A group of TIC Gums' employees recently spent a very long, yet rewarding Saturday helping create a new home for an area animal humane group.

Luna's House, a non-profit organization run by local residents Lisa and Nevin Randal, previously consisted of a network of foster homes and volunteer animal guardians. But with the purchase of a building and land along Pulaski Highway in Edgewood, MD, Luna's House will finally have a home of its own.

Thanks to Debbie Krueger and Cindy Dean, TIC Gums' customer service representatives, and more than a dozen other TIC Gums volunteers, family, and friends, the new home got a much needed cleaning. According to Debbie, the new location was an abandoned car dealership that had become a local dumping ground. The building was full of debris and dirt and the land surrounding the building was dotted with old furniture, trash, and other throwaways.

The TIC Gums' team spent many hours scouring the building inside and out, tossing waste into a large dumpster, and helping the Randals and other volunteers prepare the building for the first phase of renovations.

The volunteerism is part of TIC Gums' mission to become involved in the local community and have a positive impact on the quality of life and the lives of its residents. Debbie, an animal lover with two dogs and one very old rabbit at home, says there is a critical need for organizations like Luna's House.

"They get a lot of the animals from high kill shelters, and I'm told that some of these shelters only keep the animals up to five days. If they are not adopted, they are put to sleep, so Lisa and Nevin try to save as many as possible," said Kruger.

This new site has three acres, with a 14,900 square-foot building. The future Luna's House Animal Care and Education Center will include animal housing, a surgical suite, treatment and consultation rooms, boarding facilities, a retail store, and space for educational workshops.

To learn more about Luna's House, visit www.lunashouse.org.

For more information about TIC Gums' community service activities, visit www.ticgums.com/service.