Sunday, October 30, 2011

Good Morning Good News !!!! October 30, 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
Jack's back!
Cat missing at JFK Airport for two months is found 'safe and well'

And if that isn’t good news, I don’t know what is!!    It’s such good news to me cuz it tells me what a forward move YOU all have made in society, when a little lost kitty becomes important to the planet and when being found is news worthy!!!  What a wonderful thing all you rescuers are doing!!  One by one, you teach another one.  Everyone recruited into the caring loving world of rescue is one more big step for hoomankind!!!


Jack who had been missing since he was lost at the baggage area at a New York airport two months ago has been found safe and well.  Dehydrated and a underweight Jack the Cat, who was lost on August 25, was finally found in the customs room at John F Kennedy Airport.  He is now at a vets in Queens, New York, where he is awaiting a reunion with his owner Karen Pascoe.

Ms Pascoe has led a vocal Facebook campaign in a bid to pressure the airport to find Jack, who went missing in transit prior to an American Airlines (AA) flight between New York and San Francisco, California.  AA reported the discovery on a Facebook page of their own declaring: 'American Airlines is happy to announce that Jack the Cat has been found safe and well at JFK Airport'.

'Jack was found in the customs room and was immediately taken by team members to a local veterinarian.  'The vet has advised that Jack is doing well at present.   'American (Airlines) will fly Jack to California to be reunited with Ms Pascoe.   'We thank the Friends of Jack for their ongoing search efforts outside the JFK perimeter and share everyone's relief that he has been found.'


Poor Jack was dehydrated and terribly skinny from not having enough food and water.  He’s at a hospital now getting well.  He’s coming along and doing well.  Prayers for him to hurry and be strong enough to fly home with his mom to California.



No matter where you are !
Remember to vote every day!!!  The mostest votes will win us $1,000 !!!   Rikki’s Refuge is falling behind -- please tke the time to vote and help us catch up!!   I NEED YOUR VOTE !!

Please click http://tinyurl.com/VoteRikkis and enter Rikkis Refuge in VA in the USA

Thank you, your simple clicks every day really truly brings money into Rikki’s, and the money that comes to Rikki’s is spent caring for the animals!!!






PUMPKIN SEASON
The time has come, the time is now!!!  The next week is our busiest pumpkin gathering time of the year!!!  Come help load trucks, help unload trucks.  Bring a truck, van or SUV if you have one!!!  How many pumpkins can you haul.. ALL the critters - except the cats and dogs - really enjoy eating healthy pumpkins.  The pot belly pigs alone will eat 124 pumpkins for BREAKFAST!!!!  About three pick up trucks full will get eaten everyday by everybody!!!  So we need YOU now!!!  Please help!!!  Contact Jon O'Connor jocors@comcast.net for more information about locations!!!


5K RUN/WALK
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Chancellor High School
Registration : 6:30 – 7:30 am $25.00
Race Start: 8:00 am
Help Save Lives!
Contact: Dennis Bane 540.854.5375



AUCTION TIME !
The debt collectors are calling and our friends are gathering around to save the day!  Rikki’s will be hosting an on-line auction with all kinds of wonderful things up for grabs to the highest bidder!!   Toys for cats and dogs.  Harnesses, leashes, beds and lots of items for your pets.  We’ve gotten some very lovely jewelry!  Adorable home decor items.  Holiday decorations and gifts.  Special articles of clothing.  And some folks are donating services!  A haircut from a wonderful salon, a few hours of handyman services!

The ideas are unlimited!  Search your shelves, your closets!  It’s time to recycle last years holiday gifts you never needed!!  It’s easy and you can participate from anywhere in the world.

Here’s how:  Just send me a picture of your item, a description, let me know where you are and if you’re paying shipping or if you want the buyer to pay shipping.  It’s that easy!!!!   Wanna bake a batch of holiday treats for somebody?  That works too!!!   Send your entries  to Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org RIGHT NOW.  

Please hurry, we’re getting all the pictures ready and the auction set up, it will open on 11/7 and close on 11/17.  Purrfect timing to buy wonderful interesting new and exciting holiday gifts for everyone on your list!!!!

If everyone can find one item or one service they can donate, you can help the animals of Riki’s !!!

Thank you.


You’re Invited
Please join us Saturday, November 12, 2011 at Rikki’s Refuge for
NATURE APPRECIATION DAY
Noon - Refuge Tour
2 pm - Nature Hike
5 pm - Sunset Bonfire & Veggies on the Grill
7 pm - Full Moon Walk
$28 per person (minimum donation), for the full day or any part of the day!  All donations go towards the Wildlife Defense Fund.

In addition to the 1300 domestic and farm animals we care for every day, we protect 300 acres of pristine nature, woods and wetlands, for Native Virginia Wildlife. It’s a hard job, as development encroaches, large tracts are logged, hunters poach. This spring an adjoining landowner wanted to build a logging road, meandering a mile and a half thru the woods and wetlands of Rikki’s Refuge. We fought, and we saved the land and the lives of countless animals that call it home.  The resulting survey and legal bill is a devastating $28,976.16, at a time when we’re finding it difficult to cover the daily expenses for our 1300 resident animals; their medical bills, their food, their care.  Would you please give a tax-deductible donation of just $28 to help the animals?

RSVP TODAY!!



YOU Can design our Christmas Card!!
YES you can.  I need submissions ASAP.  You see the picture for Nature Appreciation Day above?  That was a post card. 
Here’s what our April Cats vs Dogs card looked like.

And here’s last years Christmas Card

What are YOUR ideas for Christmas 2011?  Do you have one or more photos that would make the ideal card?  Are you an artist?  Drawing?  Painting?  Anything goes!!  Submit you ideas to me NOW Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org



NUM NUM NUM !!!!!
Remember last Thanksgiving for Rikki’s Friends?  It was DELICIOUS!!!  The Good News is Mariza is doing it again this year!!!  Rikki’s Thanksgiving Dinner will be served at her home, Spotsylvania close to the rt 3 / 20 intersection, you’ll get a map when you RSVP.  November 20th, Sunday, 4 pm the eating starts!!!  Appetizers, dozens of appetizers!!  6 pm, sit down dinner!! 

RSVP now as we do have to limit the number to how many can fit in Mariza’s house!  $25 per eater!  Delicious.  many many courses, all kinds of wonderful delicious things.  All vegetarian.  And yes, you carnivores are welcome too, you’ll never miss that fat dead bird on the table.  So many different and varied delectable dishes!!




Fall Furr Fest
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR A FANTASTIC FALL FURR FEST!!
by Katarina
We definitely have a wonderful group of people volunteering at Rikki's Refuge. Each of you made a huge impact on the success of the Fall Furr Festival!  Great big thank you to John Longtin, Jan Chetnik, Bob Wallace, Laurie Karnay, Terri Hederer, Lori and Alyse Beltethon, Ron, Dennis and Crystal, Laurie Kovalik and Shanon and her husband, Dawn, Kali, Melissa and Ed, Fred, Jenny Squires, Erin and Michaila, Victor and Kevin, Lori and Tere, Jessica Cox, Nora Eldridge, Mariza, Robyn, and Girl Scout Troop 954.  Downtown Nail and Hair Salon was a game sponsor.

The Big Red Dog and the Petco Team set up a booth and made a big donation and raffle basket.


Mmmmm Mmmmmm Natural Balance, hmmmmmm, for my picture on the label, I could switch!!!

Thank you all for helping to set up in the ridiculous wind! You were awesome chasing everything down, then taping everything down!   Jan, outstanding PR for the event!!!   Thank you wonderful tour guides, Fred, Mariza, Laurie, Victor, Ed, Jessica!

Running the game booths was so much fun. The kids loved playing and winning prizes. Thank you for helping all the munchkins. Thank you to the girls scouts who helped run most of the games.













Bob the hay rides were a HUGE hit! Everyone loved being able to see the beautiful scenery around the refuge.
















Thank you Nora for doing massages for the benefit of the refuge. I know those who won your gift certificates will put them to good use.

Dawn your face painting was so good! The kids loved it! You totally have a gift and I hope it takes you far.














Melissa and Robyn thank you so much for organizing and selling at the gift shop and bake sale.

Betty is a great Sales Cat!




                                                                                                                Hey! Did he pay his $3?

Logging the donations and directing traffic kept Ron, Dennis, and Crystal busy. Thank you all for doing this very important task!

Boogz and Molly did a great job working as donation dogs!




We raised money for the animals and got lots of food donations too. Job well done everyone!




Haunted Forest
by Katarina

Not scared yet?  You can see watch the segments of a full trip thru the Haunted Forest on youtube.

Thank you all for coming out to visit and for volunteering for the Haunted Forrest! You made it super scary this year! All the actors were so awesome! You really out did yourselves.

                                     


                                      
                                                    
                                                                  We loved having our wolf man back, thank you James!

The zombies were REALLY creepy.

Adam it was great to see you out there and you awesome popping out from under the bridge. Robyn, you were a fantastic tour guide and at least one person I spoke with told me she didn't recognize you at all =o).

Dawn, thank you for coming out and helping with the zombie make up and adding cuts and scabs to people!

The big huge scary gorilla (our own Sean Sandy!),

Clown, dead prom queen, and masked demon were great additions to the group this year.

And of course, Fred you were a very velcoming vampire guide.


Thank you ladies and gentleman for helping to sign people in and send them in the direction of the woods.

Wait!  What's that on Helen's shoulder?  We don't have any pink kitties!
Yikes, you won't see me hanging out in Rabbit Rotunda after dark anymore!


Vincent’s Winter Shopping List
I’ve got 12 days of canned cat food in stock right now!!!  Keep those donations coming so I don’t run out!!!! 

KiKi and the other doggies need more canned dog food.  We’re using two cases a day for the winter!!! 

I need 12 good quality AA Batteries to poser early morning headlamps so we can get fed before sunrise!

30 large size litterboxes, and I mean large size, the black plastic mortar mixing tubs they sell at Lowes and Home Depot work pretty good, any other ideas on what type of thing might work?  Must be big enough for Rikki’s must hold 40 pounds of litter, yet be of a size that can be picked up to be dumped, and sturdy enough that it doesn’t break or torque and crack when lifting for dumping. 

6 rubber mallets to break ice on water troughs

Do you know of any item that can be used to keep water from freezing in water bowls?  We can’t use electrical one, cuz we don’t have much electricity here, only 60 amps total, so that won’t work.   Something that is solar or battery powered?  Somebody said they saw a ball thing that gyrated from battery power that worked, I’ve not been able to find it.  Google search please!!  Help me out, slow speed searching is as bad as hoomans who pop food tops slow!!!  Is there any kind of stuff that’s totally safe for the animals you can add to the water to keep it from freezing?

Two shop vacs, about 8-10 gallon size.  Must be on Wheels.  And not to wide to fit thru doors.

18 large dish pans - we use for food.

Lots of plastic putty knives for scraping ..... well let’s just say gunk, off the floors, plastic so it doesn’t damage the floors.

Squeegees on long handles for cleaning the cat houses.

Rakes that are short handled - though we can cut the handle - and thick plastic tines only 8-10 inches wide and pretty close together, used as pooper scoopers. Need 10, if you find them at a good price pick up 20, cuz they’re hard to find and do break with daily use.

Black rubber water bowls, like at the farm stores, low rums 4” or so, 18 inch diameter, for the guinea pigs and rabbits, need about 12.

Four mops, the big string kind.  Somebody donated some heads recently that were like a wide rag instead of strings and they were great.  Need the heads and handles.

Need two big commercial like squeeze ‘em out mop buckets on wheels.

4 lantern type flashlights with the big square 9 V camping type batteries - and lots of extra batteries.

3, 100 foot, or as long as possible, super heavy duty hoses, thick walls, spring thing on end to prevent crimping and cracking, largest diameter for greatest flow possible.  Cindy the one you gave Billy is purrfect!  More like that is what we need.  Where did you get it? 



Guinea hen launching off office roof and into sleeping tree.


KiKi Update
Wayne and KiKi
Kiki is doing great!!!!  Thank you all for helping with prayers.  She’s very happy that the weather has turned cold.  She and Beauty were romping and playing in the frost and  having a blat this morning!!!  No more confinement, no more bandages, no more cone and all the staples are gone!!!!  Keep KiKi in your prayers that she’s permanently healed and continues with a long and healthy life!!


Mike the Goat
is also doing very well.  The cast is off.  The leg looks like it’s healing well.  He’s got one more week with a split on and then two weeks of little activity and then that lucky goat will be able to head back to the herd!!!

We are so thankful that YOU have given us the opportunity to help and to save so many animals!!!!   Yeahhhh Rikki’s Supporters!!!!


I give you a treat, not a trick!
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


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a cute blog!!!!!

Vincent Cat said...

Good morning Vincent !!!! Guess who I am !!!