Over the years I came to know and befriend both the director of the Gilmer County Animal Shelter and the Gilmer County Board of Commissioners who happen to be dog lovers also.  During the past year I have spearheaded the expansion of the Gilmer County Animal Shelter to double its size to enable housing dogs from the overcrowded Metro Atlanta dog kill shelters. Due to its proximity to Tri-Mountain, I also envision combining the kids’ visits to the Retreat volunteering them to interact with dogs at the shelter which I can see will benefit kids and dogs alike. 

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I guess you can say I have a passion literally and figuratively for the “underdog”. It was incredibly moving and sad 8 years ago when I adopted Charlie to see the plight and dire conditions existing at the Cobb County Kill Shelter. I have partnered over the years with multiple dog rescue organizations, but I have always harbored the notion I could do more than writing checks.

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- Retired Atlanta Attorney Robert Lipman