Melissa Clayton, Director of New Mexico Borderland Animal Rescue Coalition

(NM BARC) will speak to Rotary at noon Tuesday on the subject of animal rescue.

NM BARC is a 100% volunteer-driven rescue dedicated to animal welfare in rural southwestern New Mexico. Its mission is to rescue domestic dogs and cats, provide public education on animal care and safety, and collaborate with other organizations to support animals and their guardians.

Melissa's focus has been on creating protocols, processes, and databases for BARC so it can increase animal intake.  She also established a foster program for cats, and soon for dogs.

Melissa was formerly the Director of Volunteer Coordination for Saving One Life, a rescue in AZ, which is volunteer-run and provides cats to 8 PetSmart locations and the Kitty Pause Kitty Cafe.  She had responsibility for volunteer recruiting, training, events.  She grew the volunteer base from 85 to over 600 in her 8 years with the rescue.

By day Melissa is a Senior Leader with Edward Jones Financial Advisors, where she leads a team of 20 project professionals.   And by night she helps BARC continue to make a difference in the lives of the animals and their guardians.

The Rotary Club will meet in the conference room of Gila Regional Medical Center. Visitors should enter through the main entrance. There is a brief "meet and greet", a short business meeting and then the speaker has the floor. The club welcomes members of the public to the meetings. Lunch is available in the hospital cafeteria. Guests are advised to arrive in the cafeteria well before noon.

Rotary is an organization of business and professional persons united worldwide to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. Since its founding in 1923, the Silver City Rotary Club has provided support and service to numerous non-profit organizations and civic causes in Silver City and Grant County as well as supporting and participating in humanitarian projects sponsored by Rotary International.