Component, Tri-border community makes donation to local animal shelter

Courtesy Photo | Melissa Busta presents a check to Arjen Hilhorst. Busta raised 1,500 euros and gathered four car loads of items for the Dierenbescherming Limburg.  

GEILENKIRCHEN, NW, GERMANY

01.12.2015

Story by Staff Sgt. Richard Longoria 

NATO E-3A Component

GEILENKIRCHEN, Germany - Spearheaded by the efforts of Melissa Busta, the wife of a NATO AWACS pilot, the E-3A Component and Tri-border communities made a sizable donation to a local animal shelter.

Busta raised 1,500 euros and gathered four car loads of items for the Dierenbescherming Limburg.

"We are completely overwhelmed by the generosity of the members of the community from the bases in Schinnen, Brunssum and the NATO Air Base," said Arjen Hilhorst. "Melissa asked the members of the military community to make a donation for our pets as a Christmas-present and they did!"

Busta put up collection boxes and stood outside at various locations in the freezing cold to collect items for the shelter.

"I just love animals and I wanted to give back to the community I live in," she explained.

In addition to the money raised, Busta gathered 100s of dog/cat treats, 55 kilograms (kg) of cat litter, 105 kg of dog food, 30 kg of cat food, five large boxes of dog toys, a large box of cat toys, two cat beds, four dog beds, five small animal carriers, four cat trees/scratching post, and eight boxes full of blankets and towels.

"When Melissa brought the presents, we were so surprised to see all the stuff," Hilhorst said. "Melissa brought dog and cat food, nice toys, lovely warm blankets, scratching posts and a check with a beautiful amount."

While the majority of the credit goes to Mrs. Busta, she and the shelter want to send a special thank you to the Tri-border Girl Scout Troop No. 28 from the AFNorth International School, Camilla Davis and “Nashy”, and Becky Gobernatz and “Benny” as well as everybody else who helped out with this project and donated money or presents.

For more information about the shelter, visit http://limburg.dierenbescherming.nl/ or https://www.facebook.com/DBLimburg.

• Date Taken: 01.12.2015
• Date Posted: 02.04.2015 02:33
• Story ID: 153460
• Location: GEILENKIRCHEN, NW, DE