(Windham) – In August, Marilyn L. Goodreau, President of the non-profit Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals in Windham, was named a winner of the WCSH 6 Who Care Volunteer of the Year award for her tireless efforts to rehabilitate horses who have been abused or neglected. This past Monday, October 19th, the 6 Who Care awards, sponsored by WCSH-TV Channel 6 each year in partnership with the United Way of Greater Portland, were presented at a ceremony hosted by News Center 6 anchors Pat Callaghan and Cindy Williams at the Portland Museum of Art. The ceremony was recorded for broadcast on Saturday, November 7th from 8:00-8:30pm; a prime-time special that will also highlight the Society. The Society received a $1,000 cash prize in recognition of Ms. Goodreau’s award.
If you would like to view the video that was beautifully produced in Marilyn’s honor, see below…
The mission of the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals is to provide refuge, rehabilitation, and placement of seized horses; support the placement of surrendered animals; and educate the public. The vision is to strive toward the elimination of equine abuse and neglect.
The Society uses its resources to provide direct care to horses who have suffered abuse. The MSSPA promotes humane treatment, training and use of horses through education and hands-on experiences. It collaborates with other animal serving agencies to maximize the resources of all.
One of Ms. Goodreau’s greatest contributions is a lifetime of service; she epitomizes the concept of volunteerism in Maine. Working without pay or vacation, she has logged more than 89,000 hours of volunteer service with the MSSPA. A testament to the power and pleasure of volunteer service, hers has been a labor of love for the animals and a very generous gift to Maine taxpayers. Largely as a result of Marilyn’s dedication, the Society continues to provide Maine with more than a million dollars a year in donated animal shelter services.
The Society is unlike any other animal welfare facility in New England. Originally formed in 1872 to protect the horses who pulled Portland’s streetcars, the organization now provides around the clock on-site staffing, has access to veterinary services twenty-four hours a day, and maintains dozens of horses on its farm facilities. Horses who have been seized by Maine’s law enforcement officials and placed by court order with the Society, provided that the horses are not suffering, are placed in forever homes or kept for the entirety of their lives.
The MSSPA is a tax-exempt 501(c) (3) entity and receives no federal, state or local funding. The organization is funded by a combination of membership dues, bequests, donations, grants and fund-raising activities. The Society does not charge for its services and seeks no reimbursement from any public source. The horse shelter farm is located at 279 River Road in Windham and is open to the public daily. More info is available at www.msspa.org or on Facebook!