Rikki's Refuge

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.'

More: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2053605/Jack-cat-safe-JFK-Airport.html

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 20^th, 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

Friday, October 28, 2011

5K Run, Sunday Nov 6th

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Good Morning Good News !!!! October 13, 2011

Catnip Candy

The good news is that I was blessed to know and love Auntie Catnip Candy.

The Good News is Candy was a great big huge part of Rikki’s Refuge from her first volunteer day on December 6, 2005.

Candy had read about Rikki’s in the CFC (Combined Federal Campaigns #77674, Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign #3163) catalog a few years earlier and had contacted mom to ask some questions. She and Paul then became donors. Later they came on tours.

Candy had retired and their first volunteer work day turned out to be December 6, 2005. The day after every single roof on every single run in Feline Fields and Rabbit Rotunda, had collapsed under a huge snow load the day before. Mom had sent out a plea for help to get the roofs temporarily up off the grounds and the runs secure and usable. many volunteers turned out.

Candy and Paul arrived and said, HI. They had not yet heard about the disaster. Mom just assumed they were there to help with the roofs and said thank you, thank you, so much for coming and too them to Cat House #3 where everyone was working. It was freezing cold, there was snow up to hooman knees, fingers were frozen, and it was hard work trying to shake off the snow from the netting roofs, now laying on the ground, and hoist them overhead and get them tied off with line running back and forth from wall to wall. Candy and Paul worked tirelessly. Mom kept looking at Candy’s feet in dockside shoes and thinking, gosh her toes must be frozen, I wonder why she didn’t wear boots. Once or twice mom mentioned it and Candy smiled her big smile and said, I’m not as cold as you need help!!

At the end of the day Candy and Paul were talking to mom and told her they’d just come down to donate some food!!! That’s why they didn’t dress so warm, they didn’t know it’d end up being a day they worked in the freezing weather till after dark!!!! Mom thought, uh oh, they sure are nice people, I bet today just scared them away forever!

But the Good News for Rikki’s was - it didn’t! They came back and they helped with so many things. They’ve both been members of our board for many, many years now. Such an integral part of Rikki’s that it’s hard to remember a time before Candy and Paul!

Candy makes and sells her famous catnip sacs for Rikki’s. Candy and Paul worked at events, especially the Wine Festival in Front Royal every year. They ran the Mile Long Yard Sale in Alexandria. They volunteered at the National Capital Cat Shows. They helped with adoption events. They worked on teams building and improving Animal Neighborhoods. They scooped litterboxes when we needed them to.

It was Good News when Candy took over the Pumpkin Runs in October and November of each year, meeting up with churches, nurseries and others selling pumpkins, coordinating pick ups and delivering to Rikki’s. All the animals except us cats and the doggies love pumpkins. It’s really good healthy food. If you can drive one or more loads of pumpkins this year, trunk full, van full, truck full, please contact Jon O'Connor jocors@comcast.net who’ll be heading up the Pumpkin Patch this year.

It was Good News when Candy picked up produce, bread and broken bags of dog and cat food from several different stores, and delivered to Rikki’s usually at least twice a week. Rain or shine, snow or heat, Candy’s smiling face was there helping the animals. She did this for years, saving huge amounts of money on our grocery bill.

It was Good News that Candy kept track of the pantry and when we were low on cleaning supplies - any idea how much bleach, laundry detergent, trash bags, paper towels, dish soap and so on it takes to sanitize 1300 animals every day? - she’d put out a plea for the needed supplies. Often what others didn't donate - she simply bought and donated to Rikki’s herself. Never saying a word. Just stocking the pantry.

Same with cat food. If enough wasn’t coming in - watch out - she’d order a huge batch from Wegman’s (best price around on their own brand 13.2 oz cans) - and the pantry would be stocked again.

Last year when that bad lady stole a lot of Rikki’s donations and stole money from credit accounts and bank accounts and mom was so scared about what would happen to Rikki’s - Candy and Paul made a hugely generous donation to keep Rikki’s floating till things could be recovered.

It was Good News if Candy was your friend. Always there for who ever needed them, Candy and Paul helped their friends and anyone they met, too. Down and out? Need a hand? Need an encouraging word? Candy was there. And Paul was always there with her.

Puppy Pals, a program where you can donate $15 on a particular day each month to feed canned food to the doggies was dreamed up and implemented by Candy. And that was Good News! You can still pick a day of the month that you’d like to claim as your very own to be a Puppy Pal: http://rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php?purpose=Puppy%20Pals Every single doggy will be your pal one day a month!!!!

It was really Good News when Candy started Vincent’s Vittles just for ME and my feline friends!! Her dream was that everyone would pick a day and a cat house and for only $25 a month you can feed one whole cat house full of felines for the whole day !!!!! Just pick your cat house, and your day, and sign up! http://rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php?purpose=Vincent%20Vittles

It was bad news when Candy went to the hospital in early September. She missed the National Capital Cat Show and we missed her terribly. We all gathered together and we prayed and we prayed.

And it was very, very sad news when our beloved and always smiling Candy passed away yesterday (Wednesday) morning. Her husband Paul, her mom, sister and her beloved nephew, Chris, were with her.

Condolences can be sent to

Paul Erhard

5409 Richenbacher Ave

Alexandria VA 22304

You can sign Candy's memory book here: http://www.tributes.com/show/Sharon-Candy-Erhard-92492964

There will be a visitation to say good by to Candy and to give Paul a hug on Monday, October 17^th from 2 pm - 4 pm and 6 pm - 8 pm at

Everly-Wheatley Funeral Home

1500 West Braddock Road

Alexandria, VA 22302

There will be a visitation Tuesday, October 18th from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm and Wednesday, October 19th from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, followed by a service Wednesday, October 19^th at 11:00 am at

McComas Funeral Home, Abingdon

1317 Cokesbury Rd.

Abingdon, MD 21009

(410) 676-4600

Candy will be buried near her home town and where her mother and sister still reside.

Mary had a wonderful idea and I'd like to share it with you: I suggest that Rikki's people who knew Candy write something about her (your favorite memory, things at Rikki's that will remind you of Candy, what you liked about her, etc.) so we can put together a memory book of what Candy meant to Rikki's Refuge. You may send things to me (Mary Walker horsesdcats@aol.com) and I will coordinate it. Please try to keep your comments positive, not sad. We want this to be a book of happiness and joy, just what Candy’s smile always brought to us! Please send in your special pictures of Candy to be included, too.

At the request of a number of friends we have started the Candy Erhard Memorial Fund. We’ll use the funds for a special project just for Candy. I promise we’ll brain storm and pick something she would love! http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php

While just searching google for Candy’s on-line information, I discovered she was quite famous!!! That smile grabs everybody’s heart!!!

http://all-bestdeals.com/best-coupons/nice-best-coupon-photos-2.html

http://discountcouponclippers.info/coupons/candy-erhard-rikkis-super-shopper/

http://lovemypets.info/cool-pet-food-coupons-images/

I bet you smiled when you saw her smile!! Didn’t you?

OCTOBER 15, 2011 1-5 PM

RAIN DATE OCT. 22^ND

Admission tickets: $3 bought on line $5 at the door

Game tickets: 1 per can of cat food or $.50 each

~ MEET VINCENT D. CAT AND ALL HIS FRIENDS!

~PLAY GAMES, WIN PRIZES, AND ENTER RAFFLES!

~FACE PAINTING, HAIR SALON, AND TATTOOS!

~ $5 MASSAGES FOR THE ADULTS BY NORA ELDRIDGE

ALL PROCEEDS GO TO BENEFIT THE ANIMALS AT RIKKI’S REFUGE

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO BUY TICKETS GO TO

WWW.RIKKISREFUGE.ORG

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
PLEASE CONTACT KATARINA AT KATARINAGALVIN@YAHOO.COM

All proceeds from Rikki’s Haunted Forest will benefit the animals at Rikki’s Refuge. If you dare enter the forest you will be walking through woods on uneven paths with little lighting and possibly through water. Please wear appropriate clothing and footwear.

To volunteer as human or monster

contact Katarina at katarinagalvin@yahoo.com

Oh Candy! How much and in how many ways you touched us! I’ll love you always.

Love,

Vincent

Learn more www.RikkisRefuge.org and help spread the good word, tell everyone you know about Rikki’s Refuge

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Good Morning Good News !!!! October 11, 2011

KiKi’s Alien Pumpkin Halloween Costume

We’re ready for Halloween!! Are YOU? KiKi said she’s tired of going to costume parties as a dog. She couldn’t decide between an Alien and a Pumpkin this year .... so ....

Chubs is going as a cat on a pumpkin.

Ok, so the pumpkins aren’t in yet. Well .... it’s almost the right color, isn’t it?

Voted Yet Today?

Remember to vote every day!!! The mostest votes will win us $1,000 and 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!!!

Ever wanted to be Mayor of your Neighborhood?

Dreams come true at Rikki’s Refuge!!! And you could be the Mayor of a Neighborhood.

Volunteers are a big deal at Rikki’s Refuge.

Yes, we staff. Our staff is wonderful, too. Our budget is so limited that we are only able to afford to have staff for the absolute daily essentials. The feeding, cleaning, medicating. It’s a lot of work and it has to be done on a schedule every day, day in and day out. No matter what. 365 days a week. Rain, snow, sleet or heat. Holidays and mundane days. We love volunteers who like to come in to help with this work too. Some come in just to wash the dishes one day a week. Others to help with the regular cleaning.

And lots of volunteers come to build new Animal Neighborhoods, make repairs to existing Neighborhoods, mow acres and acres of grass, do special seasonal scrub ups of Neighborhood Houses, and to keep houses warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Every one of our 22 species needs volunteers!!!

Ron, is our Director of Serving Cats. His project this weekend was fixing up the temp quarantine pens. This is an area where a group of ferals can do their quarantine time together and not have to be separated into scary cages. They’d had a lot of water damage from recent flooding. Now they’re all nice and clean and have new decks!!

Ron would love to vote you in as Mayor of a Cat House. Your duties would be to keep that one house looking nice and special, arranging the furniture, the climbing toys, seasonal scrub up, keep the nesting boxes nice and warm with new fresh bedding, maybe even some painting. It’d be up to you on how to make YOUR cat house the prettiest!! And imagine the looks you’ll get when you go to work Monday morning and says, “I spent my weekend working in a cat house!”

Stacey is the Mayor of Rabbit Rotunda. Every weekend she rakes out to keep the ground nice, scrubs house, works on drainage control, brings extra treats for her special friends. Thank you Stacey for keeping Rabbit Rotunda looking so nice!!

Katarina is our Volunteer Director katarinagalvin@yahoo.com she can train you to be a useful necessary part of Rikki’s Refuge. She worked all day Saturday and Sunday with lots of projects going on. Keeping her eyes open and lending a hand where needed. She had projects going on at Feline Fields, Rabbit Rotunda, Cavy Castle, Pigeon Palace, Doggy Downs and was working on lairs for werewolves and dens for ghouls for THE HAUNTED FOREST. You are coming on October 22 aren’t you? http://rikkisrefuge.blogspot.com/2011/09/dare-you.html

Next weekend, on Saturday the 15^th, she’s putting on The Fall Furr Festival - and it’s THE place to be !!! http://rikkisrefuge.blogspot.com/2011/09/rikkis-refuge-presents.html Games, tours, raffles, craft tables, the bestest bake sale, she’s got the best group of volunteer bakers you’ve ever seen, come and try them out !!!!!

If you’d like to help us get ready for the event, we could use extra clean up and set up crews Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning. Contact Katarina to help out. katarinagalvin@yahoo.com

My special friend Victor,

who kept me warm at last years Christmas Parade, helped do all kinds of thins all weekend too.

Doggy Downs Clubhouse One is getting it’s much needed new roof, thanks to Dan. This is his first big project at Rikki’s!!!!

Robyn is a jack of all trades and works in all the Animal Neighborhoods, this weekend she was fall cleaning for the rabbits and guinea pigs. Even the tops of their houses need cleaning cuz where there’s a will there’s a way and there will be poop in high spots and low spots!!!

Jan, our Tour Director, lead the Sunday tour. She’s our PR Director too and she brought lots of cool news paper stories she had submitted and printed for the Fall Furr Festival and the Haunted Forest. You are coming, right???

http://rikkisrefuge.blogspot.com/2011/09/rikkis-refuge-presents.html

http://rikkisrefuge.blogspot.com/2011/09/dare-you.html

Karen came and brought nums for us critters. She and mom have been friends since they met working at the same humane society far far away about 30 years ago!!!!!

Laurie had extra veggies in her garden and brought them down for the critters!! Num num num. We’re not picky, it doesn’t matter if it’s too much or if it’s damaged. Our piggies and rabbits and guinea pigs and everybody but us cats and dogs is very happy to get something fresh and healthier than pellets!!!!

Ann scrubbed up all the dishes and helped with the washing. Do you have any idea how many dishes, food bowls, water bowls and plates and platters 1300 animals can use in one day? Helen and Adam call it Mount Dishmore when they come out to help scrub up. And the laundry, which was running behind schedule cus the machine broke. Everybody had to break and go get a spare one out the barn and install it. THANK YOU people who donate your working appliances that you’re replacing!! With a bed in every cage, quilts on the floor for sleeping, lots of linings for cubbies and cuddle areas - it’s mounds of laundry.

And I know there were more of you out there this weekend. I went to check the log to make sure I got all the weekend activities and oh no !!!! Nobody filled out the volunteer log since Sept 22!!! But I know lots of you have been there !!!! Please remember to sign in and out and enter a brief description of what you did!!!! You deserve a big thank you and I don’t want to miss anybody!!!!

Thank you Dennis for bringing nums for the critters!!!!

And Jon our new Produce Procurement Manager for running the Recycle Unwanted Pumpkin Project 2011 !!!! Yeahhhh. With Catnip Candy in the hospital, she can’t be the one out there on the streets, so Jon graciously offered to take over the project!!! Big clap for Jon please !!!!!!

Jon is a feline person (YES read Cat Man!) raised on a small dairy farm in WI and retired Army Corps of Engineer Officer. You may have seen him hanging out with the cooks at Refuge events or hauling cat food & the like.

He’s currently in the mobilization and information phase of this project and needs YOUR help!

Have you helped in the pasty with the pumpkin runs? Will you help this year?

We need all the assistance we can get to spread the word to donors that we can dispose of their unsold/unwanted produce for free.

Please get back to Jon with your contact information ASAP by e-mail, we have only 20 days before the season is upon us and over for those unwanted Pumpkins & Fall Décor.

Jon O'Connor, (540) 898-6063, jocors@comcast.net

London takes over Mike’s Crate

While Mike the goat is out for fresh air, London takes over. Silly London loves to sleep in cages!!! Mike is doing great. his cast is scheduled to come off on October 18^th.

I'm in a real pickle and I'm scared of drowning in this sour juice !!!! Please help spread this around. I've only got a week left to pay off Mike's current bill - so I can run up a new one having the cast off and x-rays and ...... I've got my bladder bills, and KiKi huge surgery bill, not to mention food and we're almost out of propane and no money to fill the tank. Please help if you can and certainly share. There's lots of folks who'd be willing to help with a buck or two if they knew how hard we work to take care of the animals. Thank you, Love, Vincent

Click to chip in for Mike: http://rikkisrefuge.chipin.com/healing-mike-the-goats-broken-leg

We’re 71% there ....... That is ALMOST, isn’t it?????

When the going gets tough - the tough remember - Vincent Loves YOU !!!!!

Love,

Vincent

Learn more www.RikkisRefuge.org and help spread the good word, tell everyone you know about Rikki’s Refuge

Monday, October 10, 2011

Good Morning Good News !!!! October 10, 2011

Voted Yet Today?

Remember to vote every day!!! The mostest votes will win us $1,000 and 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!!!

Prayers and good healing thoughts, please

Auntie Catnip Candy, I love you so much. We're all praying so hard. You're the kindest, gentlest, most loving soul. Always a big smile, kind word and loving thought - no matter what. Always always thinking the best of everyone. Hearing your voice on the phone always makes me smile. Your voice is so full of sunshine. Rikki's without Candy is like Rikki's without sunshine. We all love you so much Candy. God please let all our prayers work and let a miracle bring Catnip Candy back to Rikki's happy, healthy and smiling.

That’s my brofur Napoleon in the picture with Aunt Candy. Napoleon always loved Catnip Candy and visited with her when she came to Rikki’s. Even when she didn’t have any catnip! Napoleon passed away yesterday. He'd been with us at Rikki’s Refuge for five years and four months. His man died and he was left by the family to be killed at a shelter. Fifteen years old, no one in family wanted that old cat. But we thought he had a lot of life left, and we though he deserved to live it in dignity and full of love and happiness. And so he came to live out his retirement years at Rikki's Refuge. I think he was very happy with us here these last five years.

Napoleon was one of the first run round kitties here at Rikki's. He’d been indoor outdoor all his life. Living in the 9^th Life Center was not cutting it for him! He wanted out. He’s the only kitty ever who chewed holes thru the roof netting in the Day Room to get outside!!! He’d walk on the top roof beam and then pick a spot and start chewing. After catching him in the barn eating mice, bringing him back to the 9^th Life Center, patching the hole and repeating, about a thousand times, mom caught on and decided he could go and come as he wanted to.

Pretty much a loner till he was given that freedom, he then made friends with mom. On warm nights he’d sleep out, saying the mousing was better! When it was cold he’d come in to bed with us. Since it started getting chilly at night this last week or so, he’d moved back in the RV with us at night. He liked to sleep on the table next to the bed. Every now and then he’d come on the bed to give mom a big kiss and whiskers up the nose at night, just checking that she was still breathing. Soon as she woke up and gave him a few pats, he’d go back to the table and back to sleep.

We’re so sorry to see Napoleon leave, but we’re so glad he had such a lovely long and happy life. 20 years is a very happy old age for a kitty! Thank YOU for making it possible for us to give a second home to kitties and dawggies like Napoleon.

Deb Barrett puts out a plea

Deb and Napoleon, photo taken two years ago

Dear Friends of Vincent,

Vincent is missing his Brofur Napoleon and he is also missing his Auntie Candy who is still in the hooman hospital here in Va. It is going to get cooler and colder here soon. To honor Napoleon and his Auntie Candy.. would everyone PLEASE donate at least $1. This will help buy canned and dry cat food for all of Vincent’s brofurs and sisfurs at Rikki’s. Vincent has so many fan and friends... if every single person just gave $1.. think how much food that will buy. This is to honor Napoleon and also his Auntie Candy whom he loves so very much. You can donate on-line http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/donate.php or at Rikki’s Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960. OR if you live close enough you can bring your canned and dry food to Rikki’s and see Vincent! PLEASE help Vincent and his friends.

Deb...

Vincent's friend and volunteer.

Congratulations to Judith Peele !!!

Judith opened our division Wild and Feral two years ago. It’s been a stunning success from day one. Today is not an un-typical day. Judith called in to report that Wild and Feral speutered 21 female cats TODAY! None were pregnant, though some in heat, so it wouldn’t have been long. That means 84 kittens NOT going to the pound after the first “cycle”. Did you know each female cat can have up to 4 litters a year, with 3-6 kittens each time, and their kittens can get pregnant before they’re six months old? You’re getting way higher than I can count with 14 fingers and toes, but you’re hooman, do the math !!!!! Thank you Judith for loving kitties so much that you’ve devoted your life to saving us!

Everybody REMEMBER to SPEUTER - it's the kind way - it's so much better than letting our kids be killed in the pounds!!

You ARE coming, aren’t you?

Fall Furr Festival Saturday, October 15^th

http://rikkisrefuge.blogspot.com/2011/09/rikkis-refuge-presents.html

What’s with the saddle?

Beauty said to KiKi

KiKi is doing wonderful. She's still mad about having to be on a leash when outside. Only another week.

Poor KiKi has been going totally crazy locked up inside!!! After such major surgery she needs to rest and be quiet and not hurt her stitches or make herself bleed. Don’t even think about a cage or crate, the turns and jumps and bangs and flips it over and over and over.

So she tried a small room of the 9^th Life Center by herself so nobody could jump on or sit on her belly and hurt her and so she can’t go outside and run or jump. So she busted thru a wall and got into room A of the 9th Life Center to be with the kitties there!!!! She doesn't like being locked up in a small space alone.

KiKi says our doc is crazy to make her stay quiet, she's perfectly healthy and ready to run the fields .... LET ME OUT ..... If you're not busy, and get a chance, come out and walk her. She's allowed to walk on leash but not supposed to run or jump and can't be out on her own.

After her wall eating episode, she’s staying in the 9^th Life Center where the old doggies sleep. And she’s very happy with them. We just have to be so careful going in and out of the door so she doesn’t get outside - where she wants to be.

The 9th Life Kitties that go in and out and in and out all night long keep getting a BIG surprise. The dawgies who sleep in there hardly move all night. They just go nighty and don't move till the sun comes up. The kitties are in and out all night when mom goes over to check on patients. 6 or 10 or 20 go in and another 6 or 10 or 20 come out. Usually mom opens the door and it's all quiet and they just have to jump over the dogs laying around everywhere. But now, mom opens the door and there's a great big snuffling snorting bouncing wagging conehead trying to push out the door!!

You should see some of them kitties back peddle down the ramp! KiKi is doing great!!! She just can't wait for the day she's allowed to stay out at night again. She hates being forced to sleep with the old doggies - she wants to run the fields all night long!!! But she’s a lot happier with them than by herself.

I've been avoiding the issue of the pathology report. I know you want to know. I'm sorry. It did not come back what we wanted. We are praying that every possible unwelcome cell was removed by the expert hands of our Dr Meredith Vargas and KiKi's body is free and clean of anything bad and damaging. Doc said, "Well, do what ever it is you do with those animals!! Rikki's has some kind of magic that keeps them alive way past expiration date!"

And that’s what we’re counting on!

Thank you Laurie and Melissa

for taking Rikki’s to Saturday’s Warrenton event!!!! Getting the word out about Rikki’s is real important. It’s a proven fact, those who don’t know about Rikki’s have never helped out!!! Spread the word so new volunteers can come and help with all kinds of things, including going to fun events. Lots of folks would be willing to donate a can or two of food for the animals if they knew about them!!!

Thank you Kim and Kathy

for doing the yard sale this weekend to help raise some money to pay the medical bills.

Do YOU have any nice items that can be sold to raise money for Rikki’s Refuge? Yard Sales, Auctions, E-Bay, and our new store in Culpeper!!

Thank you Dennis and Crystal

Who have set up and are caring for our booth at Minuteman Mall, in Culpeper at the intersection of 29, 3 and 522. Look on the chart for DTP (Duke Thomas Peabody). Antiques, crafts, collectibles - with an animal twist. Got any good stuff?

In memory of

Shopping Alert !!!!

Giant Grocery Store has their own brand of cat food Companion on sale for 59 cents for 13.2 oz - this is a really really really good price --- hook up your goat cart and go shopping PLEASE ..... Winter is coming, we're adding fat and fur, eating 22 cases of canned cat food a day!!! Please help us fatten up!!!!

We’re in need of canned dog food too!

In Search of ........

Gerbils anyone? Cats need not apply!!! Males and females. That's all the message said. I don't have a safe area for them at this time. Anybody can help? Call Isis 540-455-3879 Fredericksburg/Spotsylvainia area of Virginia USA I believe.

Un-nueutred goat with horns looking for home, Fredericksburg Va USA - that's all I know - if you'd like to adopt call Doneene 540-656-2399

Hand raised farm pigs, about 6 months old, very friendly, two neutered boys and a girl - need a home before end of October. A wonderful 16 year old girl I know, Sarah, worked at Montpelier’s "working farm" over the summer and they were raised there. They go to auction for bad things at the end of this month. She wants desperately to save them. She's arranged everything else, she just needs a place for them live, her city yard is too small. I so much want to help her. I would need money for construction materials, volunteers to build an area and funding to keep feeding them. I can't just put them in with other pigs, it can take time to acclimate and they can fight real bad and seriously hurt each other. Do you have room for three pet pigs??? Orange, Virginia, USA contact tworogersgirls5117@gmail.com

Orange County Animal Shelter

located next to the Sheriff's Office on Rte 625/Porter Rd, has lots of cats and dogs in all sizes, shapes and ages. There’s a perfect one there waiting just for you. I saw her holding up a sign with YOUR name on it.

Doing an event where you could spotlight a few adoptable cats or dogs? Can you foster one or more till they find their forever home? Can you help clean cages and kennels one day a week ... or month?

They’ve worked hard to reach their goal of no kill, with literally dozens of cats and dogs being turned in daily, they desperately need YOUR help to keep this status. Please help. They don’t put out those heart wrenching please with photos of animals they are threatening to kill by tomorrow if you don’t take them - but they are asking for your help, begging for your help, everyday.

Help Rikki’s Refuge and help Orange County Animal Shelter keep Orange County Virginia a better place for all.

Address: 11362 Porter Road, Orange, VA. Phone: 540-672-1124

Here’s a partial list of your new friends: http://www.petfinder.com/pet-search?shelter_id=VA123

I Love YOU,

Vincent

PS - Please Please click on this star and help me!!! So many bills, we must keep the animals healthy, and I NEED your help TODAY! Thank you for sparing ONE DOLLAR for us today.

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.

Learn more www.RikkisRefuge.org and help spread the good word, tell everyone you know about Rikki’s Refuge

Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Good Morning Good News !!!! October 5, 2011

Voted Yet Today?

Remember to vote every day!!! The mostest votes will win us $1,000 and we can put that towards KiKi’s surgery bills!!

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!!!

KiKi

is doing well this morning. She thinks she had a total recovery at 4:30 am and want to go OUT and run thru the fields. Of course after all this surgery, mom and Lena won’t let her out. She can only go out on leash and she’s not allowed to run or jump. Just walk slow. And she’s going stir crazy. She’s turning circles, clawing at the door, even chewed off the door knob! The cone of shame didn’t stop that!!!

She’s not eating dog food now. All she wants to eat is chicken slices, chicken luncheon slices, frozen (after Lena cooks them) chicken strips and chicken nuggets, and those chicken dog treats that is like dried up chicken.

So it you’re coming to visit her - please bring lots!!!! And she can go on nice slow walks if you can control her and keep her on leash and not running and jumping.

Gosh she’s in there barking and howling something awful to get out!!! And Beauty is barking and howling trying to break in to help her escape. this is gonna be a long 10 days to recovery!!!

Please pray hard that her pathology report comes back, benign, all good, no bad cells, all bad stuff gone - and that she has many many more years to run the fields and play!!!!

Antiiiiiciiiiiiiipaaaaaation

Mike got up real early this morning and rented a great big truck and is headed over the mountains and thru the woods and over the rivers to go far far away to Purina’s packaging plant and he’s gonna pick up 6,776 pounds of nums for us !!!!

And I think we should pray it's all Fancy Feast... and it could be !!!

Well ok, at least canned food, lots and lots of caned food. If it's all dry food, it will last us 47 days!!!

Thank you Purina and Thank you MIKE !!!!!

And please pray with me that Mike has a safe and easy trip over the river and mountains as he drives that great big truck.

Come on out mid afternoon and help us unload !!!!

Thank you for the sun shiny day that will make it all easier!!!

I love your letters !

Vinny,

Your story (yesterday) reminded me of the time my CAT locked me out of my car on the PA Turnpike in a snowstorm. The guy who stopped to help was scared of my Dobie, also in the car, so I sat on the hood and waited for a state trooper who unlocked the door! --- Judi

I’m so glad I got my KiKi to kiss!!!

Love,

Vincent

Learn more www.RikkisRefuge.org and help spread the good word, tell everyone you know about Rikki’s Refuge