On a recent Saturday, Sun City K9 Adoptions co-director Donovan Vargason was busy managing several tasks at once.

As he oversaw one woman dropping off a dog, he helped as two families picked pups out. All the while, volunteers peppered him with questions and he frequently answered the shelter's ringing phone.

The economic recession combined with Menifee's ongoing population growth means more and more dogs are coming through the 6-year-old shelter, its officials said.

The rescue kennel finds families for homeless dogs, as well as offers veterinary care, spaying and neutering, shots and socialization training. In its first year, the shelter "saved" 27 dogs. This year, officials estimate they'll complete about 300 adoptions.

As the "no-kill" rescue kennel, which operates at a 1.5-acre facility in northwest Menifee, continues to deal with the influx of dogs, the need for a major renovation is becoming more pressing, its workers said.

Talk of improving the nonprofit shelter, which consists largely of a compilation of old buildings and dirt lots, has been bandied about before. But employees and volunteers said this time they mean business.

"We have it in us," Vargason said. "It's time."

Shelter officials said they plan to parlay the profits from a huge yard sale scheduled for this weekend into kickstarting their effort to pay for the upgrades they hope to accomplish over the coming years.

The to-do list includes installing a drainage system behind the kennels, purchasing a new set of interconnected dog crates and microchipping machine, building a pet memorial garden and creating exercise play yards.

Fundraising coordinator Debbie Hopek, whose husband is a veterinarian who provides services to the kennel, said that previous talk of renovation has never amounted to much action. But now, the shelter has a solid group of reliable supporters who seem in it for the long haul ---- and just in time, too, she said.

"It's at that breaking point," Hopek said. "There is so much activity going on over there that they need to make some changes."

Volunteer Traci Locke said the revamp will improve the shelter for all involved: the employees, the dogs, the volunteers ---- and the families who take home pets.

Volunteerism is mainly what helps keep the shelter's day-to-day operations afloat, and Hopek said the kennel could use more help from senior citizens who live in Sun City.

In fact, a lot of them want to donate their time, but without a dedicated place for them to sit and brush the dogs or spend time with the animals, it's hard for them to help, she said.

The upgrades are critical for acquiring that support, she said.

"We need to establish a situation where they can have a clean, quiet, safe, place," she said.

Building the play yards is also crucial, because right now the only exercise the dogs get is on a leash, Vargason said.

The kennel largely stays financially solvent through donations, dog relinquishing and adoption fees, and a handful of grants, because the organization does not receive funding from the city, county or state.

Vargason said he hopes improving the shelter will prompt more people and agencies to invest their time and money in it.

"We can't spend all our time trying to earn pennies," he said.

Huge yard sale

Sun City K9 Adoptions, a nonprofit, no-kill rescue organization that finds families for homeless dogs, is hosting a yard sale to help raise money to jumpstart a renovation for its shelter.

-- When: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

-- Where: 26510 Murrieta Road, Menifee

-- On sale: Dozens of dog-related items, such as dog clothing, training and grooming tools, and crates, as well as household items such as furniture, vacuum cleaners, dishes, appliances and antiques.

-- Contact: www.sck9adoptions.org or 951-679-6444

-- Special: On Saturday, the shelter is offering $50 off its adoption fees and a goodie bag of dog items for families who adopt that day