Carol Richards, Executive Director
2025 Board of Directors
President Kyle Hlafka retired in 2015 after spending 40 years in public education, and spending the last 15 years as Superintendent of schools in Staunton IL. He has been a friend and supporter of Benld Adopt-A-Pet for over 20 years. He and his wife Patricia, a registered nurse, live in Staunton with their rescue cat, Rumor. Kyle assists with a variety of tasks at the shelter, including transporting animals to vet appointments, picking up supplies and ensuring that everything is running smoothly in general.
Executive Director and Vice President Carol Richard lives in Springfield IL with her “menagerie” of dogs, including fosters, and has been a volunteer with BAAP for many years. Carol, who is self employed, worked closely with our late Director Lorraine Jackson and upon her passing has stepped up to fill that role. Carol works countless hours in her capacity as Director, in addition to assisting at adoptions, transporting animals to and from appointments, and assisting with anything else that needs to be done. As if all that wasn't enough, Carol has fostered several dogs, including a Pit Terrier and her puppies, as well as having six dogs of her own to care for. Under her leadership the shelter is planning to not only continue in Lorraine's footsteps, but looking forward to improving our facilities and operations.
Treasurer Lori Ortman retired from her position as Office Manager at Shop N-Save in Springfield IL several years ago, having been employed there for some 30 years. She has been a BAAP volunteer for many years. In addition to keeping our finances straight, she also assists with various events, and resides with her husband Roger live in Springfield IL. Lori is also a member of the Finance and Fundraising committees.
Our Secretary, Gina Gucciardo, has been volunteering her services at the shelter for some time. She is self employed and lives in Plainview IL. Gina recently adopted Sam, a young Lab Retriever, who has a serious heart condition. Gina also works closely with our Treasurer, and was instrumental in helping prepare our budget. In addition to her recently acquired duties as Secretary, she also serves on the Finance, and Volunteers committees.
Board Member Karli White lives in Springfield IL, and has been involved with animal welfare groups for many years in a variety of ways. She has volunteered with BAAP in numerous ways, including coordinating our very successful wine event fundraisers, maintains our Facebook page, and is involved with planning and assisting at various other fundraisers. Karli also serves on the Marketing and Communications, Fundraising and Strategic Planning committees.
Board member Bill Castagno spent most of his working years in the construction industry, has been a volunteer with BAAP for many years, has served on the Board for a number of years, and lives in Thayer IL. Bill wears various "hats", including serving as Communications Coordinator, Membership Coordinator, and Website Editor, is a member of the Marketing and Communications and Fundraising and Facilities committees, works on special projects, assisting with adoptions and transporting animals to and from the shelter, and helping out at the shelter in general.
The bio for our newest Board Member Ariel Ozee is pending.
Revised: 12/14/2025
Executive Director and Vice President Carol Richard lives in Springfield IL with her “menagerie” of dogs, including fosters, and has been a volunteer with BAAP for many years. Carol, who is self employed, worked closely with our late Director Lorraine Jackson and upon her passing has stepped up to fill that role. Carol works countless hours in her capacity as Director, in addition to assisting at adoptions, transporting animals to and from appointments, and assisting with anything else that needs to be done. As if all that wasn't enough, Carol has fostered several dogs, including a Pit Terrier and her puppies, as well as having six dogs of her own to care for. Under her leadership the shelter is planning to not only continue in Lorraine's footsteps, but looking forward to improving our facilities and operations.
Treasurer Lori Ortman retired from her position as Office Manager at Shop N-Save in Springfield IL several years ago, having been employed there for some 30 years. She has been a BAAP volunteer for many years. In addition to keeping our finances straight, she also assists with various events, and resides with her husband Roger live in Springfield IL. Lori is also a member of the Finance and Fundraising committees.
Our Secretary, Gina Gucciardo, has been volunteering her services at the shelter for some time. She is self employed and lives in Plainview IL. Gina recently adopted Sam, a young Lab Retriever, who has a serious heart condition. Gina also works closely with our Treasurer, and was instrumental in helping prepare our budget. In addition to her recently acquired duties as Secretary, she also serves on the Finance, and Volunteers committees.
Board Member Karli White lives in Springfield IL, and has been involved with animal welfare groups for many years in a variety of ways. She has volunteered with BAAP in numerous ways, including coordinating our very successful wine event fundraisers, maintains our Facebook page, and is involved with planning and assisting at various other fundraisers. Karli also serves on the Marketing and Communications, Fundraising and Strategic Planning committees.
Board member Bill Castagno spent most of his working years in the construction industry, has been a volunteer with BAAP for many years, has served on the Board for a number of years, and lives in Thayer IL. Bill wears various "hats", including serving as Communications Coordinator, Membership Coordinator, and Website Editor, is a member of the Marketing and Communications and Fundraising and Facilities committees, works on special projects, assisting with adoptions and transporting animals to and from the shelter, and helping out at the shelter in general.
The bio for our newest Board Member Ariel Ozee is pending.
Revised: 12/14/2025
About Us
Back in 1983, Lorraine and Marvin Little saw the need to help abandoned animals in their community. Working from their own residence, they took in strays and found homes for them. The couple couldn't bear to see the animals euthanized when they weren't claimed or adopted, so they took their own savings and Marvin, a carpenter, built the original building which was to become Benld Adopt-A-Pet to house the needy dogs and cats, and Lorraine used her powers of persuasion to help find homes for the abandoned and abused animals.
And that was the beginning of what was to become Benld Adopt-A-Pet which, thanks to the lifelong dedication of it's late Founder, Lorraine Jackson, and the efforts of it's members, supporters and volunteers, is still going strong more than 40 years later.
Macoupin County Adopt-A-Pet (MCAAP), a.k.a. Benld Adopt-A-Pet (BAAP), is a not-for-profit, no-kill animal shelter located in Benld, Illinois, and is registered and inspected by the State of Illinois. We are recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) charity. Our mission is to rescue abandoned and/or abused pets and place them in loving "Forever" homes. We receive no funding from any government entity, but are supported solely by memberships, fundraisers and donations. Contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by Section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code.
Administered by a Board of Directors, the shelter is operated by a Executive Director, Shelter Manager, and a small staff of hard working, dedicated employees. Animals arriving at the shelter are evaluated as to their physical and emotional condition and treated as to their needs. Our Veterinarian visits the shelter on a regular schedule, and performs any necessary medical procedures, including spaying/neutering, micro-chipping, and minor surgeries. In addition to a fully equipped surgery room, we also have a dental clinic, where any necessary dental work is performed before an animal is adopted out.
Benld Adopt-A-Pet visits local schools with selected pets in order to familiarize the children with the animals, and to educate them towards treating all animals with kindness and respect. Benld Adopt-A-Pet offers several options for fostering animals. We are currently in the process of expanding our Outreach Program, in order that we might educate children about the care and treatment of animals.
And that was the beginning of what was to become Benld Adopt-A-Pet which, thanks to the lifelong dedication of it's late Founder, Lorraine Jackson, and the efforts of it's members, supporters and volunteers, is still going strong more than 40 years later.
Macoupin County Adopt-A-Pet (MCAAP), a.k.a. Benld Adopt-A-Pet (BAAP), is a not-for-profit, no-kill animal shelter located in Benld, Illinois, and is registered and inspected by the State of Illinois. We are recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) charity. Our mission is to rescue abandoned and/or abused pets and place them in loving "Forever" homes. We receive no funding from any government entity, but are supported solely by memberships, fundraisers and donations. Contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by Section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code.
Administered by a Board of Directors, the shelter is operated by a Executive Director, Shelter Manager, and a small staff of hard working, dedicated employees. Animals arriving at the shelter are evaluated as to their physical and emotional condition and treated as to their needs. Our Veterinarian visits the shelter on a regular schedule, and performs any necessary medical procedures, including spaying/neutering, micro-chipping, and minor surgeries. In addition to a fully equipped surgery room, we also have a dental clinic, where any necessary dental work is performed before an animal is adopted out.
Benld Adopt-A-Pet visits local schools with selected pets in order to familiarize the children with the animals, and to educate them towards treating all animals with kindness and respect. Benld Adopt-A-Pet offers several options for fostering animals. We are currently in the process of expanding our Outreach Program, in order that we might educate children about the care and treatment of animals.
Mission Statement and Programs
Our mission is to operate a no-kill animal shelter for cats and dogs who are homeless or at risk and raise funds to operate that shelter; to rescue animals whenever and wherever possible, and provide food, medical care and a safe, comfortable home for them until good permanent homes can be found for them; to ensure that every animal is spayed/neutered before being adopted; and to educate the public on humane care and other issues concerning animals, and speak out to eradicate cruelty to animals whenever it is in our power to do so.
Being a no-kill shelter, means that animals are never euthanized for failing to be adopted. These animals may spend the remainder of their lives with us receiving the same loving care and attention as those who are adopted. We believe that all life is precious and we strive to give all animals the best possible care and provide them with a happy and healthy life. Since our founding in 1983, we have found good homes for more than 30,000 animals. In addition to the animals adopted at our shelter, we also currently hold mobile adoptions in Litchfield and Springfield Illinois.
We operate a Foster Program where qualified parties may foster one or more of our animals for a period of time in order to help socialize and prepare them for life in their eventual forever homes.
We have recently instituted an expanded version of our traditional foster care, whereby you can choose to “foster” an animal for life. This is similar to our regular foster program except that, instead of just fostering an animal until a permanent home can be found for it, you become the animals permanent home while we retain legal custody of it, and pay for any medical expenses, medications, food, etc., beyond what the person fostering the animal may be able to provide.
We have a number of animals that are senior and/or have other special needs and require extensive veterinary care, special diets, enhanced handling or housing etc. Our Helpful Hearts Program allows people to “adopt” one or more of these animals by sponsoring them and making donations toward their care. Sponsors of these Helpful Heart animals receive regular updates and photos of their pets, may provide them with treats and toys and, with advance notice, visit their Helpful Heart buddies at the shelter.
We ensure that each and every animal arriving at the shelter is spayed or neutered before leaving, in order to help reduce animal overpopulation. Spay/Neuter operations are performed by a licensed veterinarian who makes regular visits to our shelter to perform these procedures and other surgeries, as well as any necessary dental work, in our own surgery suite.
We work with government officials and other animal rights groups for the protection and betterment of animals, assist whenever possible with investigation of cases of cruelty to and/or abandonment of animals and in shutting down “puppy mills”, and providing safe shelter for the animals until they can be placed in good homes. We encourage government bodies at all levels to pass legislation that protects and expands the rights and well-being of animals, and by proving appropriate penalties for those guilty of the abuse, neglect or mistreatment of animals.
Revised: 10/05/2025
Our mission is to operate a no-kill animal shelter for cats and dogs who are homeless or at risk and raise funds to operate that shelter; to rescue animals whenever and wherever possible, and provide food, medical care and a safe, comfortable home for them until good permanent homes can be found for them; to ensure that every animal is spayed/neutered before being adopted; and to educate the public on humane care and other issues concerning animals, and speak out to eradicate cruelty to animals whenever it is in our power to do so.
Being a no-kill shelter, means that animals are never euthanized for failing to be adopted. These animals may spend the remainder of their lives with us receiving the same loving care and attention as those who are adopted. We believe that all life is precious and we strive to give all animals the best possible care and provide them with a happy and healthy life. Since our founding in 1983, we have found good homes for more than 30,000 animals. In addition to the animals adopted at our shelter, we also currently hold mobile adoptions in Litchfield and Springfield Illinois.
We operate a Foster Program where qualified parties may foster one or more of our animals for a period of time in order to help socialize and prepare them for life in their eventual forever homes.
We have recently instituted an expanded version of our traditional foster care, whereby you can choose to “foster” an animal for life. This is similar to our regular foster program except that, instead of just fostering an animal until a permanent home can be found for it, you become the animals permanent home while we retain legal custody of it, and pay for any medical expenses, medications, food, etc., beyond what the person fostering the animal may be able to provide.
We have a number of animals that are senior and/or have other special needs and require extensive veterinary care, special diets, enhanced handling or housing etc. Our Helpful Hearts Program allows people to “adopt” one or more of these animals by sponsoring them and making donations toward their care. Sponsors of these Helpful Heart animals receive regular updates and photos of their pets, may provide them with treats and toys and, with advance notice, visit their Helpful Heart buddies at the shelter.
We ensure that each and every animal arriving at the shelter is spayed or neutered before leaving, in order to help reduce animal overpopulation. Spay/Neuter operations are performed by a licensed veterinarian who makes regular visits to our shelter to perform these procedures and other surgeries, as well as any necessary dental work, in our own surgery suite.
We work with government officials and other animal rights groups for the protection and betterment of animals, assist whenever possible with investigation of cases of cruelty to and/or abandonment of animals and in shutting down “puppy mills”, and providing safe shelter for the animals until they can be placed in good homes. We encourage government bodies at all levels to pass legislation that protects and expands the rights and well-being of animals, and by proving appropriate penalties for those guilty of the abuse, neglect or mistreatment of animals.
Revised: 10/05/2025