Hi everyone!

Hoping you're staying as warm and safe as possible!! We in the balmy NW
are keeping you all in our Hearts!!

My husband, Jerry and myself were lucky enough to visit Dave and Chris
Mathis for a few days, weekend before last and I'm happy to report
Chris is on her way to recovery..slowly tho ...terribly slowly When she
fell, Chris tore the ligaments attaching her previously mangled knee
replacement loose, causing not only extreme pain but putting her in a
wheelchair... How long she will remain there is anyones guess but this
had put an extreme hardship on their shelter... Darling Dave has taken
leave from work but he's also struggling with his own medical woes...

Now what does this do to an already overloaded ferret shelter??? Your
worst thoughts are probably true....

Income has not only decreased drastically, but there is so much needing
to be done they need help!! Bless the wonderful helpers they have now
but Chris always did the work of at least 6..( she wears many hat's
that have now been tossed into the closet for safe keeping) More bodies
would be fantastic, so any of you Oregon, Washington or any of you
snowed in eastern peeps needing a sunny vacation may just want to
venture down/up!

Also..let's get honest , here.... Monitary help is always needed but
especially since Chris's fall...there's not much you can do to copy
what Chris has done everyday for over twenty years (except load and
unload the dishwasher and empty it, maybe..watching her doing that from
a wheel chair was excruciatingly painful) but donating money...any
amount would be fantastic!!!! There are many fun options, too!! Don't
you just LOVE doing this creatively!!?????? hahaha!!!!!

Chris would love to give you a huge tax deduction!!! Now how is that
for being thoughtful..."giving back" so to speak;))) the more you give
the more you will get back next year!!!!!! They are fully 5O1-C3....
(hope I said that right;)))

Their Vet who provides their DesLorin implants is Dr Ramsell in Oregon,
they always enjoy providing implants to these adorable ferret kids!!!!
I meant to get the number but mail me if you can't find it??? Vet
donations are always needed!!!!!!!

Then there's "the poop factor" Can you just imagine how much poop
almost 200 ferrets can deliver!!!! Its crazy! Creative as she is tho
,Chris found out ferret poop is fantastic to totally rid a field of
moles! One whiff of ferret poopie and the moles high tale it to the
next county!!!! With poop comes pellets...they need tons and tons of
pellets..Lowes did have them in sale for 3.79 for 40 lbs....all you do
is email or call Lowes at the Oregon City site and they will happily
take your debit or credit card and if you put the shelters name on
them, it's FREE in store pick up for them!! Gift cards work, too;)))

Plus food....ohhh my...can you just imagine how much food they go
through....it's truly crazy.. We were there to witness Dave ,handy -
dandy hubby that he is, mix about 8 /40 lb bags in his cement mixer
and that won't last long....would have lasted mine a few years but
this may last a week.. That's alot of food......

To help you there,.Chris is signed up to Totally Ferrets wonderful
Shelter discount program...all you have to do is contact April ( big
ole name ...soon to be small ole' name) and she will take care of your
donation, with her always happy attitude and smile;)) Also??? Chris's
shelter can pick up Evo food through Independent Pet Supply..their
number is 360-668-5050 ext 3 Also in the mix is food from West Coast
Feed, you can simply call them at 503-657-3473 and it's only $52.00
for 30 lbs and I think it's Zupreem...

So, there you go!!!! Thanks so many of you who have already helped!! I
would get lost with all the names, but Kevin Farlee from the Bellevue,
Wa shelter had his son drive all the way to Olympia to bring me 40 lbs
of food to take...shelters helping shelters..now that's the Spirit we
always find!!!! Thanks so much!!!

Lacey, Chris's darling adopted daughter (Mt Vernon, Washington) Shelter
came and took 50 ferrets to their home to help!!!! Way to go Lacey!!!!
Bless you!!!!!!!!! (she could use some help too, btw;) Hate to say tho,
it still left almost 200..i lost count by the fourth cage. (just how
many sable ferrets did God make anyway...????!!!!!!!;)))

Just a long winded reminder for all of you generous beings out there.
It's so EASY to get caught up in our own lives sometimes and forget
those who need the most help...with money being so tight these days
especially...but in my few days there I was thrilled to see one
adoption but right behind the one out, that evening she got 3 old kids,
in.... This sadly, will be an ongoing battle that will never be won..we
can only provide our soldiers , like Chris , with the best ammo to help
her daily struggles and pain of what she witnesses daily...

With love and hugs and HUGE thank you's....

XOXOXOXO

[Posted in FML 6961]