For more than 31 years, Myownly Boarding Kennel of Monroe, Washington has been providing boarding services, daycare, and pet grooming for this tightknit community east of Seattle. “My parents started the business in 1989 in a small building tucked away in the hills above Monroe,” says owner Donald Chriscaden. “Today we can board 100 pets and we provide employment opportunities to college age kids and older adults who have a passion for animals.”

That service and opportunity has been sorely tested during the pandemic, however. “Like so many in the community, we have experienced a drastic decrease in business,” says Chriscaden. “We’ve had to reduce hours for staff and we now serve a fraction of our previous customer base.”

Keenly aware of the hardship on both his employees and the community, Chriscaden sees participation with Columbia Bank’s Pass It On Project as a great way to help both. That is why Myownly Boarding Kennel is passing it on with support for its staff, and Columbia Bank is paying the bill. “We are providing financial resources to our staff,” he says. “With Columbia Bank’s help, we will be able to provide some extra money for our people who have been working hard to train local dogs in the Monroe community.”