Calendar of aerial photos raises cash for animal shelters

One central Newfoundland woman is using her bird's-eye-view of Grand Falls-Windsor to raise money for cats and dogs in the town.

Joanne King first began taking aerial photos while flying over Grand Falls-Windsor in her boyfriend's small Cessna plane.

When people began asking King to publish her photos, she felt that she had a unique opportunity.

"We came up with the idea of doing the calendar and instead of profiting from it, donate all the profits to the animals, because I am a total animal lover," she said on CBC's Central Morning. 

"I gave half to the Exploits Valley SPCA and the other half to Central Paws."  

King said that she donated $1,145 to each animal shelter and was glad to help the animals and workers who help them. 

"I don't think there are a harder working group of people than the people who rescue animals," she said. 

New perspective for residents

King said it was an amazing and freeing feeling to be high up taking photos.

She credits the success of the calendar to the curiosity of the town's residents to see their homes from a new perspective. She said people love seeing where they live from above. 

King said they are also interested in seeing the demolition of the former AbitibiBowater paper mill. 

"Every time you fly over you see more piles of rubble where things are coming down," she said. 

King's favourite aerial photos are of the Wooddale Provincial Tree Nursery and Grand Falls House. She said they both look beautiful and the view from the sky is one not many people get to see

She said that there is a good possibility that she will do another calendar for 2017.