Dear Risa

I just had to write that I LOVED your idea of us including in our
packages as Secret Santa's a self addressed envelope or post card
within the box that we have a tracking number on.

Best idea! See how brain storming can improve things for all of us?
Nicely done.

Another idea to shelter operators:

You all never know when you are going to have a moment to breath, for
pity sake. So over the next 12 months, pick up some Thank You cards. I
have seen them at the Dollar Store.Towards the end of the year, pick up
some stamps and put them next to the cards in a corner of your drawer.
If you have a news letter... send it with your thank you letter. It can
be an older issue.

Your Santa may well want to pay to continue getting that news letter. I
pay for several news letters each year, and occasionally send off a box
of goodies to the shelter when I get that newsletter and see a pressing
need I can help with. I cannot be the only one that is jolted into
donation to shelter X by looking at my thank you card from that shelter
that I have on my bulletin board from shelter X, and by the joy of the
newsletter I am delighted to receive.

Second idea for thank you's ...

Type up a letter now.Copy it as you continue reading the FML today.

Dear   __________________

Things, as you can imagine, have been rough for us this year. I cannot
thank you enough for the _____________________
*fill this in when you get the gift or gifts. Allow enough room*_

Without support from people like you, we cannot stay open. The ferrets
and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Please keep us in your
heart and prayers this next year. If you would like our newsletter,
please send________ to ________________. We would love to welcome you.
Or go to our web site at ___________ and sponsor a fuzzy.

Our sincerest thanks for your kindness,
________*your name*


You make copies, and place them in envelopes with stamps in the same
corner of the drawer and use through out the year in addition to your
Secret Santa.

YOU have a year to do this...So there will be no last minute stress.
I beg you all to consider spending less than a minute writing such a
"thank you." to your Secret Santas ..(provided you have the snail mail
addy.)

YOU took the time to put up pics and descriptions so your ferrets and
you could feel the warm fuzzies that all too often allude an exhausted
saddened shelter mom or dad. Take responsibility for that action with
a few moments of time spent before the crazies of Christmas hit you.

Do not risk ruining it for the other shelter moms and dads. We KNOW
some people here will not do the Secret Santa again because there were
no thanks given. Do not decrease the chance for another shelter to
receive some modicum of connection and recognition by not giving
thanks, I ask you sincerely.

For us?..it seems best to put our email and snail mail information
INSIDE the box we send.

Again...the warm fuzzy feeling should go both ways, in my humble
opinion.

Thank you for reading this. I know we are all different and have our
own views. This is only mine.
 
Lisette

[Posted in FML 5484]