It is really unfortunatate that so many folks and their families have to
suffer due to a few jerks.  How could we have known??  I always try to see
the silver lining to every dark cloud and it helps make my days a little
brighter.  We are all aware that thousands are now jobless and have no
income.  At the shelter, I have created many ways for my help to generate
income while still getting volunteer time and helping the folks who need
it make a few bucks.  It certainly doesn't pay the bills, but like every
small donation, it helps and I'm grateful.  As a large shelter, we get
given a lot of ferret stuff when folks surrender their ferrets.  I'm
talking cages, hammies, noveltycloth things, carriers, ferretone, shampoo,
etc.  If you are a shelter and need help, try this... have a volunteer go
clean up a few nice cages real good and set them up with a hammy, some
toys, ferretone, bag of TF, etc, ...take out the cost, add some profit,
split the profit with the worker!!  Sometimes it 50 bucks!! to the shelter
and 50 bucks to the worker.  And then have them clean a few cages while
they are there.  I also give my crew 10% of any adoption they do.
 
Some of you will say, that money should go to the ferrets.  Yeah, well
maybe so... but when you go through the volumne of ferrets we do,
sometimes yo have to settle for whatever help you can do and will do
anything short of illegal to get it.  I let them all know, they can only
earn $600 before I have to start withdrawing taxes and all the other junk
the gov't requires.  I try to keep it below that.  We try to keep in stock
a lot of stuff to sell to help support the shelter.  You shelters will
find that you have more help this way and also, to you unemployed, now you
don't have an excuse for not volunteering at your local shelter and
remember, those who do good deeds will prevail.  You reap the seeds you
sow Stay legal and love them fuzzies, Ferretguy
[Posted in FML issue 3558]