Good Morning -- Good News !!!
It's almost Halloween - and YOU know what that means
!!!
Good News for the 500 or so herbivores at Rikki's
Refuge who have been looking forward all year to
PUMPKIN
SEASON !!
Seven new cows joined us last week and they don't believe
the stories the older cows have been telling them about PUMPKIN SEASON.
Everybody is excited !!!
The sheep, the goats, the horse, who may have a new
horse friend by the time the first pumpkin truck rolls in, the big pigs and the
little piggies too, the donkey and his goose friend, and all the other geese
and the ducks and the chickens and the pigeons and the pheasants and the
peacocks and even the partridge, well actually, they're chukars, but members of
the partridge family in the pear tree ....
even if they're not allowed out of their aviary to so sit in the pear
trees.
Everybody at Rikki's Refuge are already drooling at
the thought of those pumpkins ....
except the cats and dogs.
So I guess this is why Opie has been so negligent in
writing to you to beg for your help getting all those pumpkins to Rikki's.
This is how it works -- churches, nurseries, and
others who sell pumpkins by the truck load for halloween, don't want all those
left over pumpkins on November 1st. And
they DONATE them all to us. On ONE
condition. We must go pick them
up.
Now this was great fun when we started Rikki's and
most us pumpkin volunteers were in our 40's, 50's, 60's ..... but now that us pumpkin volunteers are in
our 60's, 70's, 80's and have knee replacements, hip replacements, canes and
walkers ..... it's getting a bit hard.
I mean, have you ever tried to pick up a pumpkin and
shuffle over to a truck to load it when you need a walker to get around?
If we can count on YOU for any help with pumpkins
to bring a
truck to haul pumpkins
to be on
site to help load pumpkins
to round
up scout groups to load pumpkins
to pick up
pumpkins in your area and bring them to Rikki's
PLEASE email us TODAY at Volunteers@RikkisRefuge.org and let us
know how you want to help
or when you're delivering so we unlock the gate for
you
November 1 - pumpkin pickup at Salem Baptist Church in Fredericksburg. Pumpkins
must be gone by end of day. Volunteers@RikkisRefuge.org
Saturday,
November 5, 2016 - 8:30 AM until ???
It usually takes us ALL DAY to move these pumpkins -
the more help we get, the faster it goes!
Pumpkin Collecting!
We have a very dedicated volunteer bringing a large truck to collect
leftover pumpkins from church pumpkin sales.
The pumpkins save the Refuge an enormous amount of money, as they feed
our pigs, cows, horses, goats and other hungry critters for several
months! Plus, they are extremely
healthy for the animals.
But, our dedicated volunteer can't load all the
pumpkins herself! We need lots of help
(and wheelbarrows) to move the pumpkins from the church pumpkin patches into
the truck. Here's what you get for
helping: great friendship and conversation while hoisting pumpkins; good
exercise in the healthy fresh air; a sense of accomplishment at seeing a field
strewn with pumpkins now empty, with all the pumpkins safely loaded into our truck;
the satisfaction of giving our herbivores (and even some omnivores!) a few
months' worth of healthy meals!
Here are the churches at which we'll be collecting:
St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 8009 Fort Hunt Road,
Alexandria
Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church, 2006 Belle View
Boulevard, Alexandria
Immanuel Church on the Hill, 3606 Seminary Road,
Alexandria
Pender United Methodist Church, 12401 Alder Woods
Drive, Fairfax
I don't have a schedule yet ... the schedule will
probably depend on when we can get people to help at each church ... I am
imagining that some folks might not want to spend the whole day gathering
pumpkins and following us from place to place ... so, I would like to schedule
things according to when and where people would like to work. Here's the way we've done it in the past,
which I would probably see happening again: (1) St. Luke's, (2) Mt. Vernon, (3)
Immanuel Church on the Hill, (4) Pender.
So, if you are excited about helping out, please
email me at fred@z9a.com NOW, tell me the
times you'd like to work, and which churches you'd like to come to. Please remember that I will not be able to
satisfy all time and church preferences ... it will depend on when our truck
gets to each site. Also, our exact
schedule may slip by a few hours during the day, depending on how much help we
get, the amount of pumpkins at each site, travel time, and how starving we all
become during our day of hard work.
Please remember: pumpkins are HEAVY ... it is serious work to move them
from the ground into a truck, as well as to move them around the fields in
which the churches place them. So, we
need people in pretty good shape, who won't conk out from a few minutes of hard
labor. But, if that scares you, I
actually could also use someone to drive to the sites, to give us estimates of
the amount of pumpkins left at each site.
Especially on Friday, so that we can do better planning for
Saturday. Anybody who can bring a
wheelbarrow would be REALLY helpful!
Many of you receiving this email have helped in the
past, by loading your own personal vehicles with pumpkins and driving them down
to the Refuge. This year, I figure that
our large truck will take care of the load, so that we probably won't need
individual vehicles. But, if you DO
want to fill up a personal vehicle with pumpkins to bring to the Refuge, please
write back to me, and we'll get you set up to do that. During the week from November 1 to November
4 would probably be best for that, as it would get things going before we get
our truck in there. But, do offer to
help load on Saturday ... we will definitely need you! Having ten people to load our truck would
REALLY get things moving well!
We usually pick up from Pender United Methodist
Church, 12401 Alder Woods Drive, Fairfax, but sadly this year their pumpkin
supplier lost their application this year, so they are not running a pumpkin
sale. We hope they'll be back on the
list next year.
NO pumpkins can be picked up ANYWHERE before dark on
Halloween night !!
Thanks for all you've done for the animals,
Opie's Daddy Fred
DOUBLE
YOUR DONATION
And since we reached half our goal by NOON today
..... our wonderful donor has ADDED
another $1,000 to the double ..... and
will DOUBLE UP TO $3,000 to anyone responding to this Good Morning Good News
..... and by golly ... that really
makes it a Great Good Morning at Rikki's !!!!
If you can spare $1 or $10 or $100 .... help us reach this goal !!!!!
If you can spare $1 or $10 or $100 .... help us reach this goal !!!!!
Rikki's
Thrift Shop - Re-Tail
Great new items coming in to our Thrift Shop Re-Tail,
3503 Lafayette Blvd, Fredericksburg VA 22408, EVERY DAY. Stop in and check things out. Visit the kitties in the Adoption Room.
Have winter or holiday items to donate? Please hurry and get them to us. Get your tax receipt and help turn your
gently used items into funds to care for the animals of Rikki's Refuge.
Rikki's 5K Run/Walk for the Animals
WHEN: Saturday, November 5
WHERE:
Lake Anna State Park, 6800 Lawyers Rd, Spotsylvania, VA 22551
REGISTRATION: 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.
RACE
TIME: 9:00 a.m.
REGISTER:
www.Active.com (Rikki's 5K Run/Walk in search bar)
Registration
Fee: $25.00
Race
Day Registration Fee: $30.00
Deadline
for online registration 10/31/16
Phone: 540-207-2829
Contact: Dennis Bane, bugbane30@gmail.com
Will
you be running this year??
Registration
Deadline is Oct. 31 for guaranteed tee-shirt.
Prizes: Awards to the top male and female finishers
and top 3 in each age group (19-under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60 and
over. Team award for the team with the
most runners and walkers. Prize drawings
after the race.
Entry
Forms can be picked up at: Re-Tail
Thrift Store, 360 Farm and Pet, Ed's Awards and Engraving, Harvest Market, and
Lucky Road Running Shop.
Donations
of pet food and/or supplies for Rikki's Refuge critters will gratefully be
accepted.
Hounds at Hazelwood
Saturday, Nov. 5th, 11 am to 3 pm.
Rikki's
Refuge will be here!
A
fun fair for the family about greyhounds and sighthounds.
Where:
Hazelwood Farm, 5325 Harrison Rd., Fredericksburg, VA 22407
Talk
with adoption groups, enjoy shopping, food, face painting, pony rides!
See
the greyhounds run!
No
admission charge, but donations are appreciated.
Stop
by the Rikki's booth for information on the refuge.
One
of our spectacular photographers will be on site so
YOU
can have your DOG's picture taken for a donation to Rikki's Refuge !
**Dirt
floor - wear sneakers!
***All
family pets must be on a leash and current on vaccinations.
Questions?
Call 540-786-9527.
WON'T YOU BE OUR NEIGHBOR ?
A
lovely 4 br 2.5 bath house nestled on three side by Rikki's Refuge has gone on the
market for sale. It's on a little over
18 acres, pool, great big barn. MUST be
ANIMAL friendly and perfect if you want to be
regular volunteer at Rikki's Refuge.
Interested in more info, ask Kerry@RikkisRefuge.org
Fill the Barrel for Rikki's Refuge Wine Tasting
Sat Nov 12, 1-4 pm
Horton
Vineyards, Gordonsville, VA
We
will be inside by the fireplace with a large wine barrel to be filled with
donations for Rikki's Refuge (and hopefully emptied and refilled many times).
Anyone that brings a donation gets free wine tasting. There will also be a food
truck there that day for nums. Opie will be attending.
For
more details write to Events@RikkisRefuge.org
Paint your Pet night at Re-Tail!
Friday, Nov. 18, 6:30 p.m.
Cost
is $55 per person. Instructors will help you paint an 11"x14"
portrait of your pet!
Sign
up online: Event Link: http://www.wineanddesign.com/calendars/event.php?id=42987
Event
Code: WD4080
THANKSLIVING TOUR AND POTLUCK
Saturday, November 19
Mark
your calendars! Join us for our Annual ThanksLiving Tour and Animal-Friendly
Potluck Celebration!
We celebrate the lives of our beautiful resident
turkeys (and all of our beloved animals) - we dine WITH our friends, not on our
friends. Join us for a TOUR of Rikki's Refuge where we will bring a feast of
produce and goodness for the animals to enjoy, then we will head to our Life
Center where we will celebrate the season with an animal friendly potluck
(vegan and vegetarian only).
$25 or Vegan/Vegetarian Dish to Share - for more
information or to RSVP, email us at Events@RikkisRefuge.org
Please join us!
For
more information check out our Event Page.
THANKSGIVING DAY TOUR & RECEPTION
Thursday, Nov 24, NOON
Email
Tours@RIkkisRefuge.org
to RSVP and get your ticket.
If
you PROMISE to not eat any of my friends this entire holiday season, your
ticket will be FREE!
It's
good for YOU and good for the ANIMALS!
SPONSOR A TURKEY
JOIN
THE FLOCK! Will you consider making a meaningful difference in the lives of our
amazing rescued turkeys at Rikki's Refuge by sponsoring one of them? For just
$10.42, you can feed one turkey for an entire month and for a mere $125 you can
feed one for an ENTIRE YEAR!
This
holiday season, why not gift yourself, your friends, and/or your family a
TURKEY SPONSORSHIP instead of a turkey dinner??
Our
turkeys at Rikki’s Refuge ~ Ellie, Mr Turkey, Clementine, Lars, Claire, Tillie,
and Everett ~ are sweet, playful, social birds.
And
if you sponsor one of our beloved turkeys, we will email you a PDF photo of
thanks of one of the kids (that you could frame to announce your gift? hint
hint!). Now remember, it is only $10.42 to feed one turkey for a month, and
$125 to feed one for an entire year!
www.rikkisrefuge.org/FeedMe
and put TURKEY in your payment note OR send through PAYPAL directly to mail@RikkisRefuge.org and put TURKEY in the notes section of your
payment!
It
really is that easy!
Kitty Litter-Ature
November 27th
Every
fourth Saturday of each month bring the young ones out to red with the animals.
RSVP
to Events@RikkisRefuge.org
Pictures with Santa!!!!!
DECEMBER - Every Saturday and Sunday
Get
a photo of your pet(s) with Santa! At Re-Tail, 3503 Lafayette Blvd.,
Fredericksburg, Va., 22408. Every Saturday and Sunday in December. Cost is $10.
You
will walk out with a 4x6 photo, and we will e-mail you all of the photos taken
of your pet!
"Like"
our Re-Tail page https://www.facebook.com/ReTail.org
to stay tuned to times offered. And let us know if we need to add a weekday to
the opportunity!
Angel Trees
DECEMBER
We
put up beautiflly decorated Christmas Trees in local businesses where our
donors can pick an ornament to KEEP and buy a special gift for an animal. From bleach to keep things clean at Piggy
Paradise to Wild Bird Seed ...... Donors
leave their gifts under the trees ....
and
this is where YOU come in !!!
We
need Elves to stop by stores in Orange, Fredericksburg, Charlottesville,
Culpeper, Richmond, NOVA .... and YOUR
local shop .... to pick up donations
and bring to Rikki's.
Won't
YOU help us? Let us know at Volunteers@RikkisRefuge.org
You
can ask ANY store in your area if they'd like to participate, you can put up
the tree, we have lots for you to use, and then just monitor donations and
deliver to Rikki's !!!!
WRAPPING FOR RIKKI'S
DECEMBER
Our
volunteers come out to help wrap books and gifts at Barnes and Noble in the
weeks before Christmas to earn donations for Rikki's Refuge.
We
have reservations to wrap in Falls Church, Fredericksburg and
Charlottesville. Will YOU please sign
up to take a two hour shift wrapping .... it's all inside and warm and cozy.
Let
us know which location works best for you ...
Volunteers@RikkisRefuge.org
YOU
can talk to the manager at YOUR local Barnes and Noble and set side few days to wrap .... let us know so we can
help you get volunteers to help and advertise the dates and times you'll be
there.
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!
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
and we'll tell you more as the details unfold ...
New
Year's Day Tour & Nature Hike
January
1, 2017
Yes, it's getting close !!!!
Tours@RikkisRefuge.org
to get your tickets !!
WOOL BALLS
Date and time TBD
Volunteer
Nora has created wonderful Wool Balls right from out very own sheep !!!! You sort and clean the wool and then felt it
and create balls. Lovely for many uses,
especially as dryer balls. Add a couple
to your dryer and YOU SAVE on electricity, your load will dry in about half the
time.
Really
... we tried it right here at Rikki's Refuge ....
Lots
of other fun ideas for Wool Balls ......
We're
looking for about 10 VOLUNTEERS to gather one Saturday or Sunday for 3 hours or
so to help prep the washed fleeces. We
can work on the deck. Pizza and drinks at the end.
Interested? Let us know Volunteers@RikkisRefuge.org
Interested? Let us know Volunteers@RikkisRefuge.org
PS
... must NOT be allergic to wool !!
CFC
Did
you know that if you are a federal employee, you can give to Rikki's Refuge
(Life Unlimited of Virginia, Inc) through the Combined Federal Campaign? You can also use our CFC # to give to Rikki's
Refuge through the United Way, no matter where you're employed!
Another
easy way to make a BIG difference!!
RIKKI'S
REFUGE CFC #77674
CVC
Did
you know if you're a state employee of Virginia, that you can give to Rikki's
Refuge (Life Unlimited of Virginia, Inc) through the Commonwealth of Virginia
Campaign?
RIKKI'S
REFUGE CVC #003163
PAMPERED CHEF FUNDRAISER
It's
not too early to start thinking about Christmas shopping!
And
a friend of Rikki's Refuge is throwing a Pampered Chef Fundraiser!
A
percentage of sales will go directly to the animals of Rikki's Refuge!! Check
it out.
Pampered
Chef has some amazing kitchen tools, food products, and cookbooks for preparing
food in the home! Something for every cook in your life!
WEB
MASTER NEEDED
Know how to create and maintain a lovely website
using WordPress ?
We're looking for the purrfect volunteer to help us
!!
If you have the skills and the interest please
contact us Volunteers@RikkisRefuge.org
Opie can write such nice fancy letters to you
.... with all kinds of wonderful
pictures and all. He keeps claiming
he's too busy eating to have time to write, so I'm sorry you've had to put up
with our littler letter here. We'll try
to get Opie back on the job 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
Hey, Duke needs a hooman volunteer to help him type,
if you'd like to be the one, let us know at Volunteers@RikkisRefuge.org
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 kow Volunteers@RikkisRefuge.org
love,
Your Pumpkin Hauling Team,
We're so looking forward to meeting YOU to help us
get those pumpkins to Rikki's Critters
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