For Pets' Sake
a 501c3 organization
(479) 927-1809
forpetsake@hotmail.com
Volunteer Spotlight
Gene and Shiloh - December 2006
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Gene has been volunteering with FPS for about six months. His neighbor recommended him to Laurie as a potential board member. Gene volunteers because "the welfare of animals is something I care about." Gene has past volunteer experience as President of his church council, a town councilman, volunteer fireman, board member of an AKC Kennel Club, and on the board of a Humane Society. Gene got the volunteer bug as a young man - as a youth he was envolved in 4-H. Gene and his son have a beagle named Shiloh (pictured). Gene is single, and retired, but sometimes does part time work. He has 3 sons: Robert is married and lives in MN; James is married and lives in MO; and Travis is a senior at Rogers High School. Gene's favorite sport is college and high school basketball. Gene is looking forward to his continued work with For Pet's sake and remarks that he is "very impressed with the work accomplished by the organization." |
Catrina, Marmaduke, Ellie and and White Cat - November 2006
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Catrina has been a volunteer since June 2006. She found out about For Pets' Sake online when she was surfing the internet looking for something to do to help others. Catrina says she "especially liked the idea of helping animals because I really love my pets. I couldn't imagine living without animals around!" Catrina has a six year old blind great dane, Marmaduke - who is very loving, and a beagle/basset mix, Ellie - who is very energetic and fun (both pictured)! Catrina is also a cat lover - she has four cats: Boomhower, Nermal, T-Cat, and White Cat. White Cat (pictured) had a name once upon a time, but she lost it somehow and everyone just started calling her White Cat. Catrina also has two sons who live at home and a daughter who lives in Ft. Smith. One of Catrina's sons, Ian, frequents For Pets' Sake meetings with Catrina. Catrina works for the Area Agency on Aging part-time and is a student at the University of Arkanas. In her spare time, Catrina and her daughter are starting a business making dog and cat treats. Catrina just "loves to do anything that involves animals!" Catrina, it is animal lovers like you who make For Pets' Sake a success! The people and pets of Northwest Arkansas are lucky to have you in their corner! |
Kimberly, Macy and Bogey - October 2006
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Kimberly has been a Board Member with FPS since 2004. Kimberly says she volunteers because she "enjoys working together with other people to help the lost and unwanted pets in our community. My favorite part of FPS is the Best Friends Program - there are no other groups that offer such an invalueable service. I believe the program will continue to grow as word gets out and more seniors become aware of it." One of Kimberly's favorite parts of volunteering with FPS is getting the emails when pets are placed in great homes by our volunteers.
Pictured with Kimberly is Macy, an 11 year old cat who was rescued from a post office dumpster, and 6 year old Bogey who was given to Kimberly by a neighbor. Not pictured is Stretch, a foster dog who they adopted from the shelter almost 3 years ago, and 6 year old Sable who was about to be put down at the shelter when they adopted her. Kimberly has been married to her husband Clay for 5 years and they have a 4 month old son, Samuel. Kimberly remarks, "The hardest part of working full time and raising our son is findinging time to spend with our pets. They are all special to us and have such individual personalities and needs!"
Kimberly, you are so important to the success of FPS - we appreciate your long term support and dedication as a board member as well as your volunteer participation in our events! Your leadership and guidance has been invaluable! |
Brandy - September 2006
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Brandy has been with FPS since May 2005. She found out about FPS via an e-mail at Tyson Foods (where she's worked for 13 years) requesting FPS volunteers. She went to her first meeting where they planned fundraising for Featherfest 2005. Brandy volunteers because “I love animals and really want to help them all I can.” Brandy is on the Best Friends committee and volunteers for just about every fundraising event. She particularly enjoys the dog washes: “We have a great time and the kids love it!” Brandy has a 4-year old blue heeler mix Max (saved from a shelter) and a 2-year old bloodhound Daisy who was also in need of a forever home. Brandy says “I can't imagine my life without them.” Brandy also has two children Spencer (16) and Brooke (4). Brandy's husband Shawn is supportive of Brandy's involvement. Brandy comments “I really enjoy volunteering with FPS, the people are great and the experiences are rewarding.” Brandy, FPS wouldn't be where it is today without a strong volunteer base of good-hearted folks like you. You are the backbone of our organization and we appreciate you! |
Mandi and Bugle - August 2006
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Mandy was turned away from volunteering at a local shelter and wanted to do something to help pets in our community. Her mom saw an ad in the paper for FPS needing volunteers. She's been a with FPS a little more than a year now. It sure does Mandy! We definitely appreciate your support and efforts – you've helped make FPS a success! |
Heather and Chris, Boomer and Kitten - July 2006
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Heather and Chris have been volunteering with FPS since April 2005. They came to learn about FPS through a small advertisement in the Sunday paper. They volunteer for FPS to give something back to the community, as well as to the homeless and sometimes helpless pets in Northwest Arkansas. Chris is a web designer and created the design for the FPS websites. Heather updates the sites and helps with various other FPS events. Pictured with Heather and Chris are 13-year old Kitten, who was rescued at 3 weeks old with her mother Misha and 3-year old Boomer (Lab mix) who was rescued from a NWA shelter. Not pictured is 13-year old Tongue, another black cat rescued as a stray. Kitten and Tongue came all the way from Florida via Tennessee to Arkansas. Needless to say, they have little tolerance for Boomer (who means them no harm)! Heather and Chris enjoy helping FPS reach out to new volunteers, new donors, and potential forever homes for our rescued pets via the Petfinder website as well as this website. |
Jamie and Polly, Will and Mikaela - June 2006
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Jamie has been with FPS for 1-1/2 years and found out about FPS through a posting at work. She volunteers because she's loves animals and wants to help them. Jamie thinks "the Best Friends Program is important because it aids seniors in getting care they need for their pets. Pets are very important for seniors and unfortunately the cost of vet care doesn't fit into their tight budgets." Jamie helps out with that program and many other projects. Jamie remembers the Petco Adoption Event, "They had a bunch of people in animal costumes - the animals just didn't know what to make of it." Pictured with Jamie is 5-week old Will (abandoned by his mother) and Polly (found injured at a restaurant). Not pictured are cats Sky, Meesa, George, Fred, Taco, Crawford & Goofy; shelter dog Husky/Malamute Ebony; 10-month old rescued Great Pyrenees mix Krystal. Also pictured is her lovely 3-year old daughter Mikaela. Jamie and her husband (who Jamie says is "a closet cat person - he'd never admit it, but the cats all love him") Mikaela and sons Brandon (13) and Dylan (9). Jamie has worked for Tyson since 1999. She also enjoys reading and makes jewelry, and has started canning salsa! Jamie, your work on the Best Friends Committee is so important to our area seniors - they appreciate you, and so do we! Thanks for all you do for FPS! |
Leslie, Patchouli, Bitsy and Ribbie - May 2006
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Leslie started with FPS in July 2004. In that time, Leslie designed the FPS logo and forms; helped with e-mail; coordinated meetings/events; matched volunteers to projects; fostered; worked with sponsors; and handled adoptions. Before FPS, Leslie's efforts were turned down at a local shelter. She recalls, "I was devastated. Thankfully, I was given the name of a person who wanted to volunteer: Laurie. We decided to start our own organization! Kismet!" Leslie gets a deep sense of satisfaction when she sees FPS benefit pets and the community. Leslie reflects, "Watching our volunteers makes me proud. I'm happy to work with such caring, compassionate, motivated folks!" She relished starting the Best Friends program, but her most rewarding experience is placing fosters. Leslie has four pets: Kitty-Kitty, a 14-year-old cat (not pictured). Pictured are her 5 year old Papillion/Chihuahua mix Patchouli, her 4 year old Shiba Inu Ribbie, and her Min Pin puppy Bitsy. Patchouli was rescued from a backyard breeder, Bitsy is a puppy mill rescue, and Ribbie was a Father's Day gift to her husband.
Leslie foresees FPS as the largest animal welfare organization in NWA. More than a "society," FPS uses programs to reach out to the community. FPS has the potential to be a powerful force in the effort to educate on the importance of pets' companionship. All it takes is hard work, a sense of humor, and commitment. Leslie, we certainly do appreciate your hard work and commitment, as you have already helped so many people and pets in NWA! |
Paula and Sydnee - April 2006
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Paula has been volunteering with For Pets' Sake since the Spring of 2005. Her first volunteer activity was manning the booth at Feather Fest. Paula now serves as the Secretary-Treasurer, dog washer and treat-maker! She heard about FPS through a call for volunteers in a newsletter at Tyson Foods. Pictured with Paula is her miniature dachshund, Sydnee. He is 13 years old and she got him when he was only 10 weeks old! Paula doesn't have any children, but Sydnee is the next best thing!!! Paula enjoys volunteering with FPS because she likes meeting people and making new friends and because she loves animals - especially dogs. Paula really enjoys the fun activities the volunteers get to do, such as participating in the summertime dog washes. She loves anything that has to do with outdoors, and she is also a bird watcher. Paula enjoys the fellowship with other volunteers. Paula recalls "It was a lot of fun when we made dog treats and soap and we got together to package them for our fundraising. I like that a lot of our activities take place outside. Most of all, it makes me feel good knowing that a senior citizen can have a 'four-legged' companion because we help them be able to afford to do so." Paula, we sure appreciate your dedication and reliability - we know we can count on you to be there when we need you. And the pets appreciate you even more! |
Laurie, Maxwell Smart and Stuart Little - March 2006
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Laurie is the President of FPS and helped get FPS chartered in 2004. One of her first important projects was to secure our first donations to pay for the charter fee. Laurie has opened her home to foster dogs and has recently been working to promote FPS to local companies and the media.
Right from the start Laurie wanted to do more for the community than just rescue pets. She had a concept to not only help animals, but also help people. Such an organization would be a true benefit to our community. Laurie gets the best feeling in the world when she sees pets get homes and senior citizens get help. She'll be equally satisfied when she sees the faces of young students as FPS volunteers teach them about caring for pets and the new microchipping program come together. Pictured with Laurie are her two male dogs: 6 year old yellow lab Maxwell Smart and 5 year old smooth border collie Stuart Little. Laurie always has 2 dogs. They are house dogs and Laurie now tells people, "I live in a 3 bedroom, 1-½ bath dog house." Laurie sums it up by saying, "I really like our group of volunteers because no one acts superior to the others. We laugh a little and work a little and brain storm as we go. It never feels like 'work' for me and we are achieving such great results for the good of the community. What's not to like about that!" We appreciate you too Laurie - without you, FPS wouldn't exist to help the people and pets of Northwest Arkansas! |
Kerry and Sadye - February 2006
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Kerry has been with For Pets' Sake since July 2005. Kerry manages the FPS e-mail account and communicates information between the volunteers, officers as well as requests for FPS to take in or help find homes for pets in need. If you get an e-mail from FPS, Kerry is probably who sent it! Pictured with Kerry is Sadye, her one year old lab mix. Kerry and her family found Sadye, well actually Sadye found them. Sadye and her three siblings showed up at Kerry's husband's workplace one day. They all now have forever homes. Kerry is a stay at home mother of three. Two are in school and her 3 year old son Elyjah isn't in school yet, but will be soon!Kerry was recruited to volunteer by FPS President Laurie. Laurie and Kerry worked together before Kerry had her youngest son. This was before FPS was actually an organization! Kerry now has more time to help FPS - and this is her first experience volunteering! Kerry reports "I really enjoy being a part of For Pets' Sake. I like learning more about programs that we offer. It's been a joy being involved." Thanks so much Kerry for keeping the lines of communication open between our volunteers, officers, the community - all to help the pets! Great job! |
