Soraya McKay | Hallie Hill Animal Sanctuary

Volunteer Spotlight: Susan Bedard

Jul 30, 2023

Susan Bedard is an amazing lady. We have too many good things to say about her! Her only fault is that she doesn’t want us to use her picture! Susan is one of those behind the scenes people who make sure the job gets done. She volunteers in the cattery making sure everything is clean and the cats are well fed and socialized. She volunteers to work the table at public events, telling everyone who will listen about the mission of Hallie Hill.

Susan is also an exceptionally talented person whose skill at baking has probably put 20 pounds on our Executive Director with all her delicious pound cakes, brownies and fudge. We are so fortunate that Susan is also a very skilled at sewing because she embroiders bags, keychains, koozies and even the many hats needed for our golf tournament!

Susan is a recurring donor of money and supplies. She also donates items to our auctions or raffles. She has adopted a dog, but also fosters senior dogs, making their last years very special. We love you Susan and can’t thank you enough for all you do for the animals of Hallie Hill!

Thank You Friends of Hallie Hill: Mount Pleasant Radio Company

Jul 19, 2023

Do you know how we communicated across the large Hallie campus before we had our radios? We used our cell phones! (And y’all know how well those work out there— not at all!)

We are so thankful to the owners of Mt. Pleasant Radio, Wray and Susanne Lemke, for the donation of our wireless radio system! They not only donated the hardware, but they continue to make sure they are in working order at all times!

These radios make a huge difference on a daily basis, giving us the ability to communicate in real-time to keep our staff, volunteers, and animals safe!

THANK YOU, Wray and Susanne! You make a difference in the lives of our deserving animals!

David Graham

Jul 12, 2023

David was born in Canada and moved to Michigan as a young boy. He was educated at Henry Ford College and became a US citizen. In Michigan he was VP of the Jaycees, President of the Big Rapids Chamber of Commerce and was a board member of the Mid-Michigan Alliance for Community Development. David then moved to South Carolina and spent over 35 years working in manufacturing industrial cutting tools for the paper, lumber, steel, and plastic industries. He retired in 2011 as an owner & President of International Knife & Saw and moved to Mt. Pleasant where he delivered Meals on Wheels, volunteered with his wife at Hallie Hill and played a lot of golf!

David and his wife, Margaret, now live in Awendaw where their nearest neighbors are deer, alligators, raccoons, eagles, fish, snakes, and egrets! He has adopted 2 beloved dogs from Hallie Hill and has rescued two beautiful cats, one who will turn 21 years old this summer! David is an animal lover and a man who believes in giving back to others.

Thank You Friends of Hallie Hill

Jun 27, 2023

Preferred Home Services donated over 1,000 pounds of dog food!! Thank you so much, Mike and Ryan, for this special fundraiser and for making this special delivery to the Sanctuary. We are so grateful for your kindness- thanks for caring about our special animals.

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We are pretty excited about a wonderful donation of a chest freezer! Now our pups can have refreshing frozen treats in our hot, South Carolina summer.

Thank you to East Cooper Center for Advanced Studies High School Program!! They collected donations of dog food, towels, treats, and so much more. We know our animals will be very happy.

Fear-Free Shelters: Taking the PET out of Petrified one shelter at a time

Jun 14, 2023

We are pleased to announce HHAS has adopted the methods and philosophies of the Fear Free Shelter Program. Michele Griffin, CPDT-KA, the HHAS Assistant Director, has not only a passion for pets but one for educating people about understanding companion animals and the best methods for working with them. Michele has led our current continuing education campaign wherein the sanctuary staff is completing a course to learn the best practices for working with animals in a way that improves their emotional experiences and reduces their fear, anxiety, and frustration. Volunteers are also welcome to complete this course to better understand some key strategies and techniques that will make a positive impact on the emotional state of the animals in our care. Every month for the next several months, we will highlight what one of our staff members found most interesting or valuable about the program.

“The thing I love most about our staff and volunteers embracing and using the Fear Free Shelter philosophy and techniques is having everyone on the same page with the way they handle and interact with our animals – care, and consistency is so important. So much research has been done in recent years, proving that, like us, dogs and cats are sentient beings with feelings and emotions. Small, easy changes in the way we do things with them makes such a huge impact on their comfort and wellbeing.” -Michele Griffin