There have been several questions lately about the Ferrets of the FML
Calendar.  I guess it's time I address this subject.  I wish I had some
wonderful news about when the Calendar will be ready, but I don't.  It is
with great sorrow and my deepest apologies that I report the project has
been put on hold, and at this time, I cannot say when it will be ready.
There have been production problems that I have not been able to work
out.  Unfortunately, this is another one of those projects that I cannot
do myself.
 
Having the idea, but not the skills required to make the idea a reality
really bites.  I can use the example of The Giving Tree.  Yes, many
people know that it was my creation.  Three years ago, while walking
through a K-mart, I saw a tree with the names of needy kids on it.  You
were supposed to pick a child's name, buy a gift off his list, give the
gift to the store, and they would make sure the child got the gift!  I
thought what a wonderful thing that would be for a ferret in a shelter.
I came to the FML and presented the idea and immediately had several
people offer to help make it a reality.  I have no computer skills
whatsoever, so I had to rely on others to bring this idea to life.
The Giving Tree was created and it was a wonderful, wonderful success.
Somehow, I got left out of it as it continued to grow and I will admit
that I do miss being a part of it.....it truly was one of the best ideas
I have ever had.  But the fact that it lives on and each year helps many,
many ferrets is more than enough for me.  Had it not been for the people
who so generously donated their time and energy to make it real, it would
have remained just another idea.  This is the 4th year for the Giving
Tree and it continues to do exactly what it was created to do....help
ferrets in shelters!
 
So, as with The Giving Tree, I cannot produce the calendar myself.
Again, I do not have the required skills.  The person who designed the
calendar for the last two years was unable to do so again this year and
it meant I had to find someone else.  I decided to try to get one on the
many-talented people on this list to help me.  Unfortunately, life takes
many twists and turns and sometimes, no matter how committed to a project
you are, schedules cannot be always kept, deadlines met and sometimes it
just doesn't work out!
 
So....at this point in time, the calendar project is on hold.  I am going
to discuss with the Support Our Shelters Board what we should do now and
as soon as a decision is made, I will post a message here.
 
There were some wonderful, wonderful pictures in this calendar and I
would hate for the FML community to miss out on the opportunity to see
them!
 
I am sincerely sorry that this has happened and I hope to have a real
solution soon!  Please do not let this reflect on Support Our Shelters.
This is totally my responsibility-no one elses!
 
Judy Cooke
Support Our Shelters
 
PS....And speaking of ideas.....thanks to the hard work of another SOS
member, Sharon Bearden, the Support Our Shelters Memorial Page is a
reality.  I can think the ideas up....but it takes people like Sharon to
make them work!  If you have never visited this page, please go there.
 
The address is: http://memorial.supportourshelters.org .
[Posted in FML issue 4346]