Shorty's Birthday Bloopers
Hi!
"Shorty, what is all over your whiskers?"
I cannot tell a lie, it's cake.
"Shorty, I don't see any cake, what cake?"
The cake was for the shelter's birthday issue photo shoot.
"I still don't see any cake... Okay Shorty, if you had a cake where is it now?"
Hmmmmmmm... funny you should ask that question. My buddy Bob and I wanted the shoot to look realistic, so we bought a cake. Just looking at the cake didn't seem to do it, so we had a piece of the cake. After that...
"Shorty, as long as the photos turned out well, please, spare me the details."
Ahem, that's the part I was just about to explain... but as long as you don't want to know, I think it's the perfect time for me to find a nice place to hide and take a cat nap...
"SHORTY!!"
Uhoh, something tells me by the tone in your voice that you discovered a slight problem with the pictures.
"Problem? Shorty, what kind of picture is this? Shorty, just look at these photos! How can we use any of these for the front page photo? What is this picture of Bob sprawled across the desk supposed to mean? It certainly doesn't capture the spirit of the occasion."
I thought I would title that shot party pooper.
"Oh that's good, Shorty, we are trying to express the excitement we feel about the shelter's approaching birthday, and you catch the spirit of the occasion with party pooper! Oh, and this photo's real good too, Bob with his party hat pulled over his face. He looks like Garfield Goose!"
Well at about that time the cake was all gone, Bob was tired of the hat, and he had had enough of the photo shoot. Well... you know Bob, I didn't want to push the issue.
"Shorty this just won't work, we'll have to go with the dog shoot. We don't have time to get any more pictures, and as you mentioned, Bob doesn't have any more patience."
I'm sorry I messed up the pictures, but I do have one thing I wanted to say:
Happy Birthday T.L.C.!
To all our good friends out there thanks for making this possible. Also don't send presents just send cash.
"Shorty! You can't say that!"
Well, I just did. You wouldn't want me to lie. You said yourself that you would like to raise enough money to be able to build an addition to the shelter, and hopefully have it completed for T.L.C.'s 25th birthday. Our friends will understand where I'm coming from.
"Shorty, what am I going to do with you?"
Feed me I hope, it is getting close to lunchtime you know.
love,
Shorty
P.S.
Again to all our friends out there, I want you to know that my buddies and myself really appreciate your help and...... is that the can opener I hear? Uhoh gotta run
3M Move Your Main Office to Illinois so we Can Have Harry and Margie Back!
Many of you know Margie and Harry Verlato or have known of them through the newsletter, and all the things they did to help the shelter. Well Margie and Harry still want to be involved with T.L.C., but they will have to do it via long distance. Due to a company transfer Margie and Harry have moved to Minnesota, drats.
Margie said with winters being longer there, it might be a good time to start on Volume III of the T.L.C. Cookbook! She said she would be more than happy to type up all the recipes for us, once they start coming in. We still plan on seeing Margie and Harry whenever they can make it in. To quote Margie, "You can't get rid of us that easy!"
Margie and Harry have had to make several company transfers in the past, but they had hoped that this was their last. They liked the area here, and liked being a big help to the shelter, but we know that wherever Margie and Harry go they will be a very welcome addition to any community. They are a very giving couple, and like to give back to their community. Needless to say we do miss them.
We're Expecting Again...
To prevent the above scenario please spay and neuter your pets. There is nothing cuter than puppies and kittens, but it isn't cute if there are not enough homes for them.
For Cook County residents during the month of February there will be a rebate to encourage you to have your pet neutered. Call your local veterinarian, as long as he is in Cook County, and inquire if he is participating in the Cook County spay/neuter program. If you are having problems locating a vet in your area that is in the program just call Cook County Animal Control at (708)974-6140 and they can put you in touch.
The price for a dog spay is $50
Dog neuter $35
Cat spay $35
Cat neuter $25
Remember this is for February only
Not only will you save you will also be saving lives!
Save Those Proofs
Homeless Homer and Morris Proofs pay off! Please keep saving them for us. We just received a $100 bonus check for turning in so many proofs for 1997. Thanks!
Neither Rain, nor Snow, nor Wind, nor Hail...
could dampen anyone's enthusiasm at the T.L.C.'s Christmas Craft Show and Bake Sale. The hall looked great thanks to Phyliss Klingensmith, Valerie Kot and Gayle Ashe, spending Friday setting it up.
Snow greeted us on Saturday, and we worried that the sale may not go that well with folks wanting to stay home. Undaunted by the weather, Donna & Wayne Holous, P.J. Fitzgerald, Michele Maratto, Kendall Lupine, Valerie Kot, Ina Jacobs, Cathy Melton, Tom & June Bussa, Phyliss Klingensmith, Harry & Margie Verlato, and Annie Coleman continued setting out goodies as they arrived. The courtesy table was kept supplied with hot cocoa, coffee and tea too thanks to Tom & June Bussa. It certainly helped warm folks up, who had just come in out of the cold. (By the way Margie Verlato flew in from Minnesota to help, and her husband Harry helped as much as possible between showing their house to prospective buyers, but more about that later).
This year's crafters and bakers really outdid themselves, and we would like to thank the following people for their generosity: Mrs. Jervis Lang, Gina Ruttle, Carol Losey, Robbin Frederickson, Nancy Grizzi, Geri Pajkos, Janine Gubewicz, Elmira Binkowski, Barb Chwierut, Cindy Chubb, Don Latronica, Terry Cortesi, the Homemaker Ladiesfrom Drexel, Clare Paskiet, Betty Aspel, Evelyn Kolar, Selma Carmichael, the folks at the Purple Cow Ice Cream Cafe, Christie Osgood, Vicki Tryjefaczka, Alice Roth, Carl & Ann Ernst, June & Tom Bussa, Margie & Harry Verlato, Donna Kargol, Cynthia Edwards, Martha Maggs, Mary Holous, Valerie Kot, Nancy Gannon, Yvonne Mautner, Lee Ann Mayr, Milda Michael, Rita Kot, Nina Pellicci, Kathleen Cannellse, Martha Horsley, Linda Marzano, Della Toilfson, Lisa Ramsey, Elaine Tryjefaczka, Rita Kinsella, Don & Pam Brown, Beth Heddeen, Michael Martin Junior, Mirta Doede, Carolyn Wright, Katherine Ashe, Lila M. Konow, Mr. & Mrs. Reylek, Annie Coleman, Donna & Wayne Holous, Helen Pytlewski, Cub Scout Pack 61 (Kyle Vitette, Sam Inman, Matt Griffin, T.J. Salyer, Mike Weber & Jacob Backhoff), Sarah Ahlberg, Sal Maratto, Sandi O'Brien, Russ & Rosie Musselman, and a special thanks to Mable Chapman and Joan Buzeky for driving down from Wisconsin to drop off a multitude of craft items! (I hope we didn't forget anyone!)
This year there were alot of terrific prizes to raffle off too, thanks to Kendall Lipine and Michele Maratto who donated several wonderful baskets full of Country Peddlar items, Charlotte Wright who donated a basket full of Beanie Babies, Becky Demeo who donated the Shedd Aquarium Basket, Brookfield Zoo Basket, 3M supply basket, and Child's Creativity basket, Rosalee Ducato who donated the Mexican Sampler Basket, and the Christmas Ornament set, and the Homer Township Seniors for the Orland Oak Florist Gift Certificate.
The lucky winners were: the $20 Orland Oak Florist gift certificate was won by Lisa Ramsey, Art Headle won the 3M Basket, B. Ermler won the big Country Peddlar Basket, Phyliss Klingensmith won the Country Peddlar Snowman, D. Inman won the Country Peddlar Basket, Marilyn Klatz won the La Preferida Sampler, Pat Mitchell won the $50 child's art supply basket, Lois Juricic won the crystal Christmas ornaments, G.L. Holland won the Brookfield Zoo basket, Matt Berard won the Shedd Aquarium basket, and Lowell won the Beanie Baby basket.
Even though the snow continued throughout the day, we want to thank you for braving the weather to come and make the sale a success.
The only problem we have had with this event is the name, does anyone have a catchy name other than "T.L.C. Animal Shelter's Annual Christmas Craft Show and Bake Sale"? How about something shorter, with a little zip to it? This year we could have called it "When the Snow Flies" or "T.L.C.'s Winter Flake Out Sale" and then while we are at it I suppose we could rename some of the shelter's other events, for example the walkathon could be "It's Raining Cats & Dogs!" We could call our booth at Canal Days "Hotter Than Hmmmmm..." Where am I going with this, you ask? I don't know. I was just thinking about how the weather has often been uncooperative for many of the events we have held, but at the same time I have to smile, because neither rain, nor snow, nor wind, nor hail, keeps all of you wonderful animal lovers from braving the elements to help our furry friends!
Touchy Situation
Which end is up, it's hard to tell when this little gal rolls herself up into a ball. One person thought this little critter was a sea urchin... wrong... it's a little African Hedgehog. It's kind of hard to strike up a friendship, when your hand feels like it has a thousand needles in it!.. For her sake it was a good thing this little girl named Nita decided we weren't such bad people. Out popped her little head, and then she slowly unfurled her body. That's when we noticed her right front leg was blackened and stiff, and the area around her shoulder was terribly enlarged. We took her to Dr. Caffarini who confirmed what we had suspected, she had gangrene. Surgury had to be performed immediately or she would die in a few short days. So off came the leg. Can you imagine trying to work on something so tiny and prickly? Nita, though shy, is as gentle as can be. Not even when we were administering her antibiotic shots did she try to bite us. Anyway Nita thanks all of you for saving her life, your donations made it possible. We don't condone getting exotic animals as pets, and wish pet shops would quit selling them because so little is known about their care etc.. But since Nita is already here, we are looking for that special someone who is knowledgeable about these little critters, and doesn't mind "touchy situations" to give her a good home.
Leg Hold Traps are Still Being Used
The way things have built up around here who would think anyone would be setting leghold traps? Unfortunately the answer is yes as this kitty can attest to. His left hind leg was caught in such a trap. Thanks to a good Samaritan he was rescued, and taken to a vet so the wound could be treated. He was then brought to T.L.C. for adoption.
As you can see he is quite a handsome fella, and it didn't take long before someone came to adopt him. It's just a shame that this guy had to suffer so, before he would have a chance for happiness.
Case in point, this is another good reason to keep your pets inside and not let them roam. You never know where some nitwit is going to set a trap like this. They have been found in many residential areas. What should you do if you find one of these traps? Spring it with a sturdy branch, then take it and get rid of it. Maybe that might deter the idiot who set it from setting more in your area. It seems money often speaks louder than words, and if the party keeps losing traps he just might stop setting them.
Sending Flowers?
With Easter and Mothers Day approaching, if you're thinking of sending flowers try Floral Alliance. Not only will your gift delight the recipient it will also be helping the animals at T.L.C.! Just call 1-800-423-5903 to place your order, and remember the shelter's code number NP-1136 so the shelter receives credit.
