With All Our Heart

I received an email from a friend of mine who runs an animal rescue organization. A fundraising event is in the planning/preparation stage, and my friend asked me if I would help. The date and location are set, but items are needed for the raffle and silent auction. (All proceeds raised for the fundraiser will go to her organization, Pick of the Litter, a  non-profit a 501c3 organization.)

Instantly, I posted a shout-out to my Facebook friends, asking for donations for the raffle and auction. Happily, I received three responses. Robin H. gave me a hand-knitted baby blanket, Robin C. is looking to see about getting items from KONG (the pet toy company), and a third friend – whose name is not Robin – sent me the following note:

“Lenore – My little company, DesignsByHeart, creates and sells products to help support animal rescue, rehabilitation, and education… I have a couple of products I can donate to this auction. Can I somehow send them to you and have you get them where they need to be? Email me, and give me the scoop on this. I’d love to sync up with this organization somehow… Thanks friend!!”

The generosity of my friends was enough to put a smile on my face, but because one of the responding friends lives in Reno, NV, I was overcome with joy and gratitude! You see, my friend, Elise, and her animal rescue organization is located here in Georgia. Nonetheless, my Reno friend is not going to let a silly thing like state borders to interfere with her donating to a great cause. In fact, my Reno friend posted a ‘call to action’ on her Facebook page, in hopes of generating more help.

I would like to write a post about my Reno friend, but the purpose of this post is to further publicize the need for items for the auction/raffle. However, I will tell you that my Reno friend and I were in high school together. Though we did not hang out actively, we knew and liked one another. Like many on Facebook, I was reunited with my Reno friend online. I was drawn to her wonderful pictures of her travels abroad and home. She’s an avid biker, animal lover and artist. I post comments on many of her pictures, thanking her for ‘taking us along’ on her journeys. I live vicariously through her traveling adventures. One day I noticed a Facebook notification from my Reno friend. Having asked her to enjoy a beer for me on the ski slopes, she let me know she did just that.

The above may seem like a silly story, but I find goodness in silly things. I appreciate the silly things in life. The fact that my Reno friend engaged in the silly, based on my living vicariously through her… well, her actions put a smile on my face.

Again, I would like to write a post about my Reno friend, but the purpose of this post is to solicit donations. Yes, I am soliciting. No, I am not soliciting sex; nor am I sexting. (The preceding sentences are a lame attempt to generate hits to my blog, possibly increasing the number of donations.)

Pick of the Litter exists to save the lives of our furry four-legged friends. Elise, the operator of the rescue organization, goes to great lengths to ensure that animals in need get their needs met. Animal shelters contact Elise when they have critical situations, hoping Elise can lend a hand. When I began writing this post several days ago, my animal rescuing friend was working with her vet to save the lives of  two 10-wk old puppies battling the Parvo virus. Sadly, the puppies have since died. While Elise struggles financially, her goal in life is to save and care for as many animals as she can. The loss of an animal’s life does not get easier for Elise, and the vet bills do not subside.

As one might expect, Elise cannot save all the furry four-legged friends on her own. Elise needs help. Frankly, Elise needs a great amount of help.

In an effort to meet the needs of Elise, who is meeting the needs of the animals, fundraisers are organized. Fundraisers, like the one scheduled for July 16, 2011, “Putting for Puppies”.

Posting information about the fundraiser on Facebook is easy. Sending out emails to local people and making local calls is easy. Local, local, local. That was my focus.

Never would I have imagined a caring soul in Reno would volunteer to provide items for the raffle/auction. Never would I have imagined opening the playing field beyond the fence of the Georgia border. However, because my Reno friend is willing to reach out to Elise and her organization, I believe others outside GA may be willing to do the same.

So I ask, do you have any items you can donate for the silent auction/raffle?

Please contact me (lenorediane@yahoo.com), if you have some artwork, services, crafts, etc. you’d like to donate for the fundraiser. Items need to be received prior to July 16, 2011. Please know, I am happy to cover the shipping costs.

If you do not have any items to contribute to the fundraiser, monetary donations are greatly appreciated. You may donate online: Pick of the Litter. In addition, I encourage you to check out my friend’s website: DesignsByHeart. With every purchase you make from DesignsByHeart, you help support animal rescue, rehabilitation, and education.

With all our heart, Elise, Laura, and I thank you for supporting causes we believe make a difference in the world. And, with all our heart, Elise, Laura, and I remind you to have your dogs and cats spade and neutered.