For the friends of the Independent Cat Society, a no-kill cat shelter
Summer 2018 #158
A Tribute to a Dear Friend The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived, and lived well. – Ralph Waldo Emerson Not everyone embodies this quote as well as our dear friend, Joan Hildebrand, who passed away this May. Many of you reading this may know Joan as an adoption counselor. Or a volunteer. Or a board member. Or one of the shelter’s site supervisors. Or as the one you call whenever anything – and I do mean anything – goes wrong at the shelter. Joan was all of these things, and more. For many years, she tirelessly devoted her time and efforts to making the Independent Cat Society a better place for cats and for people. The funny thing about Joan was that her entire family was allergic to cats. Only Joan was able to be around them, and she always loved them. So, when it was time to retire from a hardworking life as a teacher and later a business owner, she was ready to find a place where she could spend time caring for the cuddly creatures that gave her so much joy. Joan had adopted several cats from the shelter over the years, but she helped many, many more. A favorite look at Joan (center) doing what she did best – helping others Many volunteers and staff around the shelter have favorite memories at the shelter. Here, she helps a family adopt a new member. of Joan. We remember the many times she would stay beyond her usual
shift waiting for a repairman or plumber– of course, this was only after she had thoroughly evaluated the situation and found she couldn’t fix it herself. We remember her firm but heartfelt advice to new adopters when taking their new cats home. We remember her willingness to spend a long day cleaning and working at the shelter, only to then clean up and come out to spend her evening at a board meeting or an event. We remember the countless hours she spent entering information into our databases, managing paperwork, answering emails and phone calls, and generally keeping us organized. Every day, Joan’s efforts made the shelter work efficiently, and despite dedicating so much to fundamental business tasks, she would never accept a staff position, or a dime from ICS. Instead, she was one of ICS’s leading donors. But we won’t miss Joan because of what she gave to our shelter and our organization. We’ll miss her most of all because of her no-nonsense attitude and wry sense of humor, that never failed to shed new light on any given situation and make everyone remember that we were all working together for the same cause. Joan was a friend and mentor to so many at ICS, and her unexpected loss will be felt for years yet to come. While it will never replace her in our memories, we are very proud to report that the ICS Board has elected to memorialize Joan’s many years of dedication to the care and maintenance of not only our cats but also our facilities, by naming the upcoming addition to our main shelter the Joan Hildebrand Memorial Adoption Center. Further, the Building Fund has been renamed in her honor as well, and gifts in Joan’s name will put put toward all building renovations, repairs, and new construction. Joan’s ideas helped shape our building plans, and while she will not be able to see the dream come to fruition, she will be with us in spirit, watching from the Rainbow Bridge with her many beloved feline friends around her.
Joan (second from left) representing the ICS Board when the shelter received a generous grant from the Porter County Community Foundation.
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