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
Happy Presidential Weekend
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 !!!!
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
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
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 24th Species
Rikki’s Refuge’s Human Habitat
Fun for Kids
Upcoming Events
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.
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
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
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