Rikki's Refuge: 02/01/2011

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Good Morning Good News !!!! February 26, 2011

I’m Vincent D. Cat and here to make you happy! You are HEROES! You work hard every day and you deserve to smile every day! Those of you working to save us animals hear so very many very sad things. And there’s lots of very glad things too and that’s what we talk about here! All pawsitive all the time! I want my friends to be happy and smile and know there’s a lot of good - including YOU - in this world!! Be kind and pass it on! Please send me your Good New and Fun Stuff to share, personal or global. Let’s keep it fun and interactive!! After all, if we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane! Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org

Special Plea

MY DEAR INTELLEGENT,

SMART, CREATIVE, FRIENDS,

HERE IS YOUR CHANCE TO SAY

HOW YOU REALLY FEEL ABOUT MY HOME,

RIKKI'S REFUGE AND ME!!!!

AND GUESS WHAT?

BY DOING THAT

WE COULD WIN $5,000.00!!!!!!

THIS IS EXCITING - READ ON....

Between TODAY and Feb 28th post a comment about Rikki's Refuge on GuideStar's site - and the nonprofit with the MOST comments wins $5,000!!!!

So, my motivated, remarkable friends - just - click and write a quick review - one word, one sentence, one paragraph. Like: TERRIFIC!!! or COMPASSIONATE or WONDERFUL!! Are you glad Rikki's was here to save me - your beloved Vincent - then say so. Or write something like: "GREAT home to Vincent the Best SpokesCat Ever!"

SPEAK FROM YOUR HEART AND

KNOW THAT BY DOING THIS -

MY FRIEND, BLIND DUKE -

WILL LISTEN TO ME READING

EVERY COMMENT THAT YOU WRITE -

AND IT WILL TOUCH HIS GENTLE HEART ---

HOW PURR-FECTLY WONDERFUL IS THAT?

WHO LOVES YOU, ME - VINCENT

(PS - Think of all the Fancy Feast that $5,000.00 can buy too!!!)

click here to leave your review now, and when it asks “should this review be counted for a specific campaign” be sure to clikc “contest”

http://greatnonprofits.org/whitelabel/reviews/life-unlimited-of-virginia-inc

Rikki's Refuge is a division of Life Unlimited of Virginia, Inc.

Round the Refuge

Sorry I’ve been missing you so much this week. We’ve been short staffed. And today we’re two short !!!! Yikes I gotta hurry up here and get back to feeding my friends!!!!

Well Now it’s Saturday - that’s as far as I made it before having to go off and save the day for the hoomans!!

Here we are today with a beautiful sunny day !!!!!!! Gezzzz working really hard. Short staffed by one today. Seems to be the story of the week. Glad it’s only one today. Have several volunteers out helping. Yeahhhh!!!!

All the lumber for the cat roof project got delivered yesterday!!! Yippeeee. I get to go do a photo shoot with Sedwick’s during the week. That’ll be fun. maybe we can be in the newspaper!!! Yippeee !!!!!! I like to be able to help our friends who like to help us.

I know I must have so much to tell you but all I can keep thinking is I gotta go do this and I gotta go do that so I’m gonna be quick, and just say HI and I’ve been really missing you this week!!! And I Love you purrry purrry much!!!

BIG MONTHLY TOUR TOMORROW SUNDAY AT NOON !!!!!!!

VOTE TODAY

http://bit.ly/VoteVincent Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

The Animal Rescue Site - Shelter Challenge

YOU voted Rikki’s Refuge #1 in Virginia in 2010

Let’s do it again for 2011

quick, simple, free

Your daily vote can win $1,000 - $5,000 for Rikki’s Refuge’s Animals!

We’ve been sliding this week!!

Come on folks get out there and vote!

I try to remind you everyday

and please remember when I can’t be there!!

There’s lots of ways you can vote

as long as you remember to enter

Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

click on any of these and take it from there !!!!

http://bit.ly/VoteVincent

http://animalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge.faces

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com

Look at that face! How can you not vote?

Bissell MVP Contest

Vote daily thru Tuesday March 1st for Tiny Timmy

quick, simple, free

Your daily vote could win up to $10,000

Tiny Timmy’s Healing Journey

Click here to Vote for Timmy

Timmy is a kitty who has neurological damage from flea & tick products. Now he is an adorable Spokeskitty, educating pet owners and advocating safer alternatives as he shares his Healing Journey with his friends.

My Favorite Quote, Today

YOU are the sunshine of MY life - and yours too!!

Yes YOU are!!! Without YOU my HEROES, I’d be living under a dark dark could!!! Thank you for loving me!!!

Live from Vincent Video

Meet Mickey the Goose

Meet Mommey and Sonny

Meet Mountain

Music and Motion

Ever wonder what happened to MaryAnn from Gilligan’s Island?

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7375897927147969009#

Volunteer and make a difference in what ever you care about most!

Fix the ones you love

Great Purrchases / Donations

Vincent be sure to let all your friends know this week at both CVS and Walgreen's they are having a sale on laundry detergent for $1.99 a bottle! I think one is the Xtra brand, not sure the other but it's a great price for like 32 wash loads...that's a lot of clean bedding! I'll bring you some next time I am out at the refuge!

-----Autumn-Skye

Take a look at what’s on ebay!!

Here in our shop!

http://shop.ebay.com/rikkisthings/m.html

And here to benefit Rikki’s Refuge thru Mission Fish

Lots of new and fun listings - check ‘em all out !!!

http://donations.ebay.com/charity/charity.jsp?NP_ID=31347

On your way to Rikki’s

Please show your support of Village Farm Feed and Garden Center. Thhey’re right down the road, a great place to stop off and pick up some cat or dog food to bring out to Rikki’s. Best prices to stock up on your wild bird seed too. Please tell them Vincent sent you!

Between Route 3 and 522 when you’re coming to visit us and headed out of Fredericksburg. They’re about 10 miles away at 28284 Constitution Highway, Rhoadesville, VA 22542. If you get a chance, stop in and say, “Thank you for feeding Vincent’s Friends!” and pick up something for your cirtters or bird food for our wild friends, or grab a few cases of canned cat or dog food or some Fancy Feast!!! They did send two cases of Fancy Feast out yesterday too that somebody had stopped in and bought for me!!! http://www.villagefarmfeedandgardencenter.com/ (540)854-8888

NEEDED THIS WEEKEND

Canned Cat food

Canned Dog food

Dry Cat Food

Carrots

Oranges

50/50 Spring mix with spinich (the only kind of salad, prepacked, that Iggy eats)

Laundry detergent

30 gallon black trash bags min .7 ml thick

Paper Towels

Garden Hoses & Nozzels

Don’t look so shocked!

I’m telling you, that’s the news.

We’re out of cat and dog food.

They said all that’s left is hay.

So get used to it buddy!

No, it’s not tasty, but it’s what I’ve got,

so get off my hay bale, dawg face!

Wonder if I’ll finish off this bale before a

kind person donates some moeny for cat food?

Click here is you can’t deliver nums this weekend and want us to pick it up for you!!! We’ll even feed the animals and clean up the poooooo...... Now that's a bargain you can't resist!!!

http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php

The 24^th Species

Rikki’s Refuge’s Human Habitat

Use of the grounds for Birthday Parties and more

http://rikkisrefuge.org/Vincent/CFC2011/Services-022.pdf

Upcoming Events

SATURDAYS DONATION DROP OFF, noon - 2 pm, got something to drop off quick? The gates will be unlocked. No tour at this time, just drop off. Donation Drop Off will be available every Saturday from noon - 2 pm in 2011

SUNDAYS TOUR THE REFUGE - NOON, mini tour, take a walk around and see the animal neighborhoods. Every week on Sunday you can join a mini tour where you can walk around from animal neighborhood to neighborhood, from Piggy Paradise to Horsey Haven and see the animals. One tour only, starts at noon. Please be prompt.

Once a month, we’ll have an EXTENDED TOUR where you can visit the animals in their neighborhoods and have the chance to interact and give them treats. These tours also start promptly at noon, and there’s only one tour for the day, so please be prompt. 2/27, 3/27, 4/17, 5/22, 6/12, 7/4 Monday, 9/4 Monday, 10/31, 11/12 Saturday, 12/25

LAST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH VOLUNTEER TRAIN SELF SERVICE 8 am - 1 pm, Learn to earn your Self Service Volunteer Badge. 2/26, 3/26, 4/30, 5/28, 6/25, 7/30, 8/27, 9/24, 10/29, 11/26, 12/31

SATURDAY February 26, 11 am - 3 pm RABBIT & PIG MUCK OUT DAY - Rake out the old straw and bedding and give them fresh, a chance to socialize and feel their appreciation for a new clean home.

SUNDAY February 27, 2 pm WORLD DAY OF PRAYER - Join us at 2 pm for a prayer and meditation for all of the worlds creatures. Speakers welcome. RSVP early.

Love from your favorite furry critter,

Vincent

PS You tell me what you want! Email me at Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org with instructions to change your subscription: additions, deletions or modifications! Subscriptions: Vincent’s VIPs - up to the second alerts about issues at Rikki’s Refuge for those who care and want to be intimately involved. Scheduled as needed. Good Morning Good News - a little something to get you going in the mornings, for those of you who want to keep smiling with us! Scheduled daily. Hairballs - so you know what’s coming up at Rikki’s! Scheduled weekly.

Rikki's Refuge, supported solely by private donations, houses over 1200 animals of 22 species. On line at http://bit.ly/Give-a-gift-to-Rikkis Checks, money orders, cash, items at Rikki's Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960

Rikki's Refuge is owned and operated by Life Unlimited of Virginia, Inc., an IRS 501(c)(3) not-for-profit Virginia Corporation, tax-id 54-1911042. Combined Federal Campaigns #77674, Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign #3163, PetsMart Charities #1377. A financial statement is available upon written request from the State Office of Consumer Affairs.

Learn more www.RikkisRefuge.org and help spread the good word, tell everyone you know about Rikki’s Refuge

Culpeper Pharmacy

(540) 825-7576 • 261 Southgate Shopping Center, Culpeper, VA

http://www.culpeperpharmacy.com/

Culpeper Pharmacy has been providing for our furry families’ prescription and home care needs since 2003 (and before that when they had a pharmacy in Orange). Located in the Southgate Shopping Center, next to the Culpeper Regional Library, Culpeper Pharmacy has been proud to help Rikki's Refuge and all their other customers with a full range of home health care needs. From prescriptions and diabetic supplies to Power Wheelchairs, Lift Chairs and more. How can they help you today?

Bill Morris and Gordon Atkins have been taking special care of the critters in the 9th Life Retirement, Assisted Living and Psychiatric Center for almost as long as Rikki's Refuge has been here. Sometimes it's filling a normal prescription. Sometimes it requires research to find the right variation of the medication our veterinarians want for us. Sometimes it's adjusting the dosage for us little guys. Sometimes it's answering our questions. Always it's researching to find us the best possible deal and placing special orders for us.

Bill and Gordon and Culpeper Pharmacy are one big reason we're able to take care of so many on such a short little shoestring.

And, this Christmas, they helped us stretch that shoestring even further. They donated a whole month of pharmacy supplies to Rikki's Refuge, all the routine things used by the patients of the 9th Life Retirement, Assisted Living and Psychiatric Center. That amounted to a whole lot of money, hundreds of dollars, and a great big huge help to us at Rikki's Refuge.

Thank you Bill and Gordon for taking care of me and all my special needs and for running such a wonderful business and being so kind and compassionate to all your customers. If everybody knew you, there wouldn't be any other pharmacies for 100 miles around!

Culpeper Pharmacy is good people running a good business. Tell ‘em Vincent sent you!

Love,

Vincent D. Cat
Official SpokesCat of Rikki's Refuge

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Good Morning Good News !!!! February 22, 2011

Last Chance

Help Rescued and Deaf Dogs

and

Benefit Rikki’s Refuge

Great Books!! Great Benefits!!

Thru February 22 ONLY

Buy a Great Book, Help Rescued and Deaf Dogs and Help Rikki's Refuge, too!

For one week only, photographer Melissa McDaniel, is having a promotional sale on two of her dog photo books.

Rescued in America

and Deaf Dogs

30% of sales from PHONE ORDERS ONLY will go to Rikki's Refuge. Purchase one - or both! - of these beautiful albums and help Rikki's Refuge at the same time!

Please call your order in to 267-968-9973 today.

and runs through TODAY Tuesday, February 22.

Books are ready to ship!

Click here to view photos from the dog photo books and read more about the projects: http://www.thephotobooks.com

For more on this special promotion, click here: http://www.thephotobooks.com/rikkisrefuge.html

Round the Refuge

Brrrr so what happened here? I must of let my guard down for a moment and winter snuck back in! Icky white stuff out there today and it’s brrr brrr brrr cold !!!! I wanna curl back under my covers and hibernate but mommey says no sleep for the busy kitty, up an at ‘em little guy.

Five of my friends had to go to the hospital today.

Professor Higgins is a wise old hound dog who’s been here for many years and he’s got a tumor on his eyelid that’s bother his eye and making it itchy and gooey.

Snowball is a white kitty who’s had cancer on her ears and most of the external ears had to be removed. She’s got more cancer on one of them now and that has to come off. And the doc just called and said she’s got a problem tooth too, so .....

Gideon is a black and white run around kitty, you’ve probably met him if you’ve ever driven up. He has one black ear and one white ear. The white ear had cancer and part of it had to come off many years ago. Now he’s got a growth on the third eyelid on the same side. We’re really worried about that.

Josephine is a mid teen tabby kitty and she’s been losing weight and her heart is really fast sounding. Uh Oh sounds like thyroid problems so he’s gonna have to give blood. Ick!

Cottontail is a white rabbit with an eye infection that won’t get well, they’re gonna have to knock her out to check it out real good and see what the matter is. The infection isn’t just in the eye, it seems to be around the eye too.

So cross your paws that everybody be ok today!!!! We’ll pick ‘em up later in the afternoon!

Mom was getting things ready yesterday for the great adventure out to the docs today. The trooper has been acting up and stalling lots. But it’s the best vehicle to get everybody in. This morning we get up and there’s all this icky ice and snow all over the place and booo the Trooper just won’t stay running. As long as you keep giving it gas it keeps going but the second you let up it dies and you have to start it again.

After a bit mom gave up and started scraping and melting the ice off the pick up truck. Already mom was running late now. And when she went to get in to drive away she said UH OH there’s a flat tire!!! Like really really flat!!! This truck ain’t going no where. So all the aminals went back to their houses and mom called and left a message - uppssss.

When Billy gotted in to work he changed out the tire and the spare wasn’t all that good so mom called the doc and said I gotta get the good tire fixed a ‘fore I can drive all that far. And she was real nice and said, ok, just take the aminals, since it’s part way there, and them come on over. We take care of you when you can get here. So the aminals got to their appointments about three hours late!!! They should all get to come home this evening. Paws crossed!!

Did you know that it was on February 22, 1630 that the Indians introduced the Pilgrims to popcorn? Now, I don’t much like pop corn, but that’s cuz I’m a cat. Well I do like this kind of popcorn

But not the eaty kind. All my bird friends really like the eaty kind, and so do the goats and the dogs and all. So at Rikki’s Refuge Sunday was official Popcorn Day. It’s when we honor the natives of Rikki's by offering them popcorn, fruits and nuts. Friends visit and bring yummies for the wild ones. They all take a walk thru the woods and scatter the nums about for the birds, squirrels, chipmunks, possums, raccoons and all the small forest animals.

Kristina and Victor came out for Popcorn Day at the refuge. They had a great time distributing popcorn, corn cobs, and yummy critter food to the wildlife at Rikki's Refuge! Then they worked all day feeding and watering Doggy Downs dogs, mucking out the guinea pig pens, and helping with the tour. Thank you for the good eats and hard work Kristina and Victor!!

VOTE TODAY

http://bit.ly/VoteVincent Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

The Animal Rescue Site - Shelter Challenge

YOU voted Rikki’s Refuge #1 in Virginia in 2010

Let’s do it again for 2011

quick, simple, free

Your daily vote can win $1,000 - $5,000 for Rikki’s Refuge’s Animals!

We’re creeping closer and closer to 6^th place !!!!

Keep VOTING !!!

There’s lots of ways you can vote

as long as you remember to enter

Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

click on any of these and take it from there !!!!

http://bit.ly/VoteVincent

http://animalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge.faces

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com

Hey hey hey you want to have a pic.a.nik?

You vote for me and I share my basket with you!

Bissell MVP Contest

Vote daily thru Tuesday February 22nd for Grady

quick, simple, free

Your daily vote could win up to $10,000

for HELP Humane Society in Missouri

Click here to Vote for Grady

"But the eyes are blind. One must look with the heart..." ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

LAST DAY TO VOTE FOR GRADY

MAKE IT COUNT!

Please Vote for Twisty - our Black Cat favorite

(photo contest)

Please Vote for Scruffy - our Adoption Representative favorite

(different photo contest)

My Favorite Quote, Today

Rikki’s doesn’t expect miracles - we RELY on miracles !

No Kidding here either!!!! Without just about daily miracles I don’t know what would happen to us.

We pray and you send us your Purina weight circles off your cat and dog food. When we’ve collected a great huge number of them, Purina sends us checks for money off on cat food!

We pray some more and wonderful volunteers collect coupons and send them to us.

We pray some more and cat food goes on sale.

We pray some more and donors, armed with coupons, and Purina checks head to the store. And they fill their cars and their trucks to the top with almost free cat food!!!

Upppsss lots of folks called and said, “I’m at PerSmart trying to buy some cat food on sale for you and they’re telling me somebody already bought it all saying it was for Rikki’s Refuge!!!!”

YIPPEEEE thank you all for the bags and bags of cat food. We’ll put it to very good use!! At about 60 pounds a day right now .... it doesn’t last long. In summer when its hot and we’re lounging in the sun and not eating a lot we can only put away about 40 pounds a day. But in the winter when we’re burning more to stay warm and grow longer thicker fur we scarf down about 65 pounds a day.

Thank you all who brought out nums and cleaning things and all the stuff we need this weekend. I love you for helping me and my friends!!!

Happy dance ....

The Cats of Cod

Artwork by Wayne H. Morris of New York

photography and art

http://www.facebook.com/WayneHMorris

visit to see more of his spectacular work

Wayne loves to study an animal and capture their essence which he then turns into a whimsical work of art depicting them at work or play. Your pet’s whimsical custom portrait available for only $300 (donated to Rikki’s Refuge). Contact me and I’ll put you in touch Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org Prints available, 8” x 10”, on heavy stock, suitable for framing, $25 each, resolution may vary so you may want to ask first. Specify which print you want and shipping address. http://bit.ly/WayneMorrisPrint

VINCENTINO PLAYS GUITARS AND CATERWALLERS

AT CHINO’S ON FRIDAY NIGHTS

COME ON OUT FOR A

HOWLING GOOD TIME

Live from Vincent Video

Meet KiKi

Lena Stocks and Jessie on a Cold Day

Meet Lucky the Dog, former Police Dog

Fun and Inspiring

Cane toad Agathe

(Photo by HOLGER HOLLEMANN/AFP/Getty Images)

Cane toad Agathe sits on a toy balance during an inventory at the zoo in Hanover, central Germany. All habitants of the zoo are to be counted, weighed and measured during the week long inventory. Agathe has a weight of 1850 grams.

Sure glad we don’t have to do this at Rikki’s!!! Mom’d be complaining about all that Fancy Feast for sure!

Music and Motion

The 24^th Species

Rikki’s Refuge’s Human Habitat

Teaching Life Skills

http://rikkisrefuge.org/Vincent/CFC2011/Services-021.pdf

Love of love and a bit furry hug to keep you warm,

Vincent

Learn more www.RikkisRefuge.org and help spread the good word, tell everyone you know about Rikki’s Refuge

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Good Morning Good News !!!! February 20, 2011

Happy Presidential Weekend

We are here to serve you!

Round the Refuge

Hi Ya all !!! Are you enjoying your Presidents Day Weekend? I sure am!!! So far it’s been absolutely purringly fantastic! I love it when my friends come to visit !!!! And I love it when they bring us good stuff, like nums !!! And I got another special present today! And another too !!!

Here’s Elvis waking up in the morning, he’s still got straw all over his face, but he’s not gonna take the time to shake it off, he wants to be first at the food bowl.

I think Miss Piggy has had quite enough to eat for breakfast, don’t you?

Candy felt sorry for me, and for Nanny. I have to ride to town all the time in the goat cart to buy Fancy Feast. Candy got me my very own Jeep !!!

Oh Hi, says Taco, just doing a little gardening here!

You can’t sneak up on a goat. They gotta check out every vehicle to see what nums came for them. And watch out - you leave a door or window open and somebody will be inside!!

YES you did bring nums for us!!!

Cindy shares her lunch

If I look like a carrot maybe I can sneak into Rabbit Rotunda for lunch ....

And you want to know what’s really cool??? Cuz you all is such good and wonderful heroes and cuz you help me take care of the animals and save the kitties !!!! You’ve helped me get the money we need to buy materials for the cat runs!!! And now ....

Candy Presents Vincent with the Award Winning Can of Fancy Feast

Ron and Paul Work on the Roofs on the temporary quarantine runs

Larry is waiting to drive Ron home after a long hard day of work

I warned you about leaving your windows open!

Shadow races to greet visitors, climbs right up and rides around on shoulders

Here he hitches a ride with Katarina.

Tipp enjoying this lovely spring weather

VOTE TODAY

http://bit.ly/VoteVincent Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

The Animal Rescue Site - Shelter Challenge

YOU voted Rikki’s Refuge #1 in Virginia in 2010

Let’s do it again for 2011

quick, simple, free

Your daily vote can win $1,000 - $5,000 for Rikki’s Refuge’s Animals!

There’s lots of ways you can vote

as long as you remember to enter

Rikkis Refuge, Orange, VA, USA

click on any of these and take it from there !!!!

http://bit.ly/VoteVincent

http://animalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge.faces

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com

YOUNG OR OLD - EVERYBODY - VOTE FOR VINCENT

Bissell MVP Contest

Vote daily thru Tuesday February 22nd for Grady

quick, simple, free

Your daily vote could win up to $10,000

for HELP Humane Society in Missouri

Click here to Vote for Grady

"But the eyes are blind. One must look with the heart..." ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Please Vote for Twisty - our Black Cat favorite

(photo contest)

Please Vote for Scruffy - our Adoption Representative favorite

(different photo contest)

Vote Responsibly all in one place http://rikkisrefuge.blogspot.com/2011/02/vote-for-animals.html

the NO COST way to help save animals everywhere. Because every animal matters! Thank you.

My Favorite Quote, Today

Respect yourself and others will follow

The Cats of Cod

Artwork by Wayne H. Morris of New York

photography and art

http://www.facebook.com/WayneHMorris

visit to see more of his spectacular work

Meet Chino, owner of Chino’s Chow

Live from Vincent Video

Meet Joe, Katarina, Ken

Fun and Inspiring

Great Stuffed Rabbit

(PHILIPPE HUGUEN/AFP/Getty Images)

A man walks in front of the 'Great Stuffed Rabbit', 2006 a work by Swiss artist Christian Gonzenbach at La Condition publique museum in Roubaix, northern France, during its exhibition 'Zoonomia , de la nature humaine'.

Tails of Trivia

Termites are affected by music; the termites will eat your house twice as fast if you play them loud music.

A house fly hums in the middle octave key of F

Bees visit over 2,000 flowers and fly over 55,000 miles to produce just 1lb. of honey --- Think twice before you take it away from them - or complain about the price if you do!

On this Day

February 20, 1792 the US Postal Service was created and boy am I glad!!! This means you can send me pressies!!! I love going to the post office to pick up my packages from my friends!!!

Music and Motion

Good Times in the News

Annandale civic association elects dog as president

By Brigid Schulte

Washington Post Staff Writer

For more than 20 years, candidates running for office in the Hillbrook-Tall Oaks Civic Association in Annandale have stood, waved and received polite applause at the annual meeting in June. Everyone votes, eats ice cream, chats with neighbors and goes home.

This past election, to make the meeting move faster, only the names and qualifications of the candidates were announced. Running for president, Ms. Beatha Lee was described as a relatively new resident, interested in neighborhood activities and the outdoors, and who had experience in Maine overseeing an estate of 26 acres.

Though unfamiliar with Lee's name, the crowd of about 50 raised their hands, assuming that the candidate was a civic-minded newcomer. These days, it's hard to get anyone to volunteer to devote the time needed to serve as an officer. The slate that Lee headed was unanimously elected. Everyone ate ice cream, watched a karate demonstration and went home.

Only weeks later did many discover that their new president was, in fact, a dog.

Ms. Beatha Lee is a shaggy, dirty-white Wheaten terrier.

The news broke in the association's newsletter with Lee's promise to "govern with an even paw." The dog's photo appeared under the heading, "Dog Rules, Humans Apathetic (Pathetic)."

A veritable storm erupted in the bucolic 1950s neighborhood of about 250 families who live in split levels or colonials with about 90 dogs.

"She had a name," said Robin Klein Browder, who grew up in the neighborhood and moved back after she got married. "It wasn't Spot or Rover. It was a first and last name, so everyone thought she was human. I'm not thrilled, I'm embarrassed."

"At first, people would say to me, 'This is crazy!' " said Helen Winter, a director emeritus of the board who is in her 80s and is a major force behind the neighborhood watch, the welcoming committee and the annual block party. "And I'd say, 'It is crazy. Isn't that fun?' It's one of those things that breaks the monotony."

Dave Frederickson, who read the dog's name and qualifications to the crowd at the annual meeting, said, "Many people, like myself, were amused. But some were extremely upset. I've spent a lot of time on the phone explaining things."

The duly elected president is actually the pet of the former president, Mark Crawford, who inherited Beatha (pronounced Bee-Ah-tah) in 2008 from his mother and stepfather in Maine.

Crawford had served three consecutive terms as president and, according to association bylaws, could not run for the office again. For weeks leading up to the election, he begged, pleaded and cajoled neighbors to run for the often-thankless volunteer post. No one bit. Newer, younger families told him that they were too busy juggling work, long commutes and kids. And longtime residents, many burned out after losing a bruising zoning battle against a Montessori school in their neighborhood, said they'd already done their time.

Out of sheer frustration, Crawford decided to put up his dog.

"This isn't a power trip," said Crawford, who now serves as vice president under his pooch. "We wanted to send a message to the neighborhood that they needed to get involved and get engaged. That they can't count on the same people to do this year in and year out."

Crawford and the nominating committee carefully scanned Article V of their bylaws on officer qualifications. Resident of the neighborhood: Check. Attained the age of majority. Check (in dog years). "Our charter language did not mention that a human had to serve," Crawford said. "The way it was phrased was very accommodating, to be frank."

Those same bylaws also outline the fairly substantial duties of the president, everything from running meetings and appointing committee members to executing contracts and co-signing checks. Not to mention speaking for the association at public meetings. So how has the canine managed?

"Well, she delegates a lot," Crawford said. "That's what executives are supposed to do - delegate."

The dog occasionally attends the monthly board meetings, usually held the first Tuesday or Wednesday of the month in Crawford's home. "She's sometimes sitting under the table, listening to what goes on," Frederickson said. "Until she gets bored and wants to be let out. I don't know if the board members need to pet her on their way in."

Crawford and the other seven human board members have kept the annual block parties and ice cream socials running without a hitch - the president was too out of sorts to attend.

Other than a few rumblings about speed bumps and tree trimming, it has been a pretty quiet year for the association. "We're dealing with things like trying to get our phone book out," Crawford said. "Pretty mundane stuff."

Over time, the neighbors have come to accept their new leader.

"It doesn't surprise me one bit that a dog is the president - our neighborhood is so dog-friendly," said Meghan Pituch Myers, who moved in a little over a year ago. "We often find ourselves referencing people by their dogs ... 'I saw Daisy's mom today at the store.' "

So has the ploy worked? Are people getting more involved?

Crawford said it's too early to tell.

Browder, whose father ran the association when she was a girl and whose husband also served as president, said she might be willing. "If we elected a dog, I'm thinking, okay, maybe I better do my duty," she said.

But if she doesn't, "maybe we'll get a cat this time," groused longtime resident Dave Borowski.

Added Frederickson: "We're hoping for a Homo sapiens."

The 24^th Species

Rikki’s Refuge’s Human Habitat

Fun for Kids

http://rikkisrefuge.org/Vincent/CFC2011/Services-020.pdf

Upcoming Events

SUNDAY February 20, 11 am - 3 pm POPCORN DAY - On February 22 back in 1630, the Indians introduced the Pilgrims to popcorn. Today we honor the natives of Rikki's by offering them popcorn, fruits and nuts. Bring yummies for the wild ones. We'll take a walk and scatter them for the birds, squirrels, chipmunks, possums, raccoons and all the small forest animals.

MONDAY February 21, 11 am - 3 pm PRESIDENT'S DAY - make the animals feel like kings! Bring delicious food, warm bedding and help us make them comfortable for the winter.

MONDAY February 21, 11 am - 3 pm BIRDHOUSES AND MORE - Build birdhouses and other habitats for wildlife.

Thank you for making this a

wonderful Fancy Feast Filled

Morning for ME !!!!

Love,

Vincent

Learn more www.RikkisRefuge.org and help spread the good word, tell everyone you know about Rikki’s Refuge