Teamwork: My education continues

“Please, sir, May I have some more?”  Oliver Twist may have been seeking a different type of sustenance in that oft-quoted passage from the Dickens novel, but there was a time when I echoed his plea.  The sustenance I was after wasn’t another serving of gruel; it was precious funding to keep HSAPL on track and moving forward in our work to rescue and find homes for our own orphans; the four-legged, feline kind.

However, I am learning that soliciting funds isn’t so much a plea as a partnership with people who want to help.  Once a potential donor learns where the needs lie, it is often just a matter of matching that donor with the particular area that has meaning for him.  Some donors are excited about making an impact through funding spay and neuter services; others get satisfaction from knowing that their dollars are helping provide medical help for the cats.  And yet others see the organization as a whole and support the general fund so that money can be used where needed.  The common thread with each of these people is generosity and the sincere desire to make a difference in the lives of these cats.

As my education in fundraising continues, I am constantly learning about the variety of ways people can give.  I used to think that only rich people could donate to charities, but I couldn’t have been more mistaken!  I recently attended a seminar in which I learned that one of the easiest ways to give is by making arrangements to leave something to an organization after the person passes on.  It costs the donor nothing during his lifetime, but will accomplish so much down the road.  I’m working on plans to create a “Legacy Honor Society” in which anyone who makes such a bequest is invited to an annual tea or cocktail party.  Why not have some fun while we’re helping the cats?!

My days of embarrassment and reluctance to fundraise are behind me.  I am humbled by the generosity that people of all ages show to HSAPL.  From the children who sell lemonade to make money for the cats to the individuals who bring in food and supplies, kindness is everywhere.  Of course I still dream about that million-dollar gift coming in someday, and I know that it will.  But I now understand that it isn’t the one big donation that keeps an organization afloat, it’s the ongoing support.  Whether it’s $5.00 or $500,000, a kitten or cat’s life is made better by every single gift.

To learn more about donating, adopting, or volunteering, please call Pam Walker at 772-463-7386

Foster care: Loving 'em and letting 'em leave

“I could never foster cats.  I would fall in love with them and end up keeping them all!”  I have heard this sentiment expressed over and over again when talking to people about volunteering as foster parents for HSAPL.  And, I have to admit, I empathize.  Several of my family cats started out as foster cats, but never quite made it out of my household.

Fostering involves nurturing a cat, helping the cat to become well-adjusted and healthy, and then stepping back and letting it go when a permanent home is found.  This can be tough emotionally, and that’s what makes fostering one of the most selfless and kind jobs that a volunteer can undertake.  It means putting the overall well-being of the cats ahead of one’s own emotions.

I spoke with Liz, the coordinator for the HSAPL foster program, and foster parent extraordinaire.  Liz has been fostering cats for twelve years and has found homes for over 120 cats.  She began fostering when she worked for a humane society in Michigan and saw cats being euthanized because there were no foster homes to provide temporary housing for them.

When asked about her most memorable foster experience, Liz recounted the story of a 12-year-old Russian Blue cat, Frazier, who came to her with a severe respiratory illness.  Liz nursed Frazier back to health and after four months he was adopted by a lovely, older couple.  The couple corresponded with Liz for the next three years at which point the husband contracted cancer.  Throughout his ordeal, Frazier spent many hours by the man’s side.  After the man passed on, the wife confided to Liz that her husband had derived much comfort from the cat’s presence.  Shortly thereafter, Frazier passed on of kidney failure.  One likes to imagine that Frazier felt his mission on earth had been accomplished and he was ready to move on.

 Liz gives this advice to the aspiring foster parent: “Fostering,” she says, “is a total commitment to getting the kitten or cat ready for its forever home.  You must realize that your home is only a halfway house and try not to get too attached.  Fostering can be a joyful experience and the rewards will outweigh the difficulty of parting.”

Liz is currently fostering this engaging little kitten, Cheddar.  You can learn more about Cheddar and other cats that are currently available for adoption by checking online at: http://petfinder.com or by calling HSAPL at 772-463-7386.

Shelly, my beautiful Siamese-mix cat, almost didn’t make it past the first week of life.   Shelly’s mother lives outdoors as a free-roaming (feral) cat and when the time came to deliver (soon-to-become) Shelly and her siblings, the mother found an abandoned pontoon boat, precariously balanced on some rafters, in an old boathouse. Finding a hole in one of the pontoons, she climbed inside and gave birth to her kittens.  However, when the kittens were only a few days old, something shifted between the boat and the rafters and the pontoon’s hole was blocked.  The mother cat found herself trapped on the outside with no way to reach her hungry babies inside the pontoon.

For several days the kittens mewed helplessly, starving and shivering through the cold January nights.  Fortunately, the mother was part of a colony managed by a caretaker, “G.”.  On one of his rounds, he heard the kittens inside the pontoon, but attempts to access them proved unsuccessful.  He called Hobe Sound Animal Protection League for help.

“P.,” a volunteer for HSAPL, took the call. The gravity of the situation was quickly apparent and it was clear that something had to be done, quickly.

P. grabbed a jacket and a flashlight and hurried to meet G. at the boat.  The situation looked grim; accessing the kittens seemed impossible.  Finally, after searching the dark recesses of the boat house, G. found a pair of rusty metal cutters.  He was able to cut a small hole in the pontoon, just large enough for P to slide in her slender arm and feel around for the kittens.  One, two, three kittens emerged, weak and dehydrated, but hanging on to life by a thread.

The kittens were whisked to the vet and subsequently taken to nurturing foster homes where they all recovered.  Eventually each one found a permanent home.  Shelly came to live with my family.   Frightened and shy at first, she came to trust us over time and these days she pretty much rules the roost. She is now a large, healthy cat who will never have to be afraid or hungry again.

Shelly’s experience is one of the hundreds of success stories in which HSAPL’s efforts have provided a happy resolution to what would have otherwise been a very sad tale .  I am grateful each day to HSAPL and the people who dedicate themselves to making sure that cats like Shelly all have stories with happy endings.

Please share your comments and stories of how your cats came into your lives.  Every cat is special and every story, unique!

Commitment--"Just Two Hours a Week!"

Almost five years have passed since I became involved with Hobe Sound Animal Protection League. I remember the wonder and excitement I experienced that beautiful spring day when one of the volunteers, “L,” took me out to Caring Fields Animal Sanctuary for a tour. Caring Fields is a pastoral, 23-acre property in Palm City that is home to ERAF, an equine rescue group, and to HSAPL, a no-kill feline rescue and adoption organization with facilities like none I had ever seen. While I expected to see a typically depressing “shelter” for cats, “L” had brought me to a virtual feline paradise right in my own community.

In this amazing setting, more than 100 cats live and roam freely on acres of grassy land that is subtly and strategically fenced to create a natural, protected environment for the cats. The property is dotted with colorful, well-crafted “houses” that serve as shelter for the cats and feeding stations where volunteers prepare meals for the cats twice each day.  L. led me into one of the houses, trailed by a welcoming committee of friendly cats. I looked up to see several furry faces peering down at me from the platforms and cozy nooks that have been cleverly placed at varying heights inside the feeding station. Cats were everywhere; big cats, little cats, shy cats and outgoing cats. A pair of black and white cats rubbed up against our legs and multiple pairs of green and yellow eyes watched expectantly as we prepared their afternoon meal. It was obvious to me that these cats were well cared for and living a comfortable life. There was plenty of room to romp in the sun or nap under a tree. As “L” and I made our way through this tranquil refuge, she chatted about how much she loves coming out to feed the cats, all 100+ of them, every week during her volunteer shift.

“How long does it take to feed all these cats?” I asked.

“Oh, a couple of hours, I guess.  But it’s so peaceful out here, just me and the cats.  It’s quiet and you can hear the wind. I look forward to coming out.”

 By the end of our tour, I was hooked. I knew I had to be part of this organization which provided such a unique, safe haven for homeless cats. Right then and there I signed up as a volunteer for a weekly feeding shift.  My decision to volunteer with HSAPL turned out to be life-changing, but of course I didn’t know it at the time.  Silly me, I thought I’d be coming out once a week to feed some cats. Period. Funny thing about volunteer work . . . the passion kind of sneaks up on you.

Week after week, I went to Caring Fields to feed the cats. It felt good to help, really good.  And there were others helping; wonderful women who shared my love of cats and my commitment to making a difference. To this day, some of these ladies remain among my closest friends.  Before long, our team of determined volunteers started coming up with ideas to help the cats.  Some of us organized a weekly adoption booth at Petsmart.  The more homes we found, the more cats we could take in, and the more lives we could save!  Other volunteers started a network of foster families whose job it was to take in shy cats to teach them to trust people to prepare them for adoption. Our organization flourished and grew. Generous donors stepped forward with financial support and the volunteers worked together to launch the very first "Paws for a Cause" fundraiser to help cover expenses at the sanctuary. Miraculously, there always seemed to be enough to keep us going. Over time, more volunteers joined us -- men, women and teens, who shared our vision and love for cats. Before long, we were publishing a quarterly newsletter, launching an expanded website and reaching out to the local community by providing low-cost and no-cost spay/neuter services. What started as a little bit of volunteer work had taken on a life of its own.   

Fast forward to the present. HSAPL is now celebrating its Tenth Year Anniversary. Caring Fields has expanded and is now home to 150 cats. We have spayed and neutered more than 1800 cats since our spay/neuter program launched in 2009 and our financial needs are met through the generous gifts of sponsors and donors and proceeds from the three large scale fundraising events we organize each year. More than 50 active volunteers now give their time, talent, money and passion to help the cats. What started as a few caring individuals coming together to help cats is now a full blown charitable organization complete with a board of directors, committees and budgets. These days, I spend much of my time on the computer and on the phone for HSAPL. I seldom have time to go out to the sanctuary to feed the cats. Although I love what I’m doing, it’s easy to forget what brought me to the organization in the first place. But any time I need a reminder I just head out to Caring Fields and walk out into the campgrounds.  The welcoming committee of cats is still there, the wind still rustles through the trees, and the peace and quiet washes over me like it did that first day. I smile as I experience the magic of the sanctuary which never fails to hook me all over again.

Appointments to tour the HSAPL sanctuary at Caring Fields in Palm City, FL, may be arranged by calling: 772-463-7386.