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.