Rikki's Refuge: 10/01/2014

Saturday, October 25, 2014

NATIONAL MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY - Duke & Opie's Top 15 Ways YOU Can Help!

Duke and Opie want to know what you are doing today, October 25, for NATIONAL MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY? It is the biggest day of giving nationwide and they have suggestions on what you can do to help Rikki's Refuge make a difference in the lives of the 1300+ animals that call the Refuge home. Please remember that one person CAN make a difference!

Here are Duke and Opie's TOP 15 WAYS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR RIKKI'S REFUGE! The boys really appreciate your support!

Become a Rikki's Refuge Angel by giving a MONTHLY DONATION.
VOTE for us daily in the PAL (Pets Add Life) SHELTER SHOWDOWN! It's easy and free for you! Rikki's could win $25,000! Directions below and this contest runs through 11/19/14. SHARE, SHARE, SHARE!!
Shop our Amazon Wish List and purchase some much-needed supplies for the animals at Rikki's Refuge!
VOTE! Please remember to vote daily in the Animal Rescute Site Shelter Challenge for Rikki's Refuge. When you vote everyday, it really makes a difference! SHARE, SHARE, SHARE!
Sign up for Amazon Smile and choose LIFE UNLIMITED OF VIRGINIA INC (that's us!) as your charity of choice. For every purchase you make afterwards, a donation will be sent to Rikki's (at NO cost to you!).
If you are a Federal Government employee, you can give to Rikki's Refuge through the Combined Federal Campaign! You cn also use our CFC number to give to Rikki's Refuge through the United Way, no matter where you are employed! Rikki's Refuge CFC number is 77674.
And if you are a Virginia State employee, you can donate to Rikki's through the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign. The Rikki's Refuge CVC number is 003163.
Use GOODSEARCH.COM every time you search the Internet and they donate a penny per search to your cause. Doesn't sound like much, but in this case, every penny really does count! And if you spend a lot of time online, it adds up!
Get some cool Rikki's Refuge swag at our Rikki's Marketplace. Bumper stickers, t-shirts, fun stuff!
We urgently need (on a regular monthly basis) Advantage II for all dog sizes! These items are listed on our Amazon Wish List or you can DONATE and specify that you want your donation to go towards this!
A donation of $1 feeds one animal for the entire day, $5 feeds five animals for that day.....it all counts and there is no donation too small (or big!).
Support Rikki's Refuge every time you walk your dog! Use either Wooftrax or Resqwalk ~ you can get the FREE app for your iPhone and/or Android! Get walking!
Our seniors and sick kids need some extra special attention. We are always in need of regular cans of tuna and meat baby food!
You shop online. Rikki's Refuge gets money. For free. If you are an online shopper (and the holidays are fast approaching!) it is easy to download the iGive icon and choose Rikki's Refuge as your charity of choice! For most purchases you make online, Rikki's will get a small percentage.....and it costs you nothing!
Follow us on Facebook and comment and like our posts!

You are such a blessing to us at Rikki's. Nothing that we do for the 1300+ animals in our care would be possible without your generosity and love! We hope you know that even though today is National Make a Difference Day, YOU make a difference in the animals lives EVERYDAY! We are so grateful!

Rikki's Refuge
Life Unlimited of Virginia, Inc.
10910 Barr Lane, Rapidan, VA. 22733
(540)-854-0870
mail@rikkisrefuge.org
Official Rikki's Web Site: http://rikkisrefuge.org/
Rikki's on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RikkisRefuge
Rikki's Blog: http://www.rikkisrefuge.blogspot.com/
Rikki's on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/RikkisRefuge/
Rikki's on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rikkisrefuge
Donate to Rikki's: http://rikkisrefuge.org/feedme

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Duke’s and Opie’s Diner Overview - 0001

Gourmands Duke T. Peabody and Opie L. Cat have been commissioned by a local paper to secretly visit restaurants and write about their dining experience. And now we bring to you the first in their series ....

Duke’s and Opie’s Diner Overview, DoDo ... cuz after a big meal ... that’s exactly what they do !!

Opie: On this occasion we were assigned to secretly review The Light Well in down town Orange. We arrived just as the sun was setting on a Saturday night. Though there were several spaces available on the street, we found it difficult to park the goat cart where Sammy and Gruffy could dine on city flowers while Duke and I ate. We feared blowing our cover in such a fine dining establishment if we just walked in there with two goats in tow.

Duke: Opie pushed me along and thru the door far too quickly, the smells on the sidewalk outside had really peaked my curiosity and I wanted to linger .... but that pesky cat ....

Opie: We were greeted and asked if we had reservations. I said, “You ever heard of the Orange Collation? Turn us away and no Orange Cat will ever dine here again.” I couldn’t quite read the hooman lady’s eyes, but she promptly said, “Oh of course! We just have a full restaurant tonight you see.” Looking around the room I saw two hoomans seated at a table and one at the bar. Full? Gee you don’t often see restaurants with such small capacity. The hooman lady noticed me glancing about and quickly amended, “well we have a large party coming in later, but I guess it’s early, and you can dine and be done before they arrive.”

Duke: I said, “You feed me fast, I can gulp it down fast. But watch it with that pesky cat, he might gack if he eats too fast.”

Opie: We were seated in the very rear of the restaurant in a corner. I wondered if this was discrimination about our handicaps.

Water and the list of specials arrived quickly as we perused the menu .... Hmmmm they didn’t have Snausages nor Fancy Feast listed as Appetizers ... so we passed all together on Appetizers.

Duke: There were three specials but all a bit pricey for our wallets. Do we have wallets, Opie? Do you have a pocket, Opie? Do you wear pants, Opie?

Since they didn’t have Snausages as an entree I picked Three Cocktail Hot Dogs with Chilli and Cheese off the bar menu for my meal. There wasn’t an option for 9 or 12.

Opie: Speaking of drinks, they had Cocktails but no Mousetails or even Mousearitas, so I settled for some catnip tea.

Going out of character (and cuz the salmon special was out of our budget if I was to let that dawg eat too) I ordered a house salad and a bowl of their Butternut Squash Soup, the Soup of the Day .... Like what do they think, I’m going to order the Soup of Yesterday ... or sit here long enough to be served the Soup of Tomorrow? And anyway, if you serve it to me today, isn’t it the Soup of the Day? Hoomans!

Last time I dined here, which I’ll admit has been a while, they had a great house salad dressing, raspberry vinaigrette. No more, been replaced with a Balsamic vinaigrette. I hoped it be as good as one I’d had at another restaurant recently.

Duke: My hot dogs were pretty good, though I had trouble finding the chili hiding under the dogs and the cheese was a few dried sprinkles. I wanted spicy mustard but had to settle for standard yellow. I hate it when they put yellow mustard on my Alpo. I really like the spicy stuff.

Opie: The salad was mostly iceberg with a few exotic greens, couple tomatoes, microscopic blue cheese and some kind of shaved nuts in the center ..... I’d wanted grass, my tummy had been actin up and I thought I could take care of business before getting down to really eatin, but salad would have to do. Wasn’t too fond of the Balsamic vinaigrette, very heavy and oily and just not a strong flavor. But it got the job done and I discretely left a gack under the table.

Duke: Dining with that pesky cat is disgusting. Sometimes I’m thankful to be blind. I scarfed down my hot dogs and started sniffin at the table next to us who’d arrived and had something that smelled delicious. But the people were very rude and smacked me on the nose, called the hooman lady over and asked to be moved to another table. Why would you want to get up in the middle of dinner and move? I’ll never understand hoomans. I wish they’d left their plates behind.

Opie: Dogs! No manners. Geesh .... My soup arrived and certainly wasn’t hot nuf to burn my tongue. It was a bit warmish in the center and quite cool around the edges ... how do you accomplish that? Rather bland ... but ok. And certainly a lovely creamy orange color .... I could really go for the office being painted that color. Kind of matches me. A really good color, if I do say so myself.

But I was waitin for desert ... when I’ve been here before they’ve had the best, the lightest, the most purrfect creme brulee ever .... so I was anticipating .....

Duke: I was hoping they had Snausages on the menu for desert. I was drooling in anticipation.

But when the hooman lady read off the list of deserts ..... no Snausages ... still none ... is it really possible a restaurant would have Snausages NOWHERE on their menu? Not on the Special, not as an Appetizer, not as an Entree and not even for Desert?

I opted for the Double Chocolate Cheesecake with a Little Pumpkin in the Center, as I watched Opie’s face drop in disappointment. The hooman lady hadn’t mentioned creme brulee at all. Uh Oh ... was that pesky cat going to throw a hissey fit and embarrass me?

Opie: I was crestfallen .... no creme brulee? But the hooman lady said, oh yeah we do have that! So I was happy again and ordered one, thinking, “this will make it all worthwhile”.

About this time the big crowd they’d been expectin came in .... geeezzz why don’t we all talk at once!! The acoustics of the building must be horrid cuz it was this terrible loud sound of everyone trying to outtalk everyone and I couldn’t really understand a word, just this loud grating noise. I felt like the guinea pigs do if you plug in one of those ultra sound pest chaser awayers .... just like running in circles with my paws over my ears and screaming, “Let me OUT ... Let me OUT”.

Duke: Opie is right. The noise level was most horrid. I felt like I might have a seizure at any moment. Loud noises can set me off, you know, and I was worried about that, luckily I managed to stay calm .... well except to howl a couple times ... But it was all ok, cept when that pesky cat kicked me under the table.

Opie: The creme brulee arrived cold ... the bowl obviously right out of the fridge. It’s always been slightly warm, just a touch above room temp. And it’s always been so light it melted in my mouth, mmmmm. Tonight it was quite heavy and thick. I don’t know if that was cuz it was cold or just cuz it was different.

The noise level was so horrible I didn’t want to ask for it to be warmed up cuz I wanted out as soon as possible. I’ve also heard about hoomans who do bad things like spit in food if you ask them to make a change. Trustin hoomans around your food can be pretty tricky sometimes you know.

Duke: The cheese cake was ok, but really, I think plain cheese cake would have been better. It wasn’t a decadent chocolate flavor but kind of just muddied the cheese cake up so neither taste came thru. And I never found that pumpkin in the center ... even though I dug thru quickly ... accidentally splattering the new diner who’d been seated at the table next to me .... I was gonna take that pumpkin home for Calvin the cow ... he really loves pumpkins.

Opie: We got the check quickly and paid up, glad to be on the expense account of the newspaper. Over all it was rather pricey for average to below average nums. Honestly, I think I might a purrfered a couple cans of Fancy Feast.

I don’t think I’ll visit again at dinner time ... the sound bouncing all over the walls and ceilings is really deafening, distracting and mind boggling and my ears are still hurting. Maybe I’ll try lunch when I’d expect it to be quieter and try some other things on the menu.

And maybe tonight was just an off night ... I hate to say, “I’ll never go back”, to a place for one not so great meal when I’ve had outstanding ones there before.

Duke: I have to admit I was glad to get going. My ears felt so good when we got out into the cool night air. My hot dogs were good and I’d be happy to have them any time ... but they can leave off the bread and the chili ... and how about 9 or 12 dogs instead of 3 .... and I think I’ll skip desert too. I’ll have Snausages when I get home instead.

And maybe next time, I can dine with Kiki and not that pesky cat.

Opie: Once outside, the quiet of the cool autumn night sure did sound good.

They had a potted plant conveniently located on the sidewalk right out front. Looked like it had maybe once had flowers and now just a few wilting stalks. How odd. But most of the plants on Main Street looked like that. City must not d very good maintenance.

I climbed in to the pot and took a dump before heading off to find the goat cart ... which had wondered down Main Street eating all the flowers along the way.

Duke: We raced out of town with an escort behind us, flashing lights and blaring sirens, and some kind of nonsense on a loudspeaker declaring, “Pull over now, we’ve called animal control to pick you up.” I wonder if that pesky cat didn’t leave a tip?

Stay tuned for Duke’s and Opie’s next dining adventure !!!

Good Morning Good News !!!! October 19, 2014

BeBe, her husband Bub, elderly sheep Joseph Conrad and

elderly goat Uncle-Paul enjoy a hand out on tour day!!

Thank you

for your continued prayers BeBe our very elderly donkey. It’s been touch a go a few times and we know she’s very fragile. She’s having really good days now. Keep up those prayers !!

....Winter is comin ... and there aren’t so many bugs .....

but Iz still scared bout getting bugz .... You ever gotted da bugz? It be really bad! Yeah. It’s like itchy and all. Even just a couple make you feel all itchy and antsy and wonderin where they gonna bite you next. Yikes ... I hate da bugs.

But guess what? I heard mom sayin that wez out of stinky drops to make da bugz stay off us. I real worried about this. Cuz I don’t want no bugs on me. No sireeee I do not.

Oh, please .... don’t let the fleaz on me ... Love, Casanova

I don’t like dem icky stinky drops either .... but if I gotta stink for a couple dayz to have no bugz for like 30 more days ... well I guess it’s one of dose tings mom calls da lesser of da two evils, huh?

So I was gonna load up da goat cart and go to the trade ‘em green stuff

for icky flea dropz store .....

but then I founded out why mom be upset bout bein out a da icky make da bugz go way drops. The trade ‘em green stuff for icky flea dropz store wants lots and lots of green stuff to keep the fleaz off mez !!!! I mean like lotsz.

I’m sittin on the desk and stayin off the ground ...

I don’t think the fleas can get to me up here,

do you? Love, Timmy

So .... I guess maybe I did a bad thing ..... I got one for me and one for Timmy .... but ... I didn’t have nuf green stuff for efurbody else. I mean ... I know dey hate da bugz too .... but ... well Iz the one who hooked up da goat cart and made da goats take to da trade ‘em green stuff for icky flea dropz store ...... and I even had to ride a little bit in da rain ... and .... well ......

Did that pesky cat say FLEAS?

Ok ... so mom’s sorta right I guess. I be selfish .... didn’t I ? Now Iz be feelin guilty ..... I can no get da drops off and try and share ‘em ... Iz been rubbin all up and down on efurbody trying to share da drops ... but it not a workin.

WHAT? I’m going to get FLEAS? ... Save ME, Love Dudley

I so worried all my furiends is gonna get da bugz and it be all my faultz ... I feelin real guilty now ... but I still glad I not a gonna itch .....

Did you meet Little Mack?

He was left at the emergency clinic one night to be killed.

His owner said he’d been in a terrible dog fight and three days later it was worse,

not better and poor Little Mack couldn’t even stand up now.

The owner had to move the next day and couldn’t take a dog,

and nobody was going to take an injured dog,

so sorry Little Mack ... but you’re done for.

Well Little Mack got lucky,

the emergency doctor fixed up his rotting wounds

and he came to Rikki’s.

He’s almost all healed up now and a very happy little dog.

Soon he’ll need to be neutered, when the last wound is totally healed.

But in the meantime he sure don’t want no fleas!!

I did some math, and that’s hard, cuz my toes and fingers only goes to ten, and Sylvestra too, but Socrates helped with 14, Snickers, she wouldn’t help at all, she just growl, so maybe we don’t give her the dropz ever, what you think?

Did you say fleas? Opie, if I get fleas .....

you got an idea what’s gonna happen to YOU ?

Any idea you pesky little cat? Snarls, Snickers.

Anyway lots of us put toes and fingers together and counted and counted and den looked at how much green stuff da trade ‘em green stuff for icky flea dropz store wanted for EACH little ... I mean dey be very little ... bottle of no-buz-stinky-stuff .... n we counted us again ... and Iz feelin so guilty I even counted Snickers .... and I counted all the dawggies too .... but catz get no-buz-stinky-stuff first ... ok ? That be ok, right? I not be bad cat to look out for my really really very own first, then look out for my own but different next, huh?

ALL need flea drops EVERY month ALL year round !!!

So anyway ... I gonna hav giv dat trade ‘em green stuff for icky flea dropz store $1,842 if n dey gonna give me no-buz-stinky-dropz for ALL of us .... Yeah .... and that be for ONE MONTH ..... Ick .... That could buy me so much Fancy Feast ..... but ... Iz think it’s a sacrifice Iz really gotta make ..... for everybody ... even Snickers and all the dawggies ... even da ones that growl at me .... I mean havin da bugs livin on you is pretty icky ... and dat be nuf to be makin em snarl and growl ... so maybe if I let em have no-buz-stinky-stuff dey won’t be so snarly and growly?

We’re sniffing around trying to help that pesky cat

find the green stuff to buy the flea drops from us .....

I think we need YOUR help ....

in the meantime ....

the Shelter Challenge is back !!!

So please take a second to VOTE for

Rikki’s Refuge, VA, USA right here at this link: http://www.shelterchallenge.com/web/charityusa/nomineehome?userId=53331&nomineeId=17448

Thank you Moose and Oscar, we LOVE you !!

What you think ..... you gotz any ideaz how I can find nuf green stuff to hurry quick and get no-buz-stinky-stuff for everybody? Dey need da drops like NOW ...... Mom said I can’t buy da real cheap stuff cuz it be dangerous and might hurt us .. maybe kill us ... even hurt us more dan da bugz .... so I gotz very strict orders dat I canz only buy Advantage or Frontline for us ..... she say specially catz getz real problems with some gridents in some products and they can hab seizures and awful stuff. So I guess I gonna listen to her .... even for Snickers .....

NO !! We CAN’T be out of flea drops !!

Can we ??

Click my shoulders, right where the drops go,

and keep ME from getting fleas !! Please !! Love, Grinch

If you gotz any ideaz where I can find da green stuff to buy no-buz-on me-stinky-stuff please tell me ... www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate .... $1,842 is a really big huge number ... it only be $3 for each one of us ....

I’m Mandy and I’m hiding out in THIS green stuff

till I got flea drops .... will you help ME?

Please click my shoulders, right where the drops go,

and keep ME from getting fleas !!

So maybe you could adopt some of us !! Hey dat would solve da problem, if you dopted all my brofurs and sisfurs and then I got my drops AND I’d getz all da numz too !!!! Wow that be the bestest deal !!!! So you call mom if you wanna dopt somebody so I don’t gotta find nuf green stuff to get them da dropz ....

All lined up and waiting for flea drops ......

YES, you’ve seen this photo floating around the web .... the picture was taken right here in the 9th Life Retirement, Assisted Living and Psychiatric Center at Rikki’s Refuge ... it’s early one morning, about 4 am, and mom snuck in and got the photo before turning on the lights. She’d worked on getting this shot for over a year, sneaking and trying to catch everybody before they woke up and started begging for breakfast and jumping down to greet her .... finally one day ... SUCCESS !!! And it’s now the most famous photo of Rikki’s on the planet !!!

If you can help me find $3 to get da drops for one brofur kitty or one sisfur kitty or one brofur dawggie or one sisfur dawggie .... www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate I really be thankin you .... and they be too. For every time they not be scratching, they be sayin to you THANK YOU for keepin da bugz off me this month !!!

Maybe you can help me .... pleaz ... you just click on my donation can ...... OK?

I’ll kiss YOU too

if you’ll get flea drops for that pesky cat and shut him up ....

we need hay and grain for winter

and everybody is always listening to THAT cat !!!

This may be the ONLY time you’ll hear me

tellin you to listen to that pesky cat ...

Please help us dawggies get flea drops, only $3 each !!

www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate

If we get fleas, I won’t be allowed to visit

our adoring fans, cuz it’d be rude to give them fleas

Fleas ? ..... Can’t SOMEBODY do something about this? Love ya, Iggy

Gross me out, I had fleas when I came to Rikki’s ....

I thought you promised never to let that happen to me again ?

Won’t you help me, please?

www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate Love, Boomer

You think fleas is no big deal? Try ‘em on for size! I was covered when I got rescued off the streets and I hate fleas. Isn’t flea drops a basic right? Won’t you help me stay flea free? Pleaz? Love, Ice

Is that flea drops you got there? Love, Nibbles

I know you’ll take care of me, won’t you?

Just $3 will keep the fleas off me!

www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate

Love, Sir Rub A Dub

Did you bring flea dropz for me? Love, Dino

Fleas? Seriously?

You’d just stand there and let me get fleas?

Click my nose to keep ME from getting fleas!

Please ! Love, Baby

Maybe an early Christmas present ....

gee just what I always wanted flea drops .... Love, Opie

ah uh ah uh ah uh ah uh

( how the heck to you spell the sound of a doggy panting in excitement?

Merow is so much easier to spell )

I know you’ll take care of me !! Love, Duke

Mr Mister is screaming for your VOTE

The Shelter Challenge is back on again .... It runs three times a year. YOU can make us win $1,000 each time .... Each win will give us flea drops for the cats and dogs for a little more than half a month .... Please don’t make us wait for the next win to get more flea drops .... we need them NOW .... please help out. $3 will protect one of us for a whole month ... www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate ...... and THEN be sure to vote today and every day and let the Shelter Contest pay for our next round of flea drops !!!

So please take a second to VOTE for

Rikki’s Refuge, VA, USA right here at this link: http://www.shelterchallenge.com/web/charityusa/nomineehome?userId=53331&nomineeId=17448

Don’t ... please don’t ... let the fleas on me ...

Pleaz no let no body in my family have da fleaz !

Pleaz!

Hep get drops for us all. Love, Opie

HELP ME !!! Daddy, I’m just a little kitty

trying to run a great big sanctuary and take care of everybody .....

I need help ...

I can’t do this all by myself ....

Please HELP ME !!

Love, Opie

Please help Opie, my son, keep the fleas off everyone .... Love, Vincent

If you’re really rich and can help us ....

a $20 will protect SEVEN of us this month ....

well almost ...

somebody’s tail might be left out !!!!

www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate

I’m in big trouble now .... I was supposed to tell you BEFORE donation drop off yesterday .... we are DESPERATE ... TOTALLY DESPERATE for paper towels and bleach .... these items are really really really important cuz we need all our stuff sanitized for our protection every single day .... yeah .. that’s what da hoomans do all day long .. clean this and clean that .... and it takes a lot of paper towels .... sometimes hoomans ask why not use a rag or sponge ... well it’s cuz that’s not as sterile. If da hooman is cleaning up da poop or da puke ... we don’t want any germs to spread round. Or like when they’re cleanin the hospital cage you don’t wanna mix up somebody’s snot with somebody’s diarrhea ... sorry to be gross ... but that is the way it is !!! Us aminals can be makin a lot of icky mess !!! So if you can send me some paper towels and bleach, put ‘em in the donation box outside the Life Center .... or gib me some green stuff and tell me it’s for bleach and paper towels, I promise, I really do, that’s all I’ll spend it on ... I promise I won’t even sneak a can of Fancy Feast in da shoppin cart .... well not two .. ok?? www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate

Help me fill up the goat cart like this PLEAZ !!!

This lasts less than a week.

www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate

It’s Pumpkins Time and we NEED your help

EVERYBODY -- cept me and Duke and our kind -- eats da pumpkins. They are nutritious and they are good and when the aminals eat pumpkins it’s saving the Refuge money cuz we’re not havin to buy hay and grain .... so it’s a really important part of the sanctuary’s yearly survival !!

So jump on the band wagon ... and if you have a wagon, trailer, truck or van --- that is great .... even with a car you can haul in the truck and back seat ... and if you can’t haul .. you can load !!! It’s all really important work.

Right now Daddy Fred at fred@z9a.com needs to get pumpkins to Rikki’s about every weekend from St. Luke's Episcopal Church on Fort Hunt Road in Alexandria. It’s about 20 pumpkins this week and they are in his car right now and he’s on the way here. He needs help cuz he can’t make it down here every week. we need this help every week and then on November 1^st we need LOTS of help loading and hauling pumpkins from here and other Northern Virginia locations.

So if you can help at St. Lukes or anywhere in Northern Virginia, tell Daddy Fred at fred@z9a.com or me at Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org pleaz !!!

Auntie Nora at nelmg@aol.com has pumpkin pickin scheduled at Miller’s Farm in Locust Grove - between Fredericksburg and Rikki’s -- very convenient, short drive -- Please come and help load and/or haul on Nov 1^st. Let Nora know if you can make it.

If you’ll be able to help in any other areas, Culpeper, Orange, Madison, Green, Albemarle, Charlottesville, Louisa, Spotsylvania, Fredericksburg, Stafford, Caroline, Hanover, Richmond -- please let me know --- Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org and let me know if you can pick up, haul or both !!

Along with Christmas Comes Gift Wrapping !!!

And did you know you can MAKE MONEY FOR RIKKI’S by wrapping gifts?

Really!!

Just let me tell you how !!

You reserve time at a Barnes and Noble Bookstore ANYWHERE and in the few weeks before Christmas you can wrap their customer’s purchases and the customers make a donation!! It’s super cool. Actually it’s a comfortable temperature, I’m not askin you to freeze your tail off outside .... just to SIT down inside in a climate controlled place, and do the delicate task of wrapping. You don’t need to be a great wrapper --- we’ll show you how. I’m all claws and I do a fine job !!!

The Fredericksburg schedule is above and Auntie Nora nelmg@aol.com is in charge, ask her which hours you can help with.

The Charlottesville schedule will be in the hands of Uncle Ron topcat@cstone.net - if you’ll help in Charlottesville, just let him know.

The Falls Church location is Daddy Fred’s fred@z9a.com so sign up to help him out !!

I need a Head Hooman for Richmond .... and where ever YOU live !!! You can do this from any Barnes & Noble on the PLANET ... so lend a hand to help us paws !!! Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org

PHOTOS WITH SANTA

Petsmart has discontinued this fun event where you can bring your pets to sit with Santa for picture ... stop crying !!! Re-Tail has come to your rescue .... we’ll have Santa in our store along with a great photographer, and YOU can walk out with a print in your hands !!!

Re-Tail is our thrift shop and if you haven’t stopped in lately -- you better check out all the fabulous Christmas stuff already on display !!! 3503 Lafayette Blvd, Fredericksburg - that’s on the Spotsy side of Fredericksburg !!!

If you’d like to volunteer to help Santa our, just let Auntie Melissa know dogslife24@comcast.net

Been Wanting to Visit Rikki’s Refuge ?

We have a few Tours and events scheduled.

All events and tours and hikes and everything require tickets in advance and all have limited participation. Most of our animals have been thru one trauma or another before finding peace at Rikki’s and large groups of hoomans often frighten them and bring bad unhappy memories and fears .... so we have to keep groups to a size they are comfortable with. When visiting, please remember to be calm and quiet and let them feel only love emanating from you.

November 15^th is Nature Appreciation Day with a Tour at noon and Nature Hike at 2 pm ..... if you’re not scared of a close encounter with Big Foote ..... this is THE day for you !!!! Email me for a reservation package ... Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org Hoomans participating in both events will have priority tickets.

Thanksgiving and Christmas Day tours will start at noon. Email me for a reservation package ... Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org The Christmas Day Tour fills early so get your tickets now .... past Christmas visitors will have first dibs on tickets if we get more reservations than we can accommodate.

Our Traditional New Years Day Hike will start at noon. Email me for a reservation package ... Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org

THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME TO

SAVE SO MANY LIVES

... with your support we’ve been able to save so many animals ... it’s only with your continued support that we can continue to care for them each and every day .... Thank you for your kind and generous support for food, medicine, doctors, cleaning supplies ... and love !!

http://rikkisrefuge.org/FeedMe

Without YOU

none of us would be alive

and enjoying this autumn !!

THANK YOU !!!!!!

Your donations saved every one of us and will keep us all alive as we stock our pantries for another winter at Rikki’s Refuge !!!! Take the Opie Pledge and promise to work each and every day to make the planet just a little bit better. If the pictures of the animals you have saved in this issue have made you smile, please take a few moments to make a donation so we can keep them smiling!!! www.RikkisRefuge.org/FeedMe

I want YOU to know that all the animals in our blog are Rikki’s critters that YOU saved !! Without YOU I couldn’t be writin about them .... and they probably wouldn’t even be alive !!! YOU are our HEROES !!!

Love,

Opie