Holly Hastings, a Minneapolis artist who grew up in Edina, was living alone in an isolated northern cabin to work on her memoir. Feeling lonely, she travelled to Hibbing to adopt a cat from the animal shelter. Finding her beloved one-eyed cat, Harry, Hastings also found the shelter in dire need of repair.
Hastings was haunted by the shelter’s conditions—until she had an epiphany. She thought of her close friend of 25 years, Edina resident Rebecca Pohlad and her passion for philanthropy and animals. After a short phone conversation, the two knew what needed to be done. Pohlad donated more than $150,000 to rebuild the shelter, now named for her house manager Patsi Brletich, who was born in Hibbing.
“There’s no one to speak for animals,” Pohlad says, “so it’s always the right thing to do.”
Want to help a furry friend in need? Visit petfinder.com for adoption, donation and volunteer opportunities.
