RIKKI'S REFUGE - HAIRBALLS AND HAPPY TAILS
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/4654847890/The newsletter of thanks from grateful animals to their beloved rescuers
brought to you by Vincent D. Cat
We are the happy animals of Rikki's Refuge who so thank you for giving
us the gift of our lives. We represent all the animals, the world over,
whose lives have been saved by kind and loving people just like you.
Thank you for being an animal rescuer.
Now, can you explain this to me? How is it that I write to you, turn
around three times, and it's three weeks later? When I used to be just a
lazy kitty cat, I had all the time in the world. Now that I have two
from the sanctuary to save my 1258 friends, all I do is take a breath
and it seems like it's three days later!
Well, as the hooman say, it is been the best of times and it has been
the worst of times.
Since good things are more fun than bad things, let's talk about that first.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Voting
Good News from Purina
Fun at N's Cafe
Fall Furr Festival & Haunted Forest Fotos
The bad news
The good and happy animal news
Upcoming events and excitement
What the animals need this week
YOU ARE SO VOTING EVERY DAY, RIGHT?
It's free, easy, and no junk mail. Vote every day through December
19th. Click on http://bit.ly/VoteVincent and enter Rikkis Refuge of
VA in the USA.
YOU are leading Virginia by a long shot. We seem to remain as number six
on the planet, so get all your friends voting and we can move up to
number one! I know YOU can do it, because you're my HERO!
ONE PIECE OF GREAT NEWS IS THAT PURINA GAVE US 6 WEEKS OF DRY CAT FOOD !!!!
Num Num Num. Mike Wood took his big truck and a trailer all the way to
Pennsylvania and hauled it all the way back here !!!! When Mike does
that driving for us it a long long day on the road thru the mountains,
all so we have lots of nums!! Thank you Mike!
WE HAD A REALLY WONDERFUL TIME SATURDAY OCTOBER 9TH AT VITTLES WITH
VINCENT AT N'S CAFE IN CULPEPER.
Things have changed a little bit on our Flickr page,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/
We now have our photos grouped by events. So instead of giving you
links to every picture, I can just give you the link to the set and
hopefully that will save you lots of time. Time is money, you hooman
say, so maybe if you save some time I can haz Fancy Feast?
So click here for the photo set for N's Cafe Vittles with Vincent
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/sets/72157625269883734/
Once you're here, right underneath the caption "2010 N's Cafe Grand
Opening 10/9" click on detail to see bigger pictures. And they're all
right there!
The nums were really good and we were able to broadcast live on stickam
during almost the whole event, until it got too dark. Lots of my
friends came to visit, many of them were Rikki's alumni! This is my
stickam account where you can watch my videos from the day!
http://www.stickam.com/vincentdcat Since this is new let me know how
well you can access them.
HASN'T IT BEEN JUST THE LOVELIEST FALL WHETHER YOU HAVE EVER SEEN?
The colors are so beautiful, the grass is so green, the trees are yellow
and gold orange and red, the sunsets have been so spectacular, and the
sun rises too. We are so fortunate live on such a beautiful planet. It
IS my favorite planet after all.
ON OCTOBER 23RD WE HAD SO MUCH FUN.
Katarina, Melissa, and many others work really really hard to make this
incredibly spectacular day. It took months of planning but it was so
much fun it was well worth it.
First we have the Fall Furr Festival in the afternoon. That was lots of
fun, I got to tell fortunes, which was really cool. Here's the photo
album.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/sets/72157625114059417/
While the volunteers were setting up, lots of the animals came to help
and supervise. Sally didn't understand why she wasn't allowed to work at
the bake sale and pie walk, but she tried to eat everything! There were
lots of games to play, tours to see all the animals, a piggy kissing
booth, so much fun.
Go to our YouTube page
http://www.youtube.com/user/rikkisrefuge
to see a wonderful video of the piggy kissing booth in action, me
telling fortunes and Jesse the goat stealing somebody's purse!
By the time everybody was leaving, it was getting dark and the full moon
was coming out.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/sets/72157625238854296/
Then we were ready for the Haunted Forest.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/sets/72157625114050407/
Everybody kept running out of the woods screaming, it was really scary,
and the setting was perfect with a huge harvest moon coming up. Check
out the YouTube videos of the Wolfman and more!
SO I'M GONNA TELL YOU THE BAD NEWS NOW
before I get on to upcoming events. It's not really that bad, not
anymore, but that's all because a group of my wonderful HEROES chipped
in to save the animals at Rikki's Refuge.
On October first we were utterly devastated. We love and trust
everybody, so it was an especially hard shock for us. Somebody stole
all of mom's identity, except her passport. Sent she's the CEO of
Rikki's Refuge, they had all the ID to prove that that's who they were.
They also stole checks, credit cards, all kinds of account cards, all
the cards we use to prove we're tax-exempt, the whole package you need
to run around and pretend that you're mommy and to be allowed to use all
of our accounts.
Now that's that, but they did something even worse. They stole the post
office box key and then they went stole all of the mail from the box at
the end of the street and all of the mail from the post office, ¼ of a
month's income used to care for the animals. The refuge survives hand
to mouth. Each week's donations is all we have. That's it. Never
anything spare.
And when mommy sat down to pay the bills, she discovered we had a very
serious emergency. Thankfully, wonderful folks wired donations for the
essentials. Many bills are still due.
This is where I need your help. We need you, the donors, help to
recover the stolen checks. Rikki's needs proof of checks to recover
funds. Checks were probably thrown away. But if you sent a check to
Rikki's PO box September 27 - October 5 and it does not have a rubber
stamping on the back, "For Deposit Only, Life Unlimited of Virginia,
Inc.", notify your bank and Rikki's immediately. If your check wasn't
cashed, I beg, please reissue it to help the animals during this
difficult time.
Credit card donations are listed as "RIKKISREFUG 540-854-0870 VA". If
something looks suspicious, contact your credit card company and Rikki's
immediately.
I'm begging anyone who can spare just a buck or two to help Rikki's
Refuge, please, it's desperately needed at this time.
http://bit.ly/BeMyHero Rikki's Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960.
I'm hoping that, once caught, the thief will be sentenced to doing the
job of Rikki's CEO. By the way, it's not as glamorous as you may think!
It's mostly moving tons of cat litter, cleaning litter boxes, scooping
dog runs, mucking stalls, giving pills to animals who bite and .....
Seems only fair, if they want one part of the identity, they should
get it all !!!!
And I want to thank you very very much for your help as we struggle thru
keeping Rikki's Refuge afloat.
OKAY, SO NOW THE BAD STUFF IS OUT OF THE WAY, AND LET'S GET BACK TO MORE
HAPPY NEWS!
Harvey recovered completely and totally and very rapidly from some
intricate surgery on his neck. KiKi has recovered beautifully from her
eye surgery. Nanny is doing very well. Everybody seems happy and healthy!
And I have a new brofur, and it looks like he's going to survive!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge/5121052421/
He had a bad head injury last Saturday night and was unconscious and has
a concussion. He needed 24 hour care for the first several days. Until
last night it appeared that he was blind, but his vision has begun to
return. Today his hearing started coming back. And by afternoon he had a
sense of smell again and was able to eat on his own!
He still need your prayers and love to finish his recovery, but soon
we're hoping he'll be perfectly healthy and looking for a new home.
Would you consider adopting him?
Mu Brofur Needy Smurf, eats like a bulldozer and needs a bath after meals!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGBkTw--_Qo
AND NOW DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT KIND OF EXCITEMENT IS COMING UP AT
RIKKI'S REFUGE?
TUPPERWARE FOR RIKKI'S REFUGE!
Amy Sommer has created a wonderful way for you to buy Christmas gifts
without even having to get up or go out! 40% of anything sold from the
special Tupperware catalog will be given to Rikki's! Everybody needs
Tupperware!! You can access the catalog by clicking here
http://order.tupperware.com/pls/htprod_www/!twx$eparty_ctl.p_guest_welcome?pv_eparty=155b7bf84aea3c26c5d3792cc23962e5
BUYING GOODIES FROM AMAZON?
Go thru out link and Amazon will make a donation to Rikki's!! No charge
to you !!!!
http://www.amazon.com/?&tag=wwwrikkisrefu-20&camp=212361&creative=392013&linkCode=wsw&
USE OUR SHOPPING PAGE FOR ALL YOUR HOLIDAY NEEDS
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/Rikkis/ShopAndSave.html
Just clicking to your favorite store through our iGive link will
automatically generate a donation, without costing you a penny!
USE THE KROGER CARE CARD
It costs you nothing yet Kroger donates 5% of your grocery bill to
Rikki's!!! http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/Rikkis/kroger.html
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A WRITER OR PHOTOGRAPHER?
We are always looking for articles and photos for Reflections the
printed newsletter. Here's your chance to be a world famous writer,
will even publish your name! Send your article about a visit to Rikki's
Refuge, an animal that has changed your life, or any happy inspiring
story. Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org
HALLOWEEN TOUR AT RIKKI'S REFUGE SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31
Location: Rikki's Refuge, Orange County, Virginia, near the intersection
of Route 20 & Route 522, just check Google maps for Rikki's Refuge
http://rikkisrefuge.org/facebook/SummaryPage/Map.html
Time: noon - 2 pm, only one tour, please be prompt, gates will be
unlocked at 11:30 am
Admission: a minimum of one can of cat food per person
Tour the refuge and meet me of course !!! It's just one tour and it
starts at noon, so be there in time. You'll meet all 1259 of us, goats
and pigs and cows and horses and chickens and guinea pigs and rabbits
and dogs and us cats of course!! Cost of the tour is one can of cat
food per person, but please be generous and bring a case. We're all
putting on fat and fur for the winter and need your help. Remember,
tours are outdoors so dress for the weather, long pants and sturdy shoes
are always a good idea and please leave your jewelry home, it's very
unhealthy for the emus to eat it.
AND IT'S PUMPKIN HAULING SEASON! NOVEMBER 1 - 8TH
Volunteers needed: contact Candy the Pumpkin Princess aka Catnip Candy
at paulcandy214@verizon.net if you can help
Everybody here except us kitty cats and the doggies like to eat
pumpkins. It's really healthy, full of vitamins and wonderful
nutrition. But still, not as tasty as a mouse!
Just about everybody who sells pumpkins will be wanting us to haul their
leftovers away after Halloween night. Just stop and ask the stands that
you see, and I bet they will let you take the pumpkins and bring them to us.
We have lots of places in Northern Virginia that give us their pumpkins.
But I need YOUR HELP to pick them up and bring them down here, or to
help load the trucks.
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6
Volunteers needed: contact Laurie lkarnay@yahoo.com
Location: Reston VA Town Center
Time: 11 am - 4 pm
Sponsored by GoodDogz.org
http://www.gooddogz.org/index.php/content/view/112/152/
The more the merrier at events. Help with our booth and have fun!
RIKKI'S SECOND ANNUAL 5K RUN, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7
Location: Chancellor High School Track
Race Time: 8:00 am
Registration: 6:30 am - 7:30 am
Advance Registration Fee: $30.00
Race Day Registration: $30.00 + donation of cat food of any kind.
Prizes: Awards to the top three male and female overall and top three
male and female finishers in each age group.
Age Groups: 19-under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60 and over.
Just ask me if you'd like the flyer and registration form
Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org
Come join in the fun and run run run - can you outrun KiKi????? You
can pass out any flyer, please let me know Hang them up everywhere you
can think of !!! We want 100 runner !!!!!
FELINE SPEUTER CLINIC (CATS ONLY, FERALS WELCOME), SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7
Location: Culpeper Animal Hospital, 441 Aspen Street, Culpeper, Virginia
Date: November 7th Time: Drop off 7-8 am
$50 to spay and $35 to neuter Space is limited - reserve a spot for your
kitty NOW! We've got four docs doing surgery so we're able to add more
kitties!!! Email Kerry@RikkisRefuge.org to reserve your spot!
Ask me for the flyer for details and information about other services
available that day such as vaccinations, and give a copy to anyone you
know who's in need of an inexpensive speuter!
Life's better after a trip to the Speuter Clinic !!! Trust me, if I'd
gotten a ride to the Speuter Clinic when I should have, I wouldn't have
been chasing hot young things and lost my leg in an accident.
RABIES CLINIC, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7
Location: Culpeper Animal Hospital, 441 Aspen Street, Culpeper, Virginia
Time: 9 am - 2 pm
Cost: $10
Outdoors so make sure your animals are restrained in your car or
carriers. All vaccination will be good for one year unless you bring a
current rabies certificate that is not inspired, then you will get a
three-year certificate.
YARD SALE, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7
Location: Culpeper Animal Hospital, 441 Aspen Street, Culpeper, Virginia
Time: 9 am - 2 pm
GEE, NOVEMBER 7TH IS A BUSY DAY.
The proceeds of the events at Culpeper Animal Hospital will be used to
run the Speuter Clinic in Pana Guatemala. Dr. Meredith Vargas and crew
will be headed over for a marathon weeklong clinic in December.
CIVIL WAR RELIC HUNT, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13
Location: Rikki's Refuge, Orange County, Virginia, near the intersection
of Route 20 & Route 522, just check Google maps for Rikki's Refuge
http://rikkisrefuge.org/facebook/SummaryPage/Map.html
Time: 8 am - 4 pm advance RSVP a must, a stay all day or just a portion
of the day
Admission: $100 per person, $500 for a group of 6, finder keeps all
This is the first time all 367 acres will be open for relic hunting. 70
acres is cleared and doesn't animal areas, please don't anger the
counts! 297 acres is wooded and quite pristine. Please wear blaze
orange. There is no animal hunting permitted on Rikki's Refuge, however
there may be neighbors hunting on their side of the property line.
FALL / WINTER TOUR AT RIKKI'S REFUGE SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13
Location: Rikki's Refuge, Orange County, Virginia, near the intersection
of Route 20 & Route 522, just check Google maps for Rikki's Refuge
http://rikkisrefuge.org/facebook/SummaryPage/Map.html
Time: noon - 2 pm, only one tour, please be prompt, gates will be
unlocked at 11:30 am
Admission: a minimum of one can of cat food per person
NATURE HIKE, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13
Location: Rikki's Refuge, Orange County, Virginia, near the intersection
of Route 20 & Route 522, just check Google maps for Rikki's Refuge
http://rikkisrefuge.org/facebook/SummaryPage/Map.html
Time: 2 - 4 pm, please be prompt
Admission: a minimum of one CASE of cat food per person
This is pristine nature, sturdy hiking shoes and dress for the weather,
please wear blaze orange, it is hunting season although hunting is not
permitted on Rikki's Refuge, neighbors maybe hunting on adjoining
properties.
ANIMAL SAFE THANKSGIVING DINNER, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21
Location: at the home of a donor in Spotsylvania, near Route 20 and Route 3
Time: 4 pm appetizers, 6 pm sit down dinner
Admission: $25 or free to Rikki Family Members who's donation status in
2010 is $1,000+
Vegetarian / Vegan/ Everybody welcome !!! Carnivoirs won't be
dissapointed. Our chef this delightful and has done a number of animal
safe Thanksgiving dinners for Rikki's Refuge before. I've never heard
anything but wonderful praise of her meals. Even the carnivores amongst
us say they wouldn't have noticed the meat was missing if someone hadn't
told them!
A fun social event for everybody. The home has resident dogs and cats,
so if your allergies are bad, this is not the place for you.
.
CALLING ALL SANTAS AND ELVES!!! PHOTOS WITH SANTA AT PETSMART,
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4
Volunteers needed: contact Melissa dogslife24@comcast.net
Location: PetsMart, Central Park, Fredericksburg, Virginia
Time: 10:30 am - 4:00 pm
One Santa Claus, one photographer and two helpers are needed for each
shift. It's fun, it's climate controlled and there's no poop. Unless
somebody is that scared of Santa!
We need to be there at 10:30 a.m., and the picture taking is from 11:00
until 4:00. Can you volunteer for one of these days? PLEASE!
PHOTOS WITH SANTA AT PETSMART, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5
Volunteers needed: contact Melissa dogslife24@comcast.net
Location: PetsMart, Cosner's Corner, Fredericksburg, Virginia
Time: 10:30 am - 4:00 pm
PHOTOS WITH SANTA AT PETSMART, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11
Volunteers needed: contact Melissa dogslife24@comcast.net
Location: PetsMart, Central Park, Fredericksburg, Virginia
Time: 10:30 am - 4:00 pm
PHOTOS WITH SANTA AT PETSMART, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 12
Volunteers needed: contact Melissa dogslife24@comcast.net
Location: PetsMart, Central Park, Fredericksburg, Virginia
Time: 10:30 am - 4:00 pm
PHOTOS WITH SANTA AT PETSMART, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18
Volunteers needed: contact Melissa dogslife24@comcast.net
Location: PetsMart, Central Park, Fredericksburg, Virginia
Time: 10:30 am - 4:00 pm
WRAPPING AT BARNES AND NOBLE, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20
Volunteers needed: contact Candy paulcandy214@verizon.net
Location: 7 Corners, Falls Church, Virginia
Time: 4:00 pm - 10 pm (two hour shifts available)
This is another great fundraiser with climate control, no heavy lifting,
no poop, no slobber, no fangs, no claws!!!
Anywhere in the country you can ask to set up at Barnes and Noble or
Borders Book and wrap the gifts people purchase there. Donations are
very generous during the holiday season. Would you set up a wrapping
stand at your local Barnes and Noble or Borders Book to help me? One
day would buy lots of Fancy Feast for me! They even supply all the
wrapping paper! All you bring is bows - and you can get about 100 for
$1 at the Dollar Store!!!
It takes all of us working together to make this work and keep all the
animals in food!!!!
WRAPPING AT BARNES AND NOBLE, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21
Volunteers needed: contact Candy paulcandy214@verizon.net
Location: 7 Corners, Falls Church, Virginia
Time: 4:00 pm - 10 pm (two hour shifts available)
CHRISTMAS DAY TOUR, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 25
Location: Rikki's Refuge, Orange County, Virginia, near the intersection
of Route 20 & Route 522, just check Google maps for Rikki's Refuge
http://rikkisrefuge.org/facebook/SummaryPage/Map.html
Time: noon - 2 pm, only one tour, please be prompt, gates will be
unlocked at 11:30 am
Admission: a minimum of one can of cat food per person, come on, it's
Christmas bring a case!
NEW YEAR'S DAY NATURE HIKE, SATURDAY, JANUARY 1
Location: Rikki's Refuge, Orange County, Virginia, near the intersection
of Route 20 & Route 522, just check Google maps for Rikki's Refuge
http://rikkisrefuge.org/facebook/SummaryPage/Map.html
Time: 2 - 4 pm, please be prompt
Admission: a minimum of one CASE of cat food per person
This is pristine nature, sturdy hiking shoes and dress for the weather,
please wear blaze orange, it is hunting season, although hunting is not
permitted on Rikki's Refuge, neighbors maybe hunting on adjoining
properties.
Judith, we need to invent any event page on the web where all this could
easily be, what do you think?
WHAT THE ANIMALS NEED THIS WEEK
Canned dog food, everybody is putting on weight and growing more fur for
the winter
Paper towels, trashbags, laundry detergent, bird seed, bleach, canned
cat food, tuna for sick kitties, science diet prescription A/D canned
food, sections of privacy fence, weather stripping, dishwashing soap.
Volunteers, on-site and off, all kinds of activities and projects.
Anything you can spare without going hungry, mom's working on covering
those nasty bills, please help me help her http://bit.ly/BeMyHero It's
good when my mom is happy cuz she gives me extra treats!!! Don't let
her know I told you that secret ok!!! It's COLD tonight - Mama needs to
get da money to give the propane man so he'll keep us warm! I like
being warm, don't you?
Thank you for helping us to stay warm!
Love and Purrs to YOU my HERO,
Vincent
10/30/10
THE FINE PRINT
Rikki's Refuge in Orange County, Virginia, is a 367-acre, no-kill, all
species, peaceful sanctuary supported solely by donations from kind and
loving individuals just like you! We help farm animals, domestic
animals, and wildlife. Over 1200 individuals of 22 different species
now reside at Rikki's Refuge. Please continue to help us help the
animals. To learn more about Rikki's Refuge go to
http://www.rikkisrefuge.org/, http://www.rikkisrefuge.blogspot.com/, and
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rikkis_refuge .
We survive on donations from kind and loving people, just like you. We
live on a shoestring and make it on less than one dollar per day, per
animal. So if you can spare a couple of bucks to buy a few meals,
please go to http://www.paypal.com/ and use our email address of
mail@rikkisrefuge.org . We do accept checks, money orders, cash and
stuff, too! Thanks for your support. Rikki's Refuge, PO Box 1357,
Orange VA 22960
Your donations directly support the Critters of Rikki's Refuge. 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. We hold membership in all Combined Federal Campaigns in
Virginia #77674, Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign #3163, PetsMart
Charities #1377, iGive, Benevolink, paypal.com (mail@rikkisrefuge.org),
your donations provide direct support. A financial statement is
available upon written request from the State Office of Consumer Affairs.
If you know others who'd enjoy reading about the exciting adventures at
Rikki's Refuge let me know and I'll be happy to include them. If you
are one of those strange humans who does not wish to laugh and cry with
us, simply reply with "REMOVE" and nothing but "REMOVE" in the subject
line.
--
Vincent D. Cat, Official Spokes Cat of Rikki's Refuge
Representing the Right to Life of the Differently Abled of every species.
Please VOTE daily to help Rikki's Refuge be the Top Shelter in the Nation!
We're very honored to have been voted the Number One Animal Rescue in
Virginia.
Now we're going for the gold!!! Click here http://bit.ly/VoteVincent
and enter Rikkis Refuge in VA in the USA
click search, then vote, then identify your animal of the day for
confirmation
Please share this with family and friends, with the most number of votes
by December 20th, we'll win first prize of $10,000!!!
JOIN THE RIKKI'S FAMILY http://bit.ly/BeMyHero
Not a Rikki's Family Member? For only $45 you can join for a year and
receive your electronic subscription to HAIRBALLS and paper subscription
to REFLECTIONS
DONATE NOW save a life today http://bit.ly/BeMyHero
RIKKI'S REFUGE a 367 acre, no-kill, all species peaceful sanctuary
supported solely by donations of kind and loving individuals, just like you.
Your donations provide direct support. Only 4% of our income is spent on
fundraising and management, 96% is spent directly on the animals you
love. A financial statement is available upon written request from the
State Office of Consumer Affairs. All material in this e-mail is
copyrighted and cannot be used for any purpose other than to bring
awareness of Rikki's Refuge and the plight of unwanted animals to the
public. Any monetary gain attributed to this material must be donated
to Rikki's.
Phone: 540-854-0870
Address: PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960
Member: paypal.com (mail@rikkisrefuge.org),
CFC 77674, CVC 3163, PetsMart Charities #1377
Web page: http://www.rikkisrefuge.org
E-mail: Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org
