Fifteen years ago, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the new Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society shelter. Participants at the 2009 ceremony included, from left, volunteer Tonya Higgins; Jan Bishop, first paid GMHS executive director; Lyn Layer, Animal Care Society; Beth Hogge, shelter manager; Michelle Ressler, chair of the Gloucester County Board of Supervisors; Robert Crump, chair of the Middlesex County Board of Supervisors; O.J. Cole Jr., member of the Mathews County Board of Supervisors; Bill Farinholt, president of Colonial Virginia Bank; Peter Worthington, rector of Ware Episcopal Church; Dieter Hoinkes, GMHS president; Ralph Jackson, building committee chair, and Joe Gowdey, building chair of the former shelter on Rangtang Road; not shown, Jerry Lapham, job superintendent for David A. Nice Builders, Inc., Steven Callis, Chesapeake Bank; Peggy Bowditch and Cam Williams, capital campaign co-chairs; Ellen Thacker, GMHS executive director, and Dan Kovich, Virginia State Veterinar...