Thursday, December 29, 2016

GOOD MORNING GOOD NEWS ---- DECEMBER 28, 2016




All of us ... hope all of YOU had a very Moooooey Christmas  ..........


Hi and happy last Thursday of 2016 !!!!  

I know some of you missed our Christmas Tour .....  so I'm gonna take you on that tour right now !!!

But WAIT !!!!

Do YOU hate paying any more taxes than you have to? 

Like many donors, YOU TOO can save on taxes with an end of year charitable donation !!!!  

Feed the animals .... pay less taxes ... that's called WIN WIN .....  

and at Rikki's we ALWAYS go that extra mile ....

so we make end of year giving not just win win ... but

WIN WIN WIN


That's cus ALL donations between now and the end of the year ... yeah .. right up to midnight ... will be DOUBLED ....

Give a dollar and the animals get TWO

Give ten and they get TWENTY ....

Give one hundred and they get TWO HUNDRED ...... 

And if you Really Need That Tax Break give $1,000 or even $5,000 and see that
DOUBLED, MAKE the ANIMALS HAPPY and GET A TAX BREAK ...

Our End of Year Donor sure knows how to save on his taxes by challenging you to the $25,000 DOUBLE YOUR DONATION .....

Let's all meet our goals together

You get a tax break

Every single DOLLAR you donate gets DOUBLED

The animals get DOUBLE the nums .... and

Our end of year donor gets tax break too !!!! 

Please DONATE TODAY and MAKE IT HAPPEN !!!

And now ....  ready to go on a tour with me ?

Here it was, Christmas Day at Rikki's Refuge


and it dawned rather hazy that morning before the tour.


Look what Santa brought!!  These BIG cans of cat food, 22 ounces, are one of the special deals YOU make possible for the animals !!!  When we donate so we can buy in bulk, each can is ONLY $1 !!    And It's nummy nums !!!   It's wonderful when YOU donate nums .... but about THREE TIMES AS WONDERFUL when you donate the cash so we can buy in bulk and get great discounts !!!   We can usually negotiat about three times on the dollar that you can with small purchases !!!    Thank you for always helping us so we have enough to eat.  You be very nice to us !!!

Melissa brought her GoPro Christmas Pressie on the tour and lent it to Jessie so he could make a movie for you.  Joey tries to remove the GoPro from his brother, Jessie.  But, Jessie did not mind wearing it!


Relaxin' on the hood of a nice warm car....don't you just love Norman's fangs? lol

Meeting the sheep while we wait for all of the humans to arrive.

Posing for a picture.

Enough pictures, give me FOOD! lol

Everyone had to get used to how friendly/greedy the cows are...


Yum, yum, yum.

Bub and Goose were overwhelmed with how many people were on the tour, so they kept their distance. This was a BIG tour, with 3-4 times as many people as they are used to.  We don't usually do such large tours but so many people wanted to come on Christmas Day.  We were so sad to have to turn many away, but large crowds are just too hard on the animals and they get scared.  We love our hoomans, but we have to think of our animals first.

We do have tours almost every Sunday and every holiday .....   BUT ......

If you're a regular on our Christmas Tours ... may I suggest YOU sign up NOW for next year's Christmas Tour?  We don't want you to miss out .... but we can only allow so many visitors at one time.  Tours@RikkisRefuge.org to make your reservation for Christmas Day Tour at noon on Christmas 2017.

Betty enjoyed some popcorn while being petted.  Well ... not really .... but she was polite and pretended to enjoy while thinkin ... crazy hooman I'm a cat ... popcorn, Really ??

Arriving at Patrick's and Preston's pen.

Jessie LOVES grapes! He says "Thanks, Robyn!"



Feeding the emus is one of the favorite things hoomans get to do on a tour.  I wish they thought feeding ME was as much fun.



The rain from the previous morning left things too wet for anyone to go in with the pigs and emus. So, we fed through the fence and the opening of the run-in.


Petunia enjoys a sweet potato.  I'll tell YOU a secret about Petunia.  Petunia enjoys ANYTHING !!!   Eating just makes Petunia's day !!!

Petunia sings "Hallelujah!" for all of the wonderful produce that our guests brought!

Elmer was asleep in his straw, but came out to say hi when he realized that the humans brought food with them.

And the birds enjoyed the company, too!

And the goats wanted to make sure that they did not miss any available food....

Reece and Buttercup ask for more, more, more!

Jessie says "hey, there is more in here! Gimme, gimme!"

The turkeys said "thanks to those of you who did not eat my friends and family on this holiday".

 
More, please!

Give it to ME, not the geese!

And dog biscuits for the dogs.

Jack only put the big biscuit down when he got another biscuit. "Now, to figure out where to hide them".

Mouky says "Mmmmm...I love cat treats!"

And Duke came out to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!


A couple of the Pyrenees look out at the crowd. We did not go over to pet them...they are not
used to crowds and can be shy and skittish sometimes.  Lots of the free range critters have to be locked up when there are many guests, it's just too scary and their guard instincts can be on overdrive, or they can be fearful and run into the woods.

One visitor tells Duke that she and her husband took his name off of the Angel Tree at Re-Tail, and brought him canned dog food, just like he asked for!  Isn't that really nice?  And our Angel trees will be up in stores till New Years !!!!!   So you can still pick somebody to buy a treat for !!

And look at the pile of food that our guests brought! Thank you so, so much!!


I've got 12 calendars left ....  and I'm giving them away !!!!

Be one of the first 12 to give an end of year DOUBLE YOUR DONATION of $1,000 or more and you'll get a calendar shipped to YOU for FREE, just let me know you want one .... and you'll have it on the way !!!!!



Thank you for being such an important Rikki's Person !!

Please consider Iggy and the rest of the animals at Rikki's Refuge for a year end gift. We are a 501(c)(3) non profit organization, so while you are helping us to take in and care for more animals, you also get a tax deduction. www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate YOU make this mission possible and we thank you so much for your support!

Have YOU visited our THRIFT SHOP yet ?


If you're a regular visitor, you know you don't want to miss shopping New Years Eve and New Years Day ..... and if you've never visited ....   well is this the perfect time or what ?

We're having a HUGE storewide clearance sale on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day!   We're talking HUGE ... yeah!!!   50% OFF of EVERYTHING ... even already marked down departments ....   like Christmas ... already marked down 50% and NOW take ANOTHER 50% off ....    You won't want to miss it!!    And, to get even more of a discount, don't forget that you can bring in 10 cans of cat food and you will receive a coupon entitling you to 20% off of your ENTIRE purchase! Use it when you get it, or save it for later!!



I NEED YOU

to help ME help Opie to keep Rikki's running.
Thank you for being there for the animals,
with my love, always, Vincent



This little beauty is Lil' Miss Priss.


She is about 8 weeks old and is Feluk+. She is just the friendliest little lady. She was found wandering a country road and tested positive for Feline Leukemia, the vet wanted to immediately euthanize her. Luckily, the a wonderful person said no way and took her back until a safe place, Rikki's Refuge, could be found. 

We have special houses for the kitties with leukemia. They can run and play and have friends and fun .... Sometimes they don’t have lives as long as kitties without leukemia ... but even if they don’t ... it makes us really happy to know that everyday they are on this earth, it is fun in the sun and they weren’t just killed because they are not perfect or are considered unadoptable.

We are able to help cats like Lil' Miss Priss because YOU support us. THANK YOU!  

Right now, ALL DONATIONS ARE DOUBLED THROUGH NEW YEARS EVE!!

Your year-end gift in any amount will help us save more animals and start 2017 off strong. Plus its a great tax deduction!    www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate


And guess what !!  My GGP is home from the hospital and growing a little bit stronger each and every day, please keep him in your prayers, to continue to gain strength and feel better.

THANK YOU FOR LOVING US AND
    TAKING THE TIME TO SAVE TWO LIVES TODAY !
         www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate

Love,
  Opie




Don’t forget to SAVE A LIFE TODAY !
Rikki’s Refuge
PO Box 1357
Orange VA 22960

And please come see me soon !!

In the mean time, Keep up with us on Facebook and you'll get the minute to minute details about what's going on at Rikki's Refuge .... you'll be the first to see the new residents .... and the first to know about up coming events !!!

Rikki's Refuge

Opie and Vincent's Page

Duke's Page

Re-Tail Thrift Store in Fredericksburg

The Duke Thomas Peabody Antique and Collectables Shoppe in Culpeper

Opie's and Mom's Purrsonal Profile

Opie's Edibles for Fun Animal Friendly Recipes and Cooking Tips: https://www.facebook.com/OpiesEdibles

Vincent D. Cat's Gathering Place, a place to hang out, chat, and have fun

Kitty Litter-Ature

Rikki's Crazy Cat Person Club

For the Love of Black Cats

Our Website
which needs help getting up to date .... if you "do" WordPress and would like to help, let us know Volunteers@RikkisRefuge.org

Rikki's Refuge is owned and operated by Life Unlimited of Virginia, Inc., an IRS 501(c)(3) not-for-profit Virginia Corporation. Federal Tax-ID 54-1911042. Your donations provide direct support. A financial statement is available upon written request from the Virginia State Office of Consumer Affairs.


Wednesday, December 21, 2016

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM OPIE and RIKKI'S REFUGE





YES, I'm a pin up star !!!!!   !2 months of wonderful Opie photos !!!  Me and my friends doing our thing at Rikki's Refuge. 

ORDER YOURS NOW!!

Rikki's Refuge OPIE 2017 Calendars

Holey Moley .... the Calendars are IN and they are far more spectacular than I'd had any idea !!!! I didn't realize 11.5 x 14.5 is HUGE ..... the typical wall calendar you get in the mail is only 10.5 x 8 ...... I mean this  is HUGE .... and oh my gosh ... if you think Wayne's work filling your puter screen is beautiful .... you should see it filling a bright glossy 11.5 x 14.5 page !!!!!

I'm totally blown away at the beauty and quality of these calendars !!!!!

YESSSS !!!!! I have a few left at $25 each inc s&h in contiguous usa. Order yours today and I'll ship tomorrow .... www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate and select the Opie's Calendar drop down ......

WOW I just love these pictures !!!   ....... I'm using the 12 huge pictures for wall paper in 2018 !!!!!!




Hi !!  And a very merry Christmas
               to you and your family! 

You know who my GGP is right? 

He's a very special hooman.  I have to explain this to those of you who haven't been following my family for that long.  My dad was the world famous Vincent, Rikki's first spokes kitty. 


Well he wasn't my real dad, but my real dad ran off and never helped my mommy Nellie raise me.  Nellie was older when I was born. 


She lives with me at Rikki's Refuge now too.  Anyway, when I was born, I was born with 8 fursiblings.  Yes, nine of us.  We all had problems, missing parts of our arms and legs.  I'm missing both of my back feet.  I got my legs, but no feet, so I sort of thump when I walk.  My bro-furs and sis-furs had even more problems.  And as much as a nice lady tried to help my mom save all of us, I was the only one who survived. 

This nice lady knew Vincent and Rikki's Refuge and she said me and my mom should be spokes kitties there and work with Vincent.  And that's how we got to Rikki's.  My mom likes to run and climb trees and have fun and doesn't really like being a spokes kitty, so that job fell to me.  Vincent started training me when I was only a few months old.  And he adopted me as his son. 


Vincent went to Rainbow Bridge from kidney failure before I even had my first birthday, and I miss him so much.  But that means I had to become the official Spokes Kitty and take over running Rikki's Refuge.  Thank you so much for being there by my side all these years and helping me.  I never could have figured it all out with out you.


But we're talking about family history here, aren't we?  So Vincent's mom was Kerry da Hooman.  She's the director of Rikki's and the one who's been running things like forever.  So that makes Kerry da Hooman my grandma. 

A few years ago Kerry's daddy, who is a hooman too, came to live with us cuz he needed lots of help and had trouble staying by himself.  His name is Bob and he's my Great-Grand-Pa .... but that's a lot of big hooman words, so I call him my GGP.  Kerry says he always been a wonderful daddy.  And her momma, who went to Rainbow Bridge lots of years ago, was really wonderful too.  They both loved cats a whole lot.  And all kinds of animals too.  But cats specially. 

My GGP's 90th Birthday Party in September!!!

All those years GGP lived with us, he and me gotz to be really good friends and love each other lots.  He always bought me extra Fancy Feast.

It was my GGM and GGP who bought the land so Rikki's Refuge could be born.  Rikki had been a special kitty of their's.  And ever since, they were really big supporters and helpers at Rikki's.  GGP would come and drive the tractor and mow and dig ponds for the pigs and emus.  And he helped design and build the cat houses.  And they both helped with so much. 

GGP came to live in Florida back in his own home with his son and grandson taking care of him.  And this Christmas GGP is very sick.  We're all staying down here with him right now.  Please send us a Christmas Prayer for GGP to be feeling really good really soon. 

GGP is sad he can't be at Rikki's helping us this Christmas, but he's asking that you be extra special nice and help all us animals out this year for him.  


An endeavor as big as Rikki's Refuge, housing over 1,000 animals every day, and helping thousands more, takes lots and lots of hoomans to help too.  Look how many it took to load up at just this one pumpkin site!

And look at the happiness it brings ......

Reaching out to lend a paw is what the Christmas season is all about.  Volunteer at Rikki's, or at your local shelter or rescue.  Everybody is short staffed around the holidays.  Yet the animals need the same care each and every day. 

We are especially thankful for our wonderful staff.  These dedicated hoomans work every day from sun up till sun down .... and it doesn't matter if it's raining, snowing or icing ....  they might not like the weather ... they night not like that freezing rain sliding down their necks ....  but they LOVE THE ANIMALS .... and they do it for them.  And when the weather is really bad, like the ice and cold weather we've had recently ... they stay all night and keep working thru the night.  Checking that everyone is cozy and warm ... that every one has water to drink and not a frozen water bowl .....  these hoomans are the bestest of kinds.

The staff relies on many volunteers to help with many chores, from washing dishes and doing laundry, to helping at our thrift store and doing fundraisers. 

And of course, the donors provide the medical care and food and electricity and so much.

We could not do it without each and every one of you.

How ever you can help  ......  where ever you can help .....  DO IT this holiday season !!!!!

Mooooooo  Come and meet me up close and personal on a tour.  I hope YOU have a wonderful Christmas.  You've given me many wonderful Christmases since YOU saved my life.  I was going to be veal, what ever that is, I know I'm glad I'm a cow at Rikki's and not veal in a restaurant.  Mickey

No, I won't be pulling a sleigh, and I won't be tied on a chain, and they won't be yelling at me NO BAD GOAT, all that is long behind me ....  since YOU saved me I've been doing goat things and playing with friends and I'm so very happy here at Rikki's Refuge ....  Thank you, Donner

With so many choices these days ....  choose kindness and life !  Thank you for saving all of us.  YOU can choose kindness and life with every meal.  It's a wonderful gift to so many for the holidays.  Spare a life ... eat a carrot !!


When Santa Comes to Rikki's
    he loves you no matter
        how many legs you have
            or how long your ears are
......









Duke  I've always wished for eyes to see you at Christmas.  My heart feels you every day.  I was alone, blind, frightened and lost when I was young.  Then they said I had to die cus it was against the rules to adopt out an imperfect puppy.  That just didn't seem right.  My heart told me there must be good hoomans on this planet that would love me.  Thank YOU for finding Rikki's Refuge and getting me there.  I'm an old doggy now, and I've had such a wonderful fun and happy life at Rikki's Refuge.  I love to go to schools and teach about being kind to the differently-abled ....  you know, we really are no different.  We love and want to be loved, just like YOU.  I wish you and yours the very best Christmas, just like the very best life you've given me !!!  Duke.


ohhh Duke .... I'll be YOUR Santa ....  www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate


CHRISTMAS DAY TOUR & RECEPTION
SUNDAY, December 25, 2016, NOON
Email Tours@RikkisRefuge.org to RSVP and get your tickets
If you PROMISE to not eat any of my friends for the holidays, your ticket will be FREE! It's good for YOU and good for the ANIMALS!

We have lots of TOURS scheduled in the coming months! We'd love to see you, but you MUST have reservations! For more information and/or to get a Tour Package, email us at Tours@RikkisRefuge.org

New Year's Eve Sleep Over With Opie
December 31, 2016
Bring your own sleeping bags, and something nummy for potluck dinner, MUST like LOVE cats !!
Email Events@RikkisRefuge.org to RSVP.

New Year's Day Tour & Nature Hike
January 1, 2017
Yes, it's getting close !!!!  
Tours@RikkisRefuge.org to get your tickets !!

All I want for Christmas is a big belly rub .... and a big bowl of nums !!!   Thank you for saving my life.  I bit whan I was captured on the streets and frightened, and that sentenced me to death.  YOU saved me and now I love living at Rikki's and greeting all our visitors.  Come see me on a tour !  Love, Betty (formerly known as Bitey)

All I want for Christmas is for YOU to come on the tour and love me.  Well .... bring treats too !!! 


All I want is to have another Christmas at Rikki's Refuge !!!  And maybe another !  I just celebrated my 23rd birthday, with most of my life spent loving it here at Rikki's Refuge.  I have the FIV virus ... they said I'd die young and be sick all the time.  I take medicine for kidney and thyroid issues .... but I still love my life and laying in the sun .... and even sneaking out in the snow when I can.  YOU make life possible for me and so many.  Thank YOU for being there for us.  Love, Mr. Mister



We're ready to be wrapped up for Christmas !!

and we're up for adoption at Rikki's Adoption Room at Re-Tail Thrift Store in Fredericksburg.   Our friend Max went to his forever home last week ......  and we're a lovely family all ready to go.  Callie mom and two black and white girls and an orange boy ....  gee would it be the best Christmas gift of all for a wonderful hooman to take us ALL home together !!!

Yes !  I'm ready for Christmas!  I found my box ......  Thank you for bringing me to America and to Rikki's Refuge and giving me the physical therapy I needed to walk again.  I'm so happy, not only do I walk, I run, I climb, I jump and I really have fun here !  Love, Mouky


It takes ALL of us working together to make Rikki's Refuge happen !!!   If you'll donate the bucks to feed us .... we'll shovel the s..... and the snow too !!!!!

1300 reasons to give your tax deductible
            year end gift to Rikki's Refuge ....  
     the happy ever after lives
            YOU saved JUST THIS YEAR  !!!!!
I need YOU ......

Your end of year donation means the WORLD to the animals .....   we've got some special deals going on now where YOU can make all the difference in the world  ......

From NOW thru Christmas all donations for canned dog food will be matched ....  you donate $1 for a can or $12 for a case .....  and our special Doggy Donor will donate an equal amount for canned dog food.   Just mark your donation CANNED DOG FOOD.

The cats got a special for Thanksgiving ....  so no big special deal for them now. 

The COWS and the PIGS and the SHEEP and the GOATS and the DONKEY and the HORSE and the CHICKENS and the DUCKS and the GEESE and the TURKEYS and the PIGEONS ....  they all have a local farm store benefactor who's ready to make a deal with YOU today thru Christmas.  YOU donate to Rikki's to buy a bag of feed for your favorite species, $12.99 will buy a 50 pound bag for any of the critters listed above ......  and they'll donate a second bag for FREE ......

Just click to
and have your kind donation for feed DOUBLED !!!!!

Please be generous with the animals of Rikki's Refuge with your end of year gift. We are a 501(c)(3) non profit organization, so while you are helping us to take in and care for more animals, you also get a tax deduction.

And I'm sure you agree, Rikki's puts your money to a better use .....  and never never wastes a penny you donate ......   Uncle Sam ?  or the ANIMALS !!!!!!    Donate for your tax break today !!!!


You make our mission possible and we thank you so much for your support!

This is the road into Rikki's Refuge that has brought peace and happiness to thousands over the years.  Your donations make it possible for 1300 animals of 22 species to call Rikki's home.  They will be loved and cared for no matter what they need for all their natural lives.  This is the gift YOU can give this Christmas.  www.RikkisRefuge.org/Donate


For Christmas?  A nice warm sun beam ....  and to THANK YOU for saving my life.  I have FIV and I'm healthy, but the myths that still remain about kitties like me often means lights out ....  unless somebody nice like YOU saves me and let's me live happily ever after at Rikki's Refuge.  Beaver


Christmas?  I don't know, this is my first ever!  Before I came to Rikki's I lived on a chain and never heard of nice things, treats, nice hoomans or Christmas !  Thank YOU for setting me free and giving me a whole farm and hundreds of friends to be with !  Love (I've learned what that hooman word means this year), Buzz


Christmas?  This is my first at Rikki's.  The others are telling me how wonderful you all are and how YOU make our lives happy !!!   I hope I'll meet you on the Christmas Tour!  Thank you !


Another Christmas together for beloved partners Bub and Goose !  

Another Christmas at Rikki's!!  WOW .....  this is my 17th Christmas here.  I got adopted out three times but tore things up and pee-ed in the house till they brought me back.  I didn't want to be away from my friends and my freedom at Rikki's.  I came so long ago cus the shelter I was at said I was old and about to die anyway.  Well .....  I sure proved them wrong, didn't I?  Love, Flash

We've already got what we want for Christmas and every day!  Peace, love, lots of room to roam, all the grass we can eat, sunshine, and Rikki's Refuge.


Christmas?  Well, what more could I want?  I have all the glorious mud to roll in I want!  May you get to roll in all the mud you want on Christmas!  Love, Petunia

Petunia and Friends All Snuggled Up for a Long Winter Night

You want me to tell you what I want for Christmas?  Seriously?  Hooman blood.  What?  No, I'm not kidding, come over here and rub MY belly.  Riley

Smells a lot like Christmas to me ....  Sam

All I want for Christmas is to be left alone by hoomans.  I'm feral, and proud of it.  I don't see why I should have to like you or want to live with you to simply be allowed to live my life.  And I told them so at the shelter I was in.  They said "be nice to hoomans or die" ....  I said .... well I think I better not repeat it here ... Opie says this is family reading ... But anyway .....  I made it out alive and now I live at Rikki's.  I have a whole family of feral kitties who love me.  The hoomans here feed me and give me nice warm places to sleep and they don't bother me or make me try to be nice to them and if I do bite them they don't even get mad at me.  Pretty cool, huh?  So I'm really happy here.  And Opie said I had to say THANK YOU to YOU cus you are the one who gave me a second chance at life.  So THANK YOU, Thomas, now please leave me alone


We know what many of your kind do to many of our kind this time of year.  A very merry happy and wonderful Christmas to those of you celebrating with a big salad.  Love Tom and Terrance

Aussie and Mr Moo waiting under the tree for Santa

Gearing up and ready to ride out .....

Dreaming of YOU and praying for peace and happiness for you and yours .......  



Since my GGP can't be here to help us out this Christmas .... YOU will be, won't you ?

THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SAVE A LIFE TODAY !

Love,
  Opie


Don’t forget to SAVE A LIFE TODAY !
Rikki’s Refuge
PO Box 1357
Orange VA 22960

And please come see me soon !!

In the mean time, Keep up with us on Facebook and you'll get the minute to minute details about what's going on at Rikki's Refuge .... you'll be the first to see the new residents .... and the first to know about up coming events !!!

Rikki's Refuge

Opie and Vincent's Page

Duke's Page

Re-Tail Thrift Store in Fredericksburg

The Duke Thomas Peabody Antique and Collectables Shoppe in Culpeper

Opie's and Mom's Purrsonal Profile

Opie's Edibles for Fun Animal Friendly Recipes and Cooking Tips: https://www.facebook.com/OpiesEdibles

Vincent D. Cat's Gathering Place, a place to hang out, chat, and have fun

Kitty Litter-Ature

Rikki's Crazy Cat Person Club

For the Love of Black Cats

Our Website
which needs help getting up to date .... if you "do" WordPress and would like to help, let us know Volunteers@RikkisRefuge.org

Rikki's Refuge is owned and operated by Life Unlimited of Virginia, Inc., an IRS 501(c)(3) not-for-profit Virginia Corporation. Federal Tax-ID 54-1911042. Your donations provide direct support. A financial statement is available upon written request from the Virginia State Office of Consumer Affairs.