THE PAWPRINT
Page 1
Free
Issue 58
October 2010
Happy Endings… From the Paws for a Cause... Walk!
The happiest story of the day is about Saffron, one of four
shelter dogs who came for the parade. While we walked along the
streets of Salmon Arm, Saffron noticed a particular spectator and
went over to get acquainted. You might say she chose the family
she wanted! Later we learned that this family had been thinking
seriously about getting a dog again, having lost theirs a short time
ago. They had been looking on the website at the dogs in our
shelter before coming to the parade. When Saffron came over to
greet them and Bev, her handler, said, "This dog's for adoption" it
seemed like a sign for them. They knew she would be perfect and
Saffron was adopted. She has learned all the family routines and
they feel like she has always been with them. As a bonus, Saffron
has made friends with the neighbour dogs, too!
Janet Pattinson
Bev and Saffron ready for the parade
SHELTER IMPROVEMENTS
Through generous in kind donations from local businesses:
Shuswap New & Used, Zappone, Black Diamond
Soil, Rona, and Nicos Nursery as well as the time, skill
and donations from Interim Branch Manager Deborah
Baergen, her husband, Don, and a few staff and
volunteers our shelter has been renovated. Among other
projects, we now have a safe upstairs deck, pergola and
fire escape, as well as a renewed staff/volunteer
workroom with cabinets and a desk. French doors for
convenient cat viewing have been installed and the dog
area kitchen is being updated with different cabinets, sink/
counter, and fridge area beside the laundry. A second
laundry area is being installed beside the about to be
renovated upstairs bathroom, both of which will be
conveniently situated by the isolation room. The upstairs
kitchen/meeting room has been improved with the
addition of a restored table and matching chairs and
various indoor areas have been painted. This whirlwind of
building activities has created a regenerated environment
for staff, volunteers and visiting public.
BC SPCA - Shuswap Branch
5850 Auto Rd. SE
Salmon Arm, BC V1E 2X2
Phone: (250) 832-7376
Fax:
(250) 832-7307
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours:
Tues. - Fri. Noon - 4 pm
Visiting / Adoption Hours:
Tues. - Sat. Noon - 4 pm
Emergency Phone (injured cats/
dogs):
(250) 803-1195
www.spca.bc.ca/branches/
shuswap
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ISSUE 58
Origins of Salmon Arm B.C. branch of the S.P.C.A.
By founding member: Clara A. Johnston (Aug. 30,
2010)
Some time ago, in the late 1940’s, we held an initial
meeting to see if we could establish a branch of the Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to animals in the Salmon Arm
region.
About 30 people attended and we had the use of the then
city hall, a mall building on Shuswap Street. Attendees
included Norman and Clara Johnston, Ed Pinske and the
mayor, W.K. Smith. Also present was the SPCA Secretary
(name forgotten) from Vernon who understood well the
process of establishing a formal society and its value.
We had no shelter, no building; only people who cared
about the unwanted animals on our streets and alley-ways.
That was the beginning, about 62 years ago. So much
hard work and organization has gone into it that it is hard to
believe its outstanding success and what an important
position it holds in our society.
At 100 years, Clara Johnston is our most
senior Shuswap Branch member! Here she
is pictured at her birthday celebration with
Arlo, the SPCA dog adopted by
photographer, James Murray
The great work goes on unabated and the education for
children and adults has much to do with the regard the
entire community holds for the Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals.
Clara Johnston’s Cat
My name is Cromwell and I live with my human in a Senior
Citizen’s residence in Salmon Arm. She discovered me 3 or 4
years ago in her own back yard along with several feral and
stray cats. I had injured one hind leg and the advice of the
vet ( Dr. Jim Clarke) was to keep me separate from the other
cats for a while. As a result I had my own apartment where I
was forbidden to jump so I had cushions on the floor until my
injury healed.
After we moved to the Senior’s home I managed to maintain
the “best chair in the house” not to mention my sleeping spot at
the foot of my human’s bed.
I am a “marmalade” in colour. Few marmalades are ever
female – good to know when you are choosing a kitten!
How old I am we do not know but I came from a litter of kittens
down around the Shuswap Theatre and the Art Gallery. I
don’t act or paint but I am clean and quiet and enjoy my
meals. I am totally accepted by family and friends.
Cromwell (with ghost writing help from Clara A. Johnston –
Aug. 30, 2010)
At the Shuswap Shelter
Groom Room and Dog Spaw
5850 Auto Rd SE, 832-7303
Hours 8 to 4, Mon to Sat
NO HST!
Drop in from 10 to 2 for nails
Book now for Xmas!
ISSUE 58
Page 3
From the Chair
Our branch has had many changes over the past several months. During the summer our manager,
Dalyce Miller, asked for a leave and Deb Baergen has been carrying on in the leadership role. Deb
noticed many needs for upgrading in the facility. Looking around for second hand and donated materials
and supplies and with the help of volunteers, including her husband, Don Baergen, she has come up
with several improvements in the working conditions that ultimately mean better living conditions for the
animals.
One thing we need very badly are more foster homes for kittens and puppies. These young souls need
that special care until they are old enough for their shots and to be adopted. Once they have reached
an adoptable size we have no difficulty in finding them homes, but in the early days they need some
privacy!
Earlier in the year we were worried about a lower number of adoptions than hoped for. However, in the
past few months adoptions have picked up again and we are back to an average of 35 per month. We
have been experimenting with different kinds of advertisements to find homes for our animals. They
have been included with the advertising for our Day Camps in April and May and again in our ads for the
Paws Walk. The Walk advertising was sponsored by the Salmon Arm Observer and additional
advertising has been sponsored by Jacobson Ford, Salmon Arm Honda, Hilltop Toyota, Sun
Country Cablevision, Barnaby Katz and Randoph David Jewelry. We greatly appreciate this help.
In the first six months of the year our revenues were lower than our targets. In August the grants we
received from the Shuswap Community Foundation and the CSRD were a huge help in meeting our
expenses. The grant from the City of Salmon Arm in October is also a huge boost to our spirits!
However, we still have a long way to go to meet our budget targets.
This year for the first time the branch held a fund raising event called Kennel Time on October 1st.
The idea is for volunteers to be "locked" into a dog kennel and then they call on their friends, relatives or
clients to make a donation to "bail them out". Barb Hancock, one of our new employees; Don
Baergen; Bonnie Dean of Bonnie's Skin Care and Esthetics; Laurie Goldie of Buckerfield's and Jeff
Stacer of the Real Estate Team together raised $4000 for the Branch. Many thanks to these supporters
and the staff and volunteers who got the day organized. As with all first time ventures we learned a lot
and already we have people promising to help next year when we plan to hold the event in May.
Another new fund raising venture this year is the sponsorship of the dog kennels. For $250, sponsors
will have their names displayed on one of the kennels. We already have sponsors for six of them: Gary
and Pat Lagimodiere, John Pattinson and Chris Philibert have sponsored one or more kennels.
Our thanks to these earliest of our sponsors.
Each year in December we book a table at the Mall at Piccadilly to tell the community about our work
and regularly receive donations at that time. This year I will again be promoting the concept of donating
to our charity as a gift on behalf of a family member or friend who would appreciate the gesture. In
anticipation of the upcoming holiday season I wish all our members, staff, volunteers and supporters a
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
...Janet Pattinson
Contributions to the Pawprint: please send your articles to Hilary Graham
at [email protected], or drop off a printed copy at the Shuswap
Shelter. We’d love to hear from you!
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ISSUE 58
Help from MV Beattie Students
In June a member noticed a story in the Okanagan Advertiser about some girls at MV Beattie School in
Enderby who wanted to help the animals at the Shuswap SPCA shelter. So we wanted to learn more! It
was very inspiring to meet ten girls aged 10 to 12 who had been working on a fund raising project in the
spring. Sierra, Ashley and Amber had been baking peanut butter dog cookies to sell at school. Finding a
recipe on the internet was a good start and with the help of their vice principal, Mr. Whiston, they got bags
and labels and soon had them up for sale. Later some other girls joined with them. Anika, Jennifer,
Bailey, Cashel, Aleisha, Tareyn and Deci had already formed a group called KAPA (Kids Against Pet
Abuse). They had ideas for educating other students and the public about the work of the SPCA and
helping animals. Besides working on fund raising projects such as a bake sale they are working on
display boards to show pictures of adoptable animals and spread the word on animal welfare topics. With
helpers like these girls the BCSPCA is assured of success.
Janet Pattinson
Back Left to Right: Cashel, Deci, Anika,
Alyssia, Jennifer
Front Left to Right: Bailey, Anastasia,
Sierra, Amber, Ashley
Volunteer Profile — Pat Lagimodiere
One of the many greatly appreciated volunteers in our branch,
Pat has contributed in a wide variety of ways. She comes on
Tuesdays and Fridays to take the dogs for walks and is also the
person to show new dog walkers the routines. While there she
does any other jobs that need attention, such as the
laundry. She takes pictures of the dogs to make up a poster for
the display board in Piccadilly Mall and also for the "Pet of the
Month" posters that she takes around town. Sometimes she
transports cats to the Lower Mainland where they can be
adopted more quickly. She writes thank you letters to donors
and has served on the Community Council.
Pat has helped with many fund raising projects. When it is time
for the Paws for a Cause.. Walk she finds all the prizes and
recruits sponsors, too. She gets the coffee and Timbits set up
at the Walk and gets the lunch organized. In addition, Pat is
always one of the top pledge collectors at the Walk. When other
fund raising opportunities come along she helps with those as
well. We all feel really lucky to have Pat on the Shuswap Branch
team.
..Janet Pattinson
ISSUE 58
Page 5
We all felt very lucky to have sunshine for this year's Walk in the
Salmon Arm Fall Fair Parade. Those who attended enjoyed the event.
As part of the campaign for our biggest Fund Raising Event of the year
we were hosted by the Salmon Arm Savings and Credit Union at their
location on Lakeshore Drive. Staff at the Credit Union contributed a
cheque of $880 to the walk and thus were the top team of our event. In
addition they gathered a huge collection of gifts for the shelter: copy
paper, laundry detergent, bleach, tools, peanut butter (for those kongs)
and much more that is greatly appreciated by staff.
Members of the Credit Union also donated generously on their way in or out of the building. They also
bought nearly the whole amount of the Walk merchandise we had. As of the end of September, our
revenue from the Walk is about $30,000, a major contribution to the operation of the shelter. Many
thanks to all the people who helped in organizing the event and those who participated in collecting
donations for the animals.
Janet Pattinson
Special Thanks to our local Paws
for a Cause Sponsors and
Friends:
EZ Rock Radio
Salmon Arm Observer
H&R Block (Salmon Arm)
Jeff Stacer Real Estate Team
Lakeshore TV Ad Productions
Pharmasave (Salmon Arm)
Shuswap Lake Estates Golf
& Country Club
Touch 'A Texas
Chantel Jeffrey, our top youth pledge collector, and her
parents carry the local sponsor sign for the parade.
Fall Book Sale
Many thanks to Celia Harris and her crew for
holding the Fall Book Sale on October 22/23. This
semi-annual event is an important part of our fund
raising efforts. Celia and her crew raised $3000
for the Shuswap Shelter.
Celia’s notes: A huge THANK YOU to helpers
Ian and Cathy Watts, Judy Harries, Judith
Hutchins, Chris McGrandle, Faye Krebs, Mary
Young, Norma Jean Clark, Mary Holding,
Cindy St. Orge, Margaret Dyke, Charlotte
Petryshen, and good ole Wayne Harris!
Next Sale April 8/9. Book donations accepted any
time at the shelter.
We need homes! Ready for
adoption at the Shuswap Shelter
Faith
Julie
Hope
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ISSUE 58
Membership Report:
Hello to all members. By now those of you who are not life members
will have received our renewal pamphlet. Hope you like the new
format as well as the information contained in it. Please check out
the volunteer opportunities set out there if you can help. The
results of the survey we did the last couple of years show that the
best way to get the information out there appears to be by word of
mouth. So be sure to talk to all your friends and family about the
SPCA and encourage membership. If you have already renewed feel
free to handout your renewal to someone who is not a member. I
know several members have moved away and others
haven't renewed. We understand that sometimes it's just one
more thing to pay for in tough times, however, if you can we really
would appreciate as many renewals as possible to try to get our
numbers up again. Thank you to all of you who have already renewed,
life members, and all you who volunteer. It wouldn't work without
you and we really appreciate your time, energy and input.
P.S. Life members—if you have an email and would like a copy of the
renewal form please contact me at [email protected] and I will
send you a copy otherwise there will be extras at other SPCA
events.
Membership Committee, Annemieke Loohuizen (chair) 838-0175, Judy Harries 832-2492 and
Louis Zazulak.
YES! I want to renew/begin my membership in the Shuswap Branch BCSPCA.
My Membership category:
Senior $15 ________
Individual $25 _______
I would like to become a Life Member $250 ________
I would like to take this opportunity to add a Donation of $__________
Total for my cheque $______
Credit card (VISA, MasterCard, AMEX)
Card # _____________________ Expiry __________
Member Name _____________________________
Phone number
___________________
Mailing Address ___________________________________________________
I would like to receive the Pawprint by e-mail Yes____
No _____.
My e-mail address is ________________________________________________
Do you want a membership card Yes____
No _____.
Mail to: BCSPCA SHUSWAP BRANCH,5850 Auto Road SE, Salmon Arm, BC V1E 2X2