Hi, It's Chere McCoy from the Ferret Friends Shelter in Vero Beach,
Florida.
 
WE HAVE WATER!  Still no power at the house.  The power came on at New
Hibiscus (that's our airport).  Today's activities - The great hunt for
Ice to keep the kids cool!  - WE found Ice.  There is a refrigerator here
at the airport will stuff some of the bags into the freezer.  Phones
still in an out.  The ferrets spent the night in the playroom as it was
too dark after we returned to the house to outfit the cages again.
 
We had the offer of a generator from a very kind lady who was willing to
deliver it, we didn't accept because we think we are on the list for
power today or tomorrow.  We weren't' on the list for today.  Power thus
far: Vero Beach (City of) 83%, Indian River County (us) 50% restored.
 
Food, we use Wysong Vitality.  We got a donation of the food and it
arrived by UPS!
 
Larry was on the roof inspecting damage (gosh I wish he would not go up
on that roof) he has decided not to try and patch the roof to get experts
out here to look at the roof.  One guy in a neighborhood just down the
street was on top of his mobile home cutting down limbs -- he fell off
the roof and was killed.
 
Larry contacted FEMA regarding the business and they are sending the
paper work.  We have to wait until the home owners insurance man comes (8
days from now), and then if they don't cover everything we can go to FEMA
for the Home owners.  Our big worry is our Flight School and keeping it
running so we can bring in income.
 
In and out all day long gathering supplies.
 
Ferrets: The little ones are all doing well.  Splash and Muggwump are on
rescue remedy as they became extremely nervous and it caused them to get
the runs.  It is hot in the play room but I have those miniature fans
(with the batteries) going at the hottest part of the day and I also have
put Ice in bags on the sinks in the play room -- so the kids are O.K.
 
Also with water I can run the shower in the play room and the kids can
cool off if it gets to hot.  They love that shower -- but gosh what a
mess they made!  Groups are taking turns in the play room and I mop up
after each play time.  Margie my neighbor works at the Vero Beach Resort
Hotel as the laundress and tomorrow she is taking the ferret stuff over
to be washed!  Thank heavens we had a very big supply of cage stuff --
everybody has clean cages EVERYDAY!
 
Reports of lost ferrets are coming in and I am doing the best I can to
assist those people.  We know that as soon as we have power we have at
least 3 more coming in, possibly 5.
 
We have the cages for the incoming and thanks to the list and people's
contribution we are going to get all the little ones taken care of.  To
donate use paypal: Agedog1 or use the address below.
 
Want all of you to know that your donations are keeping the ferret
alive & well.  Our first concern must be them and of course eating is
nice.
 
Bad news.  I was at Walmart and someone stole the Ferret Friends Disaster
Response magnetic sign off the car.  Can't understand why people would be
so mean.  We do have our license plate FFDRI 1 so we can get through the
guard and policed areas.
 
In another post I want to list the do's and do not's I have learned from
being in the middle of the storm.  Want to let you all know that in this
or any type of disaster there is a lot of stress.  For those of us that
are shelters a lot of the stress is relieved because we have the animals
and THEY have to be taken care of.  In order to take care of the animals
you have to take care of yourself!
 
Chere McCoy
8775 20th Street, Lot 614
Vero Beach, FL    32966-3065
[Posted in FML issue 4634]