Thank you so much for posting last night, Nancy...
Chris Mathis, shelter mom extraordinaire, did indeed fall and break her
leg. She is now reduced to sitting in a wheelchair until this
heals..not fun !!!
I'm not sure how many of you know this but about 7 years ago, Chris,
her daughter and her infant grandson were in a horrible head on on
collision, (picking up a surrendered ferret) killing her grandson and
crushing both of Chris's legs and permanently injuring her daughter,
Sam. So let's just say Chris has been thru more in life than anyone I
know. Her body and life broken that day, she continued her path to
Heaven by never giving up..
The Oregon City Shelter is one of the largest ferret shelters in the
world...having wonderful helpers and a very dedicated husband, Dave,
Chris was able to carry on..
The shelter has recently tho, come upon hard times that have to do with
health, the economy and times have been getting harder..let's just say
"the old gray mare ain't quite what she used to be" hahaha;)))
This newest setback came at a horrible time..the shelter is bursting at
the seams again (still) with approx 200 ferrets...can you imagine!!!!
200 ferrets!!!!!!
I have watched Chris in action..there is no one who runs their shelter
any smoother.. Its a well oiled machine and the best way I can describe
it..
Ferrets are all on schedules, as are their meds...meds are given to
many around the clock and no one is better at ferret care than Chris,
herself...
The bottom line here is Chris needs help. She has always been the first
to give and the very last one to ask..
I realize many of you are across the USA but there are so many things
you CAN do...
I loved Nancy's suggestion that 168 people come and each one take just
one ferret..what a concept!!!! ;)
1) Adopt a ferret or two or maybe just borrow a couple until she's
healed...Chris would just LOVE to share;)))
2) Send cards...(she would be thrilled)
3) Send a donation (Chris spends her days and nights trying to rustle
up help but sitting there in pain, isn't condusive to those kinds of
actions)
4) Send food...no, not for Chris (tho a few chocolates wouldn't hurt;))
but for the ferrets..at Christmas time they were very low and I'm just
sure with 200 hungry ferrets ,food is always needed!!!! She has a
Shelter account at Totally Ferret and honestly , any food for her mix
would be fantastic!!!
5) Volunteer if you can!!! Chris needs this sort of help, desperately!
There are mouths to feed (gigantic bull mastiff doggies, too;)..floors
to clean..heaps of washing to do 24/7.. meds to give, poopy boxes to
scrub, nails to clip, health to monitor, ferrets to play with and just
love on... angora ferrets to enjoy, phones to answer, backs and feet to
rub (okay I added that, both Chris and Daves;) And those are just a few
things off the top of my head..it never ends....
Oregon isn't that far from Washington and both Jerry and I are heading
down there for a few days as soon as we can, every little bit helps...
(its only about an hour and a half from Olympia...c' mon down you
Seattle ferret peeps!!!!!) there is always a spare hammy for you to
camp out on!!!!!!
6) send an online gift card...ferrets.com is a great one....Walmart,
too!!
The address is
OREGON CITY FERRET SHELTER
17560 S Holly Lane
Oregon City, Oregon 97045-8523
Thanks so much everyone...i know times are though but every little bit
is so appreciated!!!!!
You have no idea what a cute Get Well card can do to lift a persons
spirits....;))) If anyone in this ferret world deserves our thanks,
Chris is the one... She has been my HERO from the first time I met
this fantastic giving woman... Please lighten her load a bit..Chris
has never complained but I'm sure her spirits must be down at the
moment.... Putting that twinkle back in her eye would be fantastic...
we can't put the skip back in her step yet but things that twinkle,
bring JOY;)))
Love, Hugs and Thank you..
Tara
xoxoxo xoxoxo xoxoxo
[Posted in FML 6933]
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