tails from the ark

T AILS FROM THE A RK
September 2009
Volume 1, Issue 14
Page 1
Tails from the Ark
A NEWSLETTER FOR NOAH’S WISH VOLUNTEERS
Are You Ready?
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
September is National Preparedness
Month.
There are a few simple steps you can
take to become better prepared for an
emergency: Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Be
Informed and Get Involved
As we've seen in recent months, emergencies
ranging from health epidemics, to extreme
weather can hit at a moment's notice. This is
2
2010 Training
3-5
5
2009 Deployments
Coming Events
Slidell Shelter Update
6
Around the Regions
7-10
Sale at the Noah’s Wish Store
10
Merial Ad
11
Race for Rescue Forms
Miscellany by Monick
12-13
14
the sixth annual National Preparedness Month
(NPM), which is the perfect time to remind
people about the importance of having an
emergency preparedness plan for their families,
animals, businesses, and communities.
awareness about emergency preparedness. This
the
campaign
is
helping
routes (26%) indicate that these essential elements
are missing or incomplete from household planning
efforts.
NPM is held each September to increase public
year,
shelter locations (31%), and community evacuation
people
understand that preparedness goes beyond fire
alarms, smoke detectors, dead-bolt locks and
extra food in the pantry to help people
understand what it truly means to be "Ready."
Special events and promotions are scheduled across
the country in September to focus individuals and
businesses on the importance of preparing for
disasters and emergencies.
Are your prepared?
Do you have a plan? A go-kit? Do you know where
A study released this summer found that
you would evacuate your animals to and how you
than half of individuals (42%) had an emergency
perfect time to bring all the pieces together – you can
people are not as prepared as they think. Fewer
plan for their home. Additionally, individuals'
low level of familiarity with critical local
would get them there? If not, September is the
never tell when or where the next disaster may strike!
information such as the community alerts and
warning systems (45%)
Annual Pet Photo Contest Kicks Off September 1, 2009
Entries for the Pet Photo Contest are being accepted now! Dust off those favorite photos!
Voting begins September 15, 2009, and run through October 15, 2009!
Winning entries will be selected by popular vote, each vote costs $1, voters may vote as often and as many times as they wish. Make
sure your friends and families visit the online “voting booth” to support your pet. Standings will be posted periodically, so you can
check out how your pet is doing. The top10 vote getters will receive a set of note cards featuring this year's winning contestants.
Tails from the Ark
Page 2
Annual Coordinators’ Meeting
Scheduled
The annual Noah’s Wish Coordinators’ meeting is
schedule for November 6-8 in East Alton, Illinois.
This yearly get-together allows the leadership
team to meet for training, procedural updates
and provides time to renew old friendships, catch
up
on
what’s
new
and
recognize
accomplishments of the past year.
the
The added advantage of holding the meeting in
East Alton will be to allow everyone to see our
warehouse facility and the vehicles, equipment
and supplies that are at the complex.
“upper track” for returning volunteers, so you don’t
have to sit through the same old information. Come
learn about generators and important vehicle safety
tips for those of you that drive to disasters.
The
disaster focus topics will be “Hurricanes” in the
coastal regions and “Earthquakes” in the fault zones.
This year’s “specie specialties” are pocket pet de jour
and rap with reptile experts.
Here’s where we are
looking for our volunteers to take an active role! The
reptile and pocket pet portions have 4 open 15
minute
slots;
we
are
looking
for
volunteers,
knowledgeable about any pocket pet species, from
sugar gliders, to hamsters, and for reptiles, snakes to
amphibians. Volunteers should be prepared to talk
about basic care, nutrition, and specialty needs for
Training 2010 Will Be Great
these uncommon house pets. Remember large or
small we care for them all, but how are we going to
Submitted by JoEllen Cimmino
care for them during a disaster? Come to our 2010
2009 was a great training season, but there’s
reserving your slot to talk at one of the locations,
always room for improvement. For 2010, a
number of new and exciting things are already in
the works! Make sure to mark these dates and
locations on your calendar:
ƒ
ƒ
February 20/21 Middleburg, Florida
March 6/7 Auburn, California
March 13/14 San Diego, California
ƒ
April 10/11 Leicester, Massachusetts
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
please email me directly at [email protected]
and we will go over the details.
For 2010, the “hands-on” topic will cover how to
ƒ
ƒ
training and learn how! If you are interested in
April 24/25 Ohio location TBA
May 1 /2 Missouri location TBA
May 15/16 Seattle Washington area
June 5/6 British Columbia TBA
June 26/27 Petawawa, Ontario Canada
What is new to learn and do? Well there is
something for everyone, especially the exciting
clear a room during a search and rescue operation. It
is going to have you starting your holiday wish list a
little sooner than normal. You many want to add;
headlamp, hard hat, knee pads, and goggles. Don’t
have them? Better get them - because you going to
need them for what we have planned.
Did we pique your interest yet? Guess what , we’ve
only scratched the surface of what’s new for 2010.
Keep watching the website for more
details and then pack to have fun!
Training Season is just around the corner!
Are you Ready?
Page 3
Tails from the Ark
While “disaster season” got off to a rather slow
start in June, what with the National Hurricane
Center lowering its outlook for named storms
and no fires or floods threatening anywhere, it
was just human nature to kickback, relax and
enjoy all that summer had to offer. Having said
all that, no one foresaw the unusual set of
circumstances that were aligning in California
and the Canadian province of British Columbia.
During July, unusually hot temperatures coupled
with low humidity, gusty winds and dry lightning
strikes started a series of wildfires that are still
burning across the province and the state.
Starting
in
British
Columbia,
which
required to evacuate. Noah’s Wish began to
mobilize to help shelter animals in the Kelowna
area on July 19th, assisting the local SPCA house
and care for a number of animal evacuees. The
response was short-lived and the 10 volunteers
that assisted with the shelter returned home
knowing the fire season had only just begun.
Within a week, a second call went out for
volunteers to help, this time to the Village of
Lillooet, where a Noah’s Wish shelter was being
established. Coordinator Donna Wackerbauer
is
experiencing a wildfire season that has seen
more than 2,700 blazes and cost the province
more than five times its annual forest fighting
budget already this year, residents have been
evacuated from their homes and Noah’s Wish
volunteers have been on alert for weeks. About
3,000 fire personnel are currently deployed
across the province, fighting more than 400
wildfires that are still raging throughout British
Columbia. During July and August, Canadian
volunteers were subjected to on-again, off-again
alerts, the most recent of which was just canceled
this week.
As the fires spread, more and more areas were
arrived on scene and began the laborious
process of setting up. She was joined by
volunteers Vicki McDonald, David Dahl, Jennifer
Gore, Sharon Betker, Heather Ferguson, Pam
Legault, Bonnie Bayea, Tamara Bissett, Fran
Cameron, Kathleen Davis, June Gravitte, Laurel
Scott, Jackie Ward, Chris Dank, Bev Ingels, Mary
Trim, Sheri Walmsley and Sherri and Caitlin Hall.
Almost immediately after the first wave of
volunteers arrived, the village of Lillooet was
ordered to evacuate and that included the
recently established shelter! In the middle of the
night, volunteers arranged for the emergency
transport
all
of
the
animals
(except
the
livestock) to safety in the town of Ashcroft, a
two hour drive away. This move was not an easy
thing to accomplish, but the hard work and
dedication of the volunteers prevailed and the
transfer was made with very few glitches. Now
there were two shelters, both of which required
oversight, direction and a lot of hard work to
maintain. After almost a week, the evacuation
order was lifted in Lillooet and a reverse transfer
was made. When the animals were returned to
Lillooet, the owners were anxious to reclaim
Pictures from Canada
them and the shelter began to phase down its
operation.
Volunteers
logged
during this response.
Continued Page 4
1,770
hours
Page 4
Tails from the Ark
Those responding included; Sandra Stewart,
Mirna Recoder, Karen Oliver, Tim Martin, Frans
Hoffman, Ericka Iwinski, Noell Crosse, Rick
Prock, Charlie Crosby, Becky Oliver, Kris Avery,
Mari Donovan, Karen Oberdofer, Kim Dewoody,
Mina Johnson and Daphne Williams. They logged
268.5 volunteer hours over the weekend.
Next, fires were breaking out across Southern
California. A number of large blazes seemed to
materialize out of nowhere, with many of them
threatening
Lillooet – British Columbia
With British Columbia burning from one end to
the other, California decided to follow suit. The
Lockheed fire began in the hills surrounding
Santa Cruz and threatened the small town of
Bonnie Doon. With its residents evacuated and
animals housed at the fairgrounds in Watsonville,
a short distance away, local animal control
officers asked Noah’s Wish to come and help care
for the livestock on Friday morning, August 14.
Sixteen volunteers were onsite within 12 hours.
There was a major shift in the weather pattern
overnight and by Saturday morning things on the
fire
front
were
looking
up.
residential
areas
and
causing
numerous evacuations. Through an existing
Noah’s
agreement with the City of Azusa, Noah’s Wish
was requested to assist with sheltering 26
animals.
On
August
26,
Coordinator
Thea
Martin, assessed the situation and requested a
limited number of volunteers to help. Volunteers
responding
were
Gerald
Pool,
Marguerite
Topping, Carrie Jones, John Lewis, Ann Graf,
Betty Donnelson and Ellen Gray who collectively
logged 144 hours during the deployment. This
response ended on Sunday August 30, but not
before Thea and Gerald were escorted behind
fire lines to extract 2 dogs that had been left
alone when the owner could not return home.
Wish
volunteers began the demobilization process on
Saturday and closed the response early Sunday
afternoon. The volunteers, many of whom were
just trained in March of this year, found the
response to be an excellent exercise, giving them
experience without the stress normally attributed
to disaster response work.
Sue & her dogs – Rescued from the Morris Fire
They drove 11 miles and then had to hike an
additional mile with cat food bags on their backs
in 100 degree weather to remove the dogs and
provide food for the cats, who were safe and
happy being left alone. The dogs and their
owner were happily reunited shortly thereafter,
closing this deployment on an up-note.
Continued page 5
Lockheed Fire – Santa Cruz, CA
Page 5
Tails from the Ark
However, August ended on a low note when Noah’s Wish was asked to assist with intake for animals being
evacuated from the 49er Fire, which devastated neighborhoods just outside of Auburn, California, on Sunday
afternoon August 30th. The fire destroyed over 60 homes in a few short minutes. Four volunteers, Mina
Johnson, Tim Martin, Elisa Mattison and Mari Donovan responded to this short lived request for help.
The forward movement of the fire was contained early
Sunday evening and local animal control was able to care
for the animals that had been evacuated earlier in the
day. All volunteers returned home, closing out a very
busy July and August.
All this activity goes to show that you cannot predict the
disaster season based on a how it begins. Alerts in both
California and British Columbia were canceled Tuesday.
Everyone is hoping for a dramatic shift in the weather
patterns that will reduce the fire danger, but until that
happens we’ll remain prepared and on alert for any
disasters in the making.
49er Fire
Thank you to all that responded to the numerous deployments and alerts over the past 6 weeks, your help was
greatly appreciated!
Coming Events
September 12 – San Ramon, CA - Disaster Fair
September 15 – Voting for the Pet Photo Contest
begins
September 17 – Helena Montana - Disaster Drill
September 24 – Livermore, CA - Disaster Fair
September 27 – Carmel, NY Ride for Rescue
October 24 – Coloma, CA Séance & Ghost Hunt
November 14 – Alton, IL – Trivia Night
November 20-29 Holiday Auction
Remember, these events are open to all Noah’s
Wish volunteers and your help in making them a
success is crucial.
If you would like to volunteer to assist with the
Ghost Hunt please contact Thea Martin. Details and
entry forms are available on our website.
For more information about the September 27th
Hunter/Pace,
please
contact
JoEllen
Cimmino.
Volunteer assistance is still needed to before and
after the event.
Entry forms are available at the
end of this newsletter.
Both of these are examples
of great and creative ways to
raise funds for Noah’s Wish.
Thank you all.
Tails from the Ark
Page 6
Progress is made at the new Slidell Shelter
Just look!
Office Administrative Area
Inside the mail kennel area
Things are beginning to take shape and you can start to see what the final product will look like. Hard to
believe that so much has been accomplished in the past 3 months. The shelter is on schedule and anticipated
completion is for the March – April timeframe next year.
Plans for a reunion of those who dedicated so much hard work and effort after Hurricane Katrina are in the
works to celebrate the completion of the new facility and mark the five year anniversary. Watch for the details
in future editions of …..
Tails from the Ark
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Tails from the Ark
Around the Regions
In spite of all the disaster alerts, standbys and
deployments happening in July, Noah’s Wish
volunteers found time to participate in the fifth
annual
10-10-4
Animals
Campaign.
The
activities this year created a new dynamic in the
competition for the region that raises the most
funds by introducing the regional team concept.
Volunteers within their regions across the United
States banded together to work as a team with a
singular focus on collecting the most donations
possible within the established timeline. Their
motivation was the Regional Championship (an
honorary title given to the region that “out
collects” the other regions in the 10-10-4
Animals Campaign). This is a friendly rivalry
between regions with the winning region taking
possession of the traveling trophy until the next
year. The competition this year was fierce, with a
mere $10 separating the two top contenders on
the very last day of the competition.
Serious shoppers attend Noah’s Wish Yard Sale
When the final tally was made, the results were a
$2,007 contribution to the campaign. Participating
in the event were: Kim Dewoody, Becky and Kevin
Oliver,
Mari
Donovan,
Mina
Johnson
Charlie
Crosby (all from Region 1) and Thea Martin, event
organizer from Region 5.
This was the fifth year for the campaign and
proved to be a watershed for the way in which
volunteers raised funds. For those of you that
don’t know, the premise of 10-10-4 Animals is
for volunteers ask ten of their friends, family
and/or business acquaintances for 10 dollars for
the animals with goal for each participant to raise
$100. This year a number of volunteers took the
concept to a new level by organizing large-scale
regional events rather than individual campaigns.
Our “News from Around the Regions” focuses on
some of those events:
Region 1 teamed with Region 5 to hold a super
large yard sale in Diamond Springs, California in
early July. The group collected items for the sale
well
in
advance
of
the
event,
which
was
conducted at the home of Nancy Bradley celebrity
psychic (who will also be hosting our Ghost Hunt,
scheduled for late October).
Kim DeWoody buys all the bunnies
They even sold popcorn and ice
cold water!
Around the Region continued page 8
Tails from the Ark
Page 8
Harry Potter Trivia Night
Region 3 conducted a Harry Potter trivia night, raising $1,101 from the event. The outstanding success was in
large part attributed to the subject matter (the latest Harry Potter movie had just been released) and the hard
work of Region 3 volunteers Amy Maher, Roger Smith, Gail Monick, Tammy Hann-Harlan, Alex Reynolds,
Sandy Eaves and Shaun Thomas. Region 7 Coordinator Theresa Williams also helped make the night a real hit.
Amy Maher and Roger Smith
Alex Reynolds
Hosts and contestants alike dressed as their favorite Harry Potter character and spent the afternoon answering
questions only those who are true Harry Potter aficionados would be able to understand, let alone answer. The
afternoon included a silent auction in Diagon Alley, with a number of great items including wonderful gift
baskets, donated by Region 3 volunteer, Gail Monick (see ad page 14), and handmade jewelry donated by
Region 7 volunteer, Nancy McDuff.
Diagon Alley
Gail Monick, Alex Reynolds, Tammy Hann-Harlan
& Sandy Eaves
There were also sales of Harry Potter themed treats at Honeyduke’s Sweet Shop, made and donated by Tammy
Hann-Harlan, all of these activities helped push the total collected even higher than anticipated. Looks like
way too much fun!!
Around the Regions – continued to page 9
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Tails from the Ark
Not to be outdone, Region 4 held a “Hunter-Pace” event in New York, which raised $1,644. This was the first
event of its kind held to benefit Noah’s Wish. Special thanks to Marge Thorpe, and staff member, JoEllen
Cimmino for arranging and conducting the event, all went extremely well considering this was a new
experience for them.
A big thank you to all the other Noah’s Wish
volunteers that helped make this event a success
including; Dianne Montague, Tibby Clark and Lois
Stein for helping post signs, parking detail and
running the concession stand, and to veterinarian,
Linda Mittel, who conducted the “Vet Checks” on all
the horses to make sure they were staying safe and
well.
Additionally,
congratulations
go
to
Katie
Cimmino for raising the most funds for sponsored
riders in the junior category. Helping to up the
stakes for Region 4, June Gravitte and Christina
Kallay
setup
an
informational
table
at
their
employer’s cookout, raising the tidy sum of $261,
which their company immediately matched.
Region 5 - Armed with success from the earlier Region 1 yard sale Thea organized a yard sale of her own for
the regipm. She rented the local Women’s Club and with the help of local volunteers she started collecting
items. She organized the sale, scheduled the volunteers and even arranged for delivery of some of the larger
items with outstanding results. Thanks to Eileen Strumph, Eileen Finklestein and Ellen Gray for all their help in
making the sale such a success.
Region 5 came from out of nowhere to grasp the title of Regional Champion; this is the first time the title has
been awarded to Region 5. It was a true battle –nip and tuck all the way to the finish line - with the “highest
amount raised” going back and forth several times between Regions 4 & 5 before the contest closed. As
mentioned earlier, there was only $10 separating the two regions at the close of the contest.
Cindy Sanchez Great Gift Baskets
This is a just sample of the innovative ways volunteers from across
the country came together to participate in the fifth annual 10-10-4
Animals. They were not only creative, but worked hard and fought
for every dime they could generate to make this year’s campaign the
tremendous success –it was! These energetic – dedicated and
enthusiastic volunteers raised a total of $11,248 for Noah’s Wish in
30 days - topping last year’s amount by a whopping 15%, no small
accomplishment in light of today’s economy! We owe them a
tremendous THANK YOU for all they have done.
This thank you
extends to all of you that participated in the Fifth Annual 10-10-4
Animals Campaign; we couldn’t do it without you!
Tails from the Ark
Region 1
Page 10
Other Events in the Regions
Amidst the rides, live entertainment and food stands, Noah’ Wish Region 1 volunteers again spent a day at the
California State Fair. Each year, the fair hosts a First Responder’s day, allowing fairgoers the opportunity to see
the equipment and meet the people who are on standby year-round, to protect them in times of disaster.
Noah's Wish, the only animal response team represented, offered an entirely new perspective to many
members the public, and even other responders. The photo boards and "Go Kits" elicited many comments,
and stimulated conversation on how families can very simply prepare for evacuation, when needed, with their
animals. The word is getting out there "Have A Plan, and Include Your Animals in the Plan!" Thanks to Kathy
Winkelman, Becky Oliver, Charlie Crosby, Mari Donovan and Kim DeWoody for their participation.
In Memory of Lynn MacKay
It saddens us to announce that Lynn MacKay passed away earlier this summer. Lynn was a long-time Noah’s
Wish volunteer from British Columbia. She will be missed!
Totes are on sale at the Noah’s Wish Store until the end of October. Now’s the time to stock
up! All Totes are $3 off at the Noah’s Wish Store. You may order directly from the store at
www.cafepress.com/noahs_wish
Watch for the December edition of Tails from the ARK
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MISCELLANY BY MONICK
FOR ALL YOUR UPCOMING HOLIDAY NEEDS!
Customized gift baskets and beautiful to look at and smell potpourris are my specialties! The autumn season is approaching
quickly and the holidays of Halloween and Thanksgiving are not far behind. Then, of course, winter and Christmas follow. With
this comes holiday get-togethers and seasonal gift giving.
Are you looking for something unique to give someone special or for an unusual hostess item to bring as a gift? Let Miscellany
By Monick take care of that for you! Shipping is available for all items and a nominal handling fee for packaging will be charged.
I will make a customized themed gift basket for any occasion or holiday. I am an experienced shopper who can find the perfect gift
items that the recipient will love! Tell me what the person receiving the gift likes, what the occasion is, the price range you want to
spend and I will create a custom tailored basket for you to give that will keep them thanking you over and over!
My potpourris are all my own homemade original recipes, aged to perfection and many times include items I have made, collected
or dried myself. Offered this fall is a potpourri called “Primitive Pinecones & Pods” which is a chunky assortment of various pods
and different types of pinecones – many of which I collected from nature – accented with yellow/gold/brown strawflowers and
bay leaves –and scented with primitive spice oils! Really a wonderful potpourri to display anywhere in the house! A cellophane
bag full of this earthy nature looking and spicy smelling potpourri is $10.00.
I offer two types of simmering potpourris that will make the house smell delicious! My “Stovetop Simmering” is scented with
oranges, cloves and other spices (and includes hand peeled and dried orange pieces) and my “XApplemas Simmering” smells
like-what else- baking apples of course! Both emit yummy smells for the holidays! A one cup bag of either sells for $6.00 and
yields many uses.
Other items for autumn are the ever popular putka pods (they look like dried mini pumpkins). They are available again in an
orange color scented with pumpkin pie or in mixed fall colors scented with pumpkin spice. Either of these looks great in a
decorative bowl, around a candle or in a holiday container or jar. For Halloween, I’ve got mini witches brooms and hats to add to
either type of putka pods and for Thanksgiving or autumn looks I’ve got mini fall colored leaves, mini wooden bundles or wax black
crows to accent the putka pods. Two cups in a cellophane bag of the plain orange or mixed fall putka pods are $7.00 and any
one of the extra items listed above can added for an additional $1.00 a bag. All are really adorable decorations that smell
fantastic and make great little gifts!
Contact MISCELLANY BY MONICK to purchase any of the above potpourris or to order your customized baskets.
But, you’d better make it soon as the some of the items are available in limited quantities so once they’re gone, they’re gone!
Christmas potpourris will be available starting in November so check with me about those then. Hope to hear from you soon!
MISCELLANY BY MONICK
Gail Monick
Email: [email protected] or
call 630-350-9038