This Saturday (3/14/09) is the annual St. Patty’s For Pets at the VFW in Sparta. The doors open at 6:00 pm and offers a dinner, silent auction and dancing to “Backwoods.” This is an important evening for fundraising for the animals that make their way through the doors of the Randolph County Humane Society and due to the generosity of the local businesses that donate to the silent auction it is the largest fundraiser of the year. This year you’ll have an opportunity to bid on a variety of items that range from a 1-1/2 ct diamond 14k white gold bracelet that’s valued in the thousands to fast food certificates. No matter what you’re looking for you’ll find it for a bargain at the silent auction, so please call everyone in your phone book and make arrangements to attend. The cost for an entire evening of food and entertainment is $10 per person and tickets will be available at the door. The evening will be a lot of fun and the ultimate benefit to the animals is the shelter stays open for business for a couple of months and saves more lives in the process.
If you wonder why I am always asking people to dig deep and donate to the cause, think for a moment what it costs you to take care of your animals every month. Chances are your animals are in good health and don’t come to you needing heart worm treatment ($350) or hundreds in surgery for a gun shot wound but get by on a once per year vet visit, vaccinations, monthly heart worm preventative and food. Now think of it in terms of the number of animals that grace their doors every month of the year and you can see it doesn’t take long to add up. Fortunately our shelter is operated 100% by volunteers but the everyday expenses keep going up just like they do in our homes. No one is exempt from the difficulties of making it through the month, especially a no-kill shelter that depends on the kindness of the community it supports. So please, call your friends and make a point to attend the St. Patty’s for Pets and have fun while doing a good deed.
I read a story called “No Charge for Love” that is by an unknown author, and I’d like to share it with you today. A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell. He painted a sign advertising the 4 pups and set about nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard. As he was driving the last nail into the post, he felt a tug on his overalls. He looked down into the eyes of a little boy. “Mister,” he said, “I want to buy one of your puppies.” “Well,” said the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat of the back of his neck, “These puppies come from fine parents and cost a good deal of money.” The boy dropped his head for a moment. Then reaching deep into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer. “I’ve got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?” “Sure,” said the farmer, and with that he let out a whistle. Here, Dolly!” he called. Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly followed by four little balls of fur. The little boy pressed his face against the chain link fence. His eyes danced with delight. As the dogs made their way to the fence, the little boy noticed something else stirring inside the doghouse. Slowly another little ball appeared, this one noticeably smaller. Down the ramp it slid. Then in a somewhat awkward manner, the little pup began hobbling toward the others, doing its best to catch up…. “I want that one,” the little boy said, pointing to the runt. The farmer knelt down at the boy’s side and said, “Son, you don’t want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would. “With that the little boy stepped back from the fence, reached down, and began rolling up one leg of his trousers. In doing so he revealed a steel brace running down both sides of his leg attaching itself to a specially made shoe. Looking back up at the farmer, he said, “You see sir, I don’t run too well myself, and he will need someone who understands.” With tears in his eyes, the farmer reached down and picked up the little pup. Holding it carefully he handed it to the little boy. “How much?” asked the little boy. “No charge,” answered the farmer, “There’s no charge for love.”
Please make a point of supporting the RCHS this weekend and keep them in the business of saving lives, one by one.
