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Watauga Humane Society Could Get $250,000 Through ‘Chase Community Giving;’ Voting Open Until Sept. 19

By Paul T. Choate

Sept. 7, 2012. The Watauga Humane Society recently received notice that they were nominated as part of Chase bank’s “Chase Community Giving” program. The program gives out approximately $2.5 million in grants to 196 eligible charities and organizations who receive the most votes from the public. Voting opened yesterday and will remain open until Sept. 19.

“There are so many homeless animals in the county and funding helps us provide for those animals. It helps us do promotions to find homes for those animals and it helps us to spay and neuter animals so we can help the community members who can’t afford to spay and neuter their animals,” said Laurie Vierheller, Humane Society executive director. “Funding from Chase would really help us out a lot.”

Both Chase customers and Facebook users can vote online and those who are both Chase customers and Facebook users can vote twice. Watauga Humane Society is up against organizations all over the country, so every vote counts.

“It may be a little tricky to compete with [places like] Chicago but we’re going to try,” said Vierheller with a laugh.

The grant program operates in a tiered system. The charity or organization with the most votes receives $250,000. The next 10 runner-ups receive $100,000. After that, payouts run at $50,000 to the next 35 runner-ups, $20,000 to the next 50 runner-ups and $10,000 to the next 100 runner-ups.

To vote on Facebook, click here and search “Watauga Humane Society.”

If you are a Chase bank customer, you can vote by clicking here.

For more information, visit wataugahumanesociety.org or call 828-264-7865.