Resources
are scarce, if any, for animals and pet owners at Leech Lake Reservation in
northern Minnesota. For many, the only option to manage overpopulation was
to shoot stray dogs and unwanted litters. Leech Lake Legacy formed in May 2011
in response to a plea for assistance. In partnership with the Tribal Police and
Tribal Council, Leech Lake Legacy has been able to provide resources and
positively impact the lives of over 2,800 animals in the first 2.5 years. Learn
how Marilou Chanrasmi (and Jenny Fitzer), co-founders of Leech Lake Legacy,
rallied together a community, started a 501(c)3 non-profit, and gained the trust
of Leech Lake band members and elders to provide programs for animals and pet
owners of Leech Lake Reservation. Marilou will be joined by nonprofit
attorney Emily Robertson, who will use Marilou's story to discuss issues that
should be addressed when considering starting a non-profit organization.
Presenters
Marilou Chanrasmi is the co-founder of Leech Lake
Legacy, a multi-faceted animal welfare organization that empowers residents of
Indian reservations to enrich the lives of animals in their community by
providing resources where needed. In 2009, Marilou also co-founded an animal
welfare coalition, Minnesota Partnership for Animal Welfare (www.mnpaw.org) along with Janelle Dixon, CEO of the largest animal shelter in
Minnesota, the Animal Humane Society. Marilou is currently serving as the
president of MnPAW and Leech Lake Legacy. Since 2006 Marilou has been a strong
and active voice in animal welfare in Minnesota, believing strongly that by
working together in a positive, collaborative and respectful manner that we can
do so much more for animals and pet owners.
Emily
Robertson is a solo practitioner through Robertson Law Office,
LLC. Her practice consists solely of advising nonprofit and tax exempt
organizations on tax and corporate law issues arising anywhere in the
organization’s life cycle – from start-up to merger or dissolution.
Outside of her practice, she serves as a member of several boards of directors
and organizational committees. This past fall, she joined the faculty of
Hamline University, in the Masters in Nonprofit Management program. Emily
received her J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law in 2011. Prior to
starting her own firm, she spent five years working as both a legal assistant
and law clerk to boutique firms serving the nonprofit
sector.
The section council will meet before the CLE
at 11:15