JoAnn Kalenak, President

JoAnn has been a CAWS board member since December 2007.  She is also publisher of CAWS’ official bi-monthly magazine, RESCUE, and has been in the print business for more then 25 years.  She currently manages the syndication and marketing department for HIGH COUNTRY NEWS.  JoAnn lives in Hotchkiss with her husband, Bob, four dogs, three cats and five goats and is a devoted supporter of CAWS.  

CAWS COMMITTEE CHAIR: Publisher of RESCUE magazine, CAWS Animal Shelter Task Force, Barkin’ Bargains Liaison, Grants  

Pat Gwinn, Vice President

Pat came to CAWS volunteering to recruit food donations for feral cat colonies. The 2×2 Food Donation program is in place and we receive 7-10 bags of food a month. She now heads up CAWS’ TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) committee. The goal is to spay/neuter feral and stray cats and control population and disease at the same time, making a better life for these animals. Pat lives in a cherry orchard with her husband, Mike and 5 cats, 4 doves, 6 hens, 5 parakeets, two cockatiels, and 2 colonies of honeybees. She has worked at Barkin’ Bargains since it opened in 2008. “I imagine a world where animals are secure, comfortable and free from harm.”  

CAWS COMMITTEE CHAIR: 2×2 Cat Feeder Program, Community Cat Program, Program Coordinator Liaison, CAWS Animal Shelter Task Force   

Dave Anderson, Treasurer

Dave brings an entrepeneurial spirit, marketing skills and a great love of animals to CAWS. He is currently the Advertising Sales Manager at HIGH COUNTRY NEWS in Paonia. Before moving to Colorado from Minnesota four years ago, he owned his own marketing company, Axxessa, Inc. During that time he also served on the Board of Directors for the Minnesota chapter of the American Bankers Association Marketing Network. He also volunteered for “Let There Be Light,” an organization that was instrumental in bringing a light rail transit system to the city of Minneapolis. David also volunteered his time to the Minneapolis Humane Society by walking and caring for dogs in his spare time. 

CAWS COMMITTEE CHAIR: Marketing and Outreach, CAWS Animal Shelter Task Force  

Linda Hansen, Secretary/Director

Linda is a forensic nurse who practices her craft at the Delta Correctional Center as well as responds as a S.A.N.E. (sexual assault nurse examiner) in Mesa County to victims of sexual assault.

She lives in Paonia with her 3 cats, Tarzan, Melissa and YaoMing. She has a son, Michael Lum, who is a full time student at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

A lifelong concern for the welfare of animals converted her to a vegetarian early in life. Her commitment to reduce the suffering of all animals led her to become involved in CAWS. She currently serves as the secretary to the board as well as a board director.

Gloria Crouch, Director

Gloria is a new CAWS board member but not new to CAWS.  She has been a volunteer for years and mainly helped with running the concession stand at the annual BMW Motorcycle Rally in Paonia.  Gloria loves to bake cookies and cinnamon rolls to sell!  Gloria and her husband Roger have three children, five grand children, four rescue dogs and three rescue cats.  They most recently adopted “Charlie”, the Barkin’ Bargains first store cat who weighs in at 17 pounds!  They are very passionate about spay & neuter, not only on the Western Slope but in Missouri where they are involved with numerous S/N organizations.  “We think CAWS is definitely going in the right direction.” 

CAWS COMMITTEE CHAIR: Grants & Events  

Rand Kokernot, Director

Rand moved to the North Fork Valley in 1994 and proceeded to build a strawbale, passive solar house. His goal was to free himself from the bonds of a debt based life and the long tentacles of the utility companies. He failed at both. He has had a dog around since infancy and loves to recount the story of his boxer “Lancer” who upon noticing that Rand, as a toddler, had crawled out into the road, promptly trotted over, picked him up by his cotton diaper (thank god it wasn’t today’s disposable) and brought him back onto the lawn of his house. It was a Kodak Moment. Rand has been heard in moments of lucidity saying “he sometmes prefers being with dogs more than people.” He counters any criticism by saying that the animals of this planet have suffered greatly at the hands of man and that his job is to counterbalance and help correct this injustice to our loyal animal brothers and sisters. He sucks at meetings but is willing to make the effort though he thinks Robert’s Rules of Order are due to be replaced by something a little less mechanical. He also recently placed his foster dog, Yogi, in a great home in Snow Mass where he is loved and part of a new family with children. And here is where he says the reward of fostering is.

CAWS COMMITTEE: Marketing and Outreach, CAWS Animal Shelter Task Force  

David Jacobsen, Director

In 1983, David began his professional media career with the production of a weekly radio and television program in northern California named RealTView. The programs focused on Real Estate and social related issues and enjoyed a little over two years on the air. In 1986 David Founded Words and Pictures, a full service video production company specializing in the production of corporate video, TV commercials, infomercials, documentaries for social causes, nonprofit & community based issues and organizations. Currently, David has moved to Hotchkiss, CO with his wife Sarah and has opened his office/studio (Words and Pictures), in beautiful downtown Paonia, CO. Words and Pictures is always looking for opportunities to produce intelligent and creative documentaries about social causes and issues, Internet programming/commercials for Businesses and much more. David strongly believes that with the use of today’s technologies particularly Digital Video, the ability to produce creative, innovative and educational programming at an affordable cost, is a reality. This makes it possible for most anyone to have produced a heart-felt entertaining, educational & informative message via the internet or DVD to anyone, anywhere, anytime.  David has been married to Sarah for 27+ years, has two sons and has been very involved in Foster Parenting.  

CAWS COMMITTEE: Marketing and Outreach, CAWS Animal Shelter Task Force 

LaFawn Hamm, Director

LaFawn is a LCSW who retired to this area on January 1, 2010 from Idaho. She had owned her own clinical therapy agency, taught college classes and was a past elected County Commissioner and City Council member.  She worked with animal rescue agencies in Boise and Lewiston by writing grants, being a foster home and helping to trap and release feral cats after they were neutered or spayed.  She move to Colorado to be close to her mother , her sister and her sister’s family. She is married to Bob Brown, has three sons; two in the National Guard waiting to be deployed to Iraq, 2 dogs, 4 cats, chickens and two pet goats.  She is fostering her son’s two cats while he is gone.  LaFawn has followed CAWS’ growth over the last year and is proud to be an active member.