Smoky Mountain Animal Care Foundation.

The crowd gathered at the Blount County Animal Center on Jan. 7 heard their clapping hands joined with barking dogs as they celebrated the Charles and Sue Fouche Charitable Foundation’s donation of $200,000 to help build the facility’s adoption center.

Chris Protzman, president of the Smoky Mountain Animal Care Foundation, accepted the donation from trust attorney Jim Snyder of Tampa, representative of the Fouche Foundation.

“They’ve been drivers in the initiative to make sure Blount Countians have access to a modern municipal animal center and, with this substantial landmark donation of $200,000 for Phase II, they’ve put a real exclamation point and challenge to the community,” Protzman said. “This money goes a long way. We’re 50 percent on our way to the $490,000 mark. With these funds, we’re over $250,000 toward that goal.”

At the end of the brief check presentation, volunteers at the center showcased a number of dogs of all sizes from the center. They came through for guests to pet and enjoy.

The SMACF is spearheading the drive to build the adoption center as Phase II of the Blount County Animal Center, which will include a first-class adoption center and spay and neutering area. The adoption center will feature a lobby, surgery center, adoption rooms, featured pet rooms, education area, director’s office, kitchen and bathing/grooming areas.

Charles and Sue Fouche lived in Blount County and retired from Alcoa, Inc. The couple never had children but always considered Blount County their home and were concerned about animal welfare in their home community. Charles Fouche died eight years ago, and Sue Fouche died in 2006.