Inspiration often comes in strange packages. Last night I was watching a biography of Ben and Jerry of Ben and Jerry's ice cream fame.
Let me go back a little bit. For those of you who have been on the email list for a year, last year (2008) we made a team for Paws on Parade and raised $7,000 for the Bangor Humane Society. Last fall was the beginning of a very challenging time for our country economically and the Humane Society had begun to feel the panic as more people surrendered animals because they couldn't afford them and less people adopted. As I thought about it afterward I thought that a more effective way to help was to:
1) increase spay/neuter to decrease the population
2) keep the animals when ever possible in the loving homes they already had.
So for the first part we formed the snuggle committee and together we donated our time to the Humane Society to provide free spay/neuter days.
For the second part we launched the Kindred Spirits Foundation, to provide care for senior's pets because they could provide loving homes and yet were on a fixed income, often making decisions between their own medications, foods and the care of their pets. The struggle was embodied for me in the case of Jean-Pierre. For those of you who are new to the email list, Jean-Pierre was owned by a retired couple who were having trouble providing his care. When I offered to discount his care and let them pay over however long it took, they declined, telling me very clearly that I should save that for people who needed it. Jean-Pierre's mom had had a stroke and could not clean houses anymore and his dad was off work because he had a hernia that they were waiting to have repaired. As I saw it, I didn't know anybody that needed it more, but they showed me a pride and independence that I respect to this day.
However, Jean Pierre's teeth were rotten and falling out and the infection from his mouth was in danger of spreading to his system. So I sent out an email to you all to pitch in to help them out and 25 people signed up to provide his care. We cleaned his teeth, got him caught up on shots, and were able to donate enough food for the winter. I didn't follow up with the email list, but I saw Jean Pierre again this last spring because he had bladder stones that I removed and was able to use the left over funds to send him home with no charge to the owner. So together with ideas I received from the email list, we launched the Kindred Spirits Foundation. Many people gave money and we had a very successful yard sale this summer (organized by Donna, Vicki and Mary). The Foundation was to help those like Jean Pierre's folks who needed it during this difficult transition time for so many.
So what does that have to do with Ben and Jerry?
Last summer we applied to the IRS for 501c3 status. Long story short, we didn't get it. What this means to the foundation is that we have decided to not reorganize the foundation so that we can receive tax exempt status for several reasons. We can keep the money made from the yardsale, but for those of you who gave, we can't offer you a tax write off because it is not a non-profit. However, we can still use the money for what it was intended for, which is to help keep people and their pets together.
I was drowning my sorrows in my 3rd pint of Ben and Jerrys.....no just kidding. Actually, as I watched the biography last night something struck me. At the core of Ben and Jerry's business philosophy was that (I'm paraphrasing) Business has a responsibility to the community to make it better than they found it. Period.
The reality is that since it was sold to Unilever, that mission has been a challenge to keep on track. But the beauty of the basic principle holds for me. What I feel with Kindred Spirits is a group of like minded people who want to know how they can help to make a difference to animals because they appreciate the beauty of the relationship that they share with theirs.
As I struggle to find a way to focus that energy, please send me ideas of how we can make a difference. I am not sure exactly how our contribution to the community will develop in the future, but I'm sure that at the end of the day, the energy we gave to that cause will be the most significant work that I for one have been involved in. I am stunned and completely inspired by the energy that you all have put into this part of our shared mission.
For those of you who have jumped up to the plate to...
do the yard sale
find kittens homes
foster Poppy
judging or sending in Essays
be on the snuggle committee
encourage Bangor to do the right thing
volunteer at the Bangor Humane Society
wrote a check or made an online donation
help our seniors
find a temporary home for our deployed military's pets
My sincere Thank you.
For the record, Poppy was fostered by Michelle Leavitt who has been a major supporter of Kindred Spirits. She has also volunteered to take 2 huge dogs in the spring for a deployed military family. She was at the Humane Society an hour after I sent out the email...I wasn't even in the loop until after Poppy was home and happy.
I'll keep you all posted on how many puppies she had, so that you can enroll in Veterinary Radiology training.
Two other quick things...I posted the Halloween pictures on the website and as much as I am blown away by your all's contribution to the community, you have disappointed me a little on how few sent in pictures of their pets dressed up. Also, we found a great home for Jade (remember the German Shepherd?) and her owner is looking for a home for a big dog crate and a doggy couch...first one back to me gets it.
Sorry for the long email. Its best not to leave me with a lot of time on the weekend...seriously, keep me busy or I start thinking.....
:)
Mark
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