Pictured: Tim Harms, GM, Innovative Office Systems; Walt Bigby, Owner, Innovative Office Systems; Margaret Shehee, Special Guest; Shannon Sale, RR Board Member, Gail Battle, RR Office Manager; Martha Harriss, RR Board Member; Candy Peavy, RR Board Member; Dr. Andrea Master Everson, President of Robinson’s Rescue
Robinson’s Rescue recently received a donation of a Lanier LD 520C Color Multi-Function System from Innovative Office Systems, LLC. The donation is given in memory of Virginia Kilpatrick Shehee, a businesswoman, civic leader, animal lover, and philanthropist who passed away in early July.
Walter “Walt” O. Bigby, Jr., Owner and Tim Harms, General Manager of Innovative Office Systems have spearheaded this donation to Robinson’s Rescue. Walt’s late father, Walter Oliver Bigby, Sr. was a state legislator from Bossier who served with Mrs. Shehee.
“It is our honor to make this gift on behalf of Innovative Office Systems in memory of Mrs. Shehee, as she had a love for animals and Robinson’s Rescue was near to her heart,” said Walt Bigby. “The name ‘Virginia Shehee’ was in my household from the time I was a child. She was highly respected and regarded as a close friend by my mother and father, Flo and Walter Bigby. After my father’s death in 1980, my mother remained close to Mrs. Shehee and I know she would be pleased to see such an outpouring of community support in her honor.”
Andy and Virginia Shehee with Coco at the Robinson’s Rescue Spay/Neuter Paint Party on April 12, 2008
Coco, the Shehee family’s dog, “cuts” the ribbon at the Grand Opening of Robinson’s Rescue’s first facility on Kings Highway in 2008.
Robinson’s Rescue provides high-volume, high-quality, low-cost spay and neuter surgeries to dogs and cats in the northwest Louisiana region. The organization began in 2005 as an informal group of concerned citizens who met regularly to research best practices and programs in other communities that successfully lowered and eliminated the killing of healthy, adoptable dogs and cats. Robinson’s Rescue “saves lives through prevention” by performing an average of 35 surgeries per day, five days a week. The spay/neuter team has completed more than 35,000 surgeries since opening the facility in 2008.
“We are so grateful to Innovative Office Systems for choosing us to be the recipient of this generous donation,” said Dr. Andrea Master Everson, President of Robinson’s Rescue. “As a small nonprofit organization, efficiency is critical to ensuring that our team can successfully accomplish our mission. This important upgrade to our office system will give us the ability to print high-quality documents in-house that will enhance our outreach, client communication and fundraising efforts, and position us for future growth.”
Robinson’s Rescue is facing a number of critical challenges that are increasing the demand for support of the organization. These challenges stem from the fact that the low-cost pricing structure has not changed since 2008, though overhead, including office supply and veterinary supply expenses, have increased significantly as the organization has grown.