Founder and Shelter Director
Lorraine Jackson
Lorraine Jackson
2020 Board of Directors
From left: Monte Oberman - President, Carol Richards, Karli White - Secretary, Lori Ortman - Treasurer, Bill Castagno. Lorraine Jackson - Vice-President was absent when this picture was taken. 03/22/2020
President - Monte Oberman: Monte, a retired Commercial Airline Pilot, resides in Gillespie IL, and has been a longtime volunteer and dedicated supporter of Lorraine and BAAP since 1983. Monte also volunteers with the local food bank, plays with a musical group at nursing homes, etc., and volunteers with other charities in addition to his services to BAAP.
Vice-President - Lorraine Jackson: Founder and Director of Benld Adopt-A-Pet, Lorraine, resides in Benld IL near the shelter, where has been working tirelessly since 1983. If you can catch her, you are likely to see Lorraine scampering about hither and yon, dealing with multiple tasks one after another. Rumor has it that she is the original “multi-tasker”. Lorraine is our guiding spirit and serves as an example and inspiration to us all!
Treasurer - Lori Ortman: Lori retired from her position as Office Manager at Shop N-Save in Springfield several years ago, having been employed there for some 30 years. She has been a BAAP volunteer for many years, assists with various events, and resides with her husband Roger and recently adopted four footed “son” Joey, in Springfield IL.
Secretary - Karli White: Karli, our newest board member, 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.
Bill Castagno: Bill spent most of his working years in the construction industry, has been a volunteer with BAAP for a number of years, and lives in Thayer IL with his four footed friend "Super" Dave, a Border Collie mix (who came from BAAP, naturally). Bill wears various "hats", including serving as Communications Coordinator, Membership Coordinator, and Website Editor, working on special projects, assisting in transporting animals to and from the shelter, and helping out at the shelter and at mobile adoptions.
Carol Richards: Carol lives in Springfield IL with her “menagerie” of cats and dogs, and has been a volunteer with BAAP for many years. She has chaired the Annual Rummage Sale in Springfield in past years, as well as being instrumental in helping with the Annual Trivia Night and the Roadblock in Staunton. Carol, who is self employed, serves as Volunteer Coordinator, and works countless hours at adoptions and assisting with anything else she is called on to do.
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Vice-President - Lorraine Jackson: Founder and Director of Benld Adopt-A-Pet, Lorraine, resides in Benld IL near the shelter, where has been working tirelessly since 1983. If you can catch her, you are likely to see Lorraine scampering about hither and yon, dealing with multiple tasks one after another. Rumor has it that she is the original “multi-tasker”. Lorraine is our guiding spirit and serves as an example and inspiration to us all!
Treasurer - Lori Ortman: Lori retired from her position as Office Manager at Shop N-Save in Springfield several years ago, having been employed there for some 30 years. She has been a BAAP volunteer for many years, assists with various events, and resides with her husband Roger and recently adopted four footed “son” Joey, in Springfield IL.
Secretary - Karli White: Karli, our newest board member, 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.
Bill Castagno: Bill spent most of his working years in the construction industry, has been a volunteer with BAAP for a number of years, and lives in Thayer IL with his four footed friend "Super" Dave, a Border Collie mix (who came from BAAP, naturally). Bill wears various "hats", including serving as Communications Coordinator, Membership Coordinator, and Website Editor, working on special projects, assisting in transporting animals to and from the shelter, and helping out at the shelter and at mobile adoptions.
Carol Richards: Carol lives in Springfield IL with her “menagerie” of cats and dogs, and has been a volunteer with BAAP for many years. She has chaired the Annual Rummage Sale in Springfield in past years, as well as being instrumental in helping with the Annual Trivia Night and the Roadblock in Staunton. Carol, who is self employed, serves as Volunteer Coordinator, and works countless hours at adoptions and assisting with anything else she is called on to do.
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About Us
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 Shelter Director, Assistant Shelter Director, 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. An area 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 small 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 also visits area Assisted Care Facilities with it's pets to encourage interaction among the residents of same. One such facility recently adopted a cat and a dog in order that it's residents might have daily contact with the animals. The adoption was a great success, we are working to encourage additional care facilities to consider the therapeutic benefits of adopting one or more animals for their residents.
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 built the original building and eight runs for dogs. 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 Founder, Lorraine Jackson, and the efforts of it's members, supporters and volunteers, is still going strong nearly 35 years later.
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 Shelter Director, Assistant Shelter Director, 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. An area 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 small 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 also visits area Assisted Care Facilities with it's pets to encourage interaction among the residents of same. One such facility recently adopted a cat and a dog in order that it's residents might have daily contact with the animals. The adoption was a great success, we are working to encourage additional care facilities to consider the therapeutic benefits of adopting one or more animals for their residents.
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 built the original building and eight runs for dogs. 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 Founder, Lorraine Jackson, and the efforts of it's members, supporters and volunteers, is still going strong nearly 35 years later.
Our Mission
- Exist to be... "A voice for those who cannot speak for themselves."
- To operate a "no-kill" shelter for homeless and abused animals.
- To raise funds to operate that shelter.
- To rescue animals whenever and wherever we can.
- To provide food, medical care, grooming and an interim home for the animals at the shelter.
- To treat all animals with love and compassion.
- To place animals in good, permanent homes whenever possible.
- To spay/neuter every animal before being adopted to help solve the problem of animal overpopulation.
- To educate the public on humane care and other issues concerning animals.
- To speak out and eradicate cruelty to animals whenever it is in our power to do so.