Harry and Donna Helfrich, animal lovers with a deep desire to help homeless animals, will be leaving their rural Mauston home in the near future, but they hope they will leave their footprints on the Carl W. Nelson Animal Shelter when they go. Harry and Donna have lived in their beautiful home, which they built on Harry's father's farm east of Mauston, for over 23 years. The Helfrichs are planning to move to LaCrosse to be closer to their 2 sons, and will auction their home and all of their personal property on July 11. They plan to give 5% of the proceeds to the Carl W. Nelson Animal Shelter.

Harry and Donna lived in LaCrosse prior to building their Mauston home, where Donna worked at the Lutheran Hospital and Harry worked for the railroad. In 1984 they returned to Harry's parents farm, and then built a new home on the property two years later. The house was a labor of love, incorporating 2 oak columns and a stained glass window from the original farm house into their 3,556 sq. ft. home. Reflecting Harry's love for the railroad, the fireplace is built from brick that came from the Tomah roundhouse. The home is a spacious, immaculately maintained ranch home, sitting on 5 acres of lush lawn and garden. There is a grape arbor, an orchard, and a pond on the property, and the house is handicapped accessible. There are also 2 large sheds, one heated, on the property.

Harry and Donna have always been animal lovers, and their latest family pets have been Benji the dog, who recently passed away, and Spunky, a 14-year-old cat. Benji and his owners rescued Spunky when he was a tiny kitten, after he wandered onto their property. When Spunky isn't traveling with Harry and Donna, he enjoys a life of luxury in their beautiful home.

When asked why they chose this unique way to help the shelter, Donna Helfrich said, "It would be nice if we could all be like Oprah Winfry, who is able to give so much to worthy causes. But people who do not necessarily have available cash, can sometimes turn other endeavors into cash for the animals. We hope by giving to the shelter in this way that we may inspire others to think of unconventional ways to give. There are so many needy organizations, and the animals always seem to get the leftovers. We do not wish to draw attention to ourselves through this donation, but it is our hope that our legacy will be that we have inspired someone else to remember the shelter in a creative way".