On Saturday, Yavapai Humane Society volunteer and donor of a 1966 red Mustang coupe, Roger Felch, drew Mary Conner’s name out of 2,500 tickets before the crowd gathered for the courthouse lighting ceremony.

When he read Mary’s name, someone in the front row shouted, “Oh my gosh! Mary! I know her!” Roger then called the phone number on the ticket with the good news. Mary answered the phone and it took her a minute to figure out that she’d won the car.

Mary, who works for Yavapai County, then called her husband, David, who accused her of lying. “I thought she was messing with me.”

Conner test drove a 1966 Mustang coupe during his senior year of high school. He worked all summer to save up the money to buy it. At the end of the summer he ended up joining the Navy instead of buying his beloved Mustang. After Mary’s raffle ticket was drawn 45 years later, he finally has his dream car.

Buying a ticket was a no-brainer, says Mary. “Yavapai Humane Society is our charity of choice and it’s a good cause. If we won, that’d be great. That we actually won is beyond belief!”

The Conners have lived in Prescott since 1983 and are longtime animal lovers. They foster homeless animals and are currently caring for their 11th. “We use the YHS Spay/Neuter Clinic for our fosters and always donate stuff to the Yavapai Humane Society Thrift Shop, too.”

On Monday, when Mary called David to set up a time to pick up the Mustang he was still in disbelief. “So it’s true?” he asked.

Yes, David. It’s true.

The Yavapai Humane Society has been serving Yavapai County’s citizens and animals since 1972. YHS has a shelter in Prescott, a Cat Adoption Center in PetSmart, a Thrift Shop and a separate spay/neuter clinic offering low-cost spay/neuters and low-cost vaccinations. In July of 2010, we adopted a “no-kill” ethic which has led to a 68% decrease in euthanasia.

www.yavapaihumane.org

YHS Main Shelter Campus- 1625 Sundog Ranch Rd, Prescott, AZ, 86301- (928) 445-2666

YHS Spay/Neuter Clinic- 2989 Centerpointe East, Suite B, Prescott, AZ 86301- (928) 771-0547

YHS Thrift Shop- 1046 Willow Creek Rd, #127, Prescott, AZ, 86301- (928) 445-5668

YHS Cat Adoption Center in PetSmart- 277 Walker Rd (on Hwy 69), Prescott, AZ, 86303- (928) 776-9636