I don't know how long that Kat Parsons has been a ferret advocate or
has been part of our community and helped so many of us ... but I do
know what I've seen since I've known her for the past eight years.

For eight long years, I and so many others have benefited from the
friendship we have had with Kat Parsons.

For eight years, I've come online and read posts each week from her on
the FML about one contribution or another of hers to the well being of
ferrets.

Eight years of not reading one single negative thing from her on any
ferret forum online. Not one.

Eight years of watching her help calm arguments between friends, and
help to find solutions to complex problems that ferrets face each day.

Eight years of watching her contribute painstaking work and pieces of
her heart through her artwork, webpage building, and crocheting to
fundraisers for ferrets.

Eight years of watching her donate afghans and sleepy sacks to shelters
and to those ferrets who need a warm, soft place to sleep.

Eight years of Sean and Rocky's story being brought to you and others
as far away as Japan, all because she gave me a voice through a website
that she gave me so that I could tell their story.

Eight years of being able to help people with deaf ferrets and
handicapped ferrets because she took the time to build a site dedicated
it (the first of it's kind back in it's day).

Eight years of being privileged to personally come to know those that
face and fight the battle of ADV in our community because she got me
involved with the cause. She was the one that picked up that phone
seven years ago to call me and say, "okay Wolf... so what are we going
to do about this ADV problem?"

Eight years of watching so many fundraising projects, such as one of
the first major ADV projects take off just because of her involvement.

Eight years of being able to participate in reading and writing, all
because she gave me a hand of support and some books so that I could
once again read and write near the level that I used to before I fell
ill.

Eight years of watching hearts mend because she shared her time with
someone to memorialize a loss whether human or pet.

Eight years of watching thousands of dollars raised by her for ferrets
and their caregivers in need.

Eight years of her never, once asking for help. Ever.

I have watched this woman go through times so hard that she has had her
electricity and phone cut off ... yet she never complained, except for
how it inconvenienced her from being able to give a project or someone
her all.

Bottom line, is if Kat had no computer and Internet connection, those
thousands of dollars and all of those ferrets and people never would
have been helped. You never would have heard from me, except for the
silly butt posts I put on the FML and elsewhere online. You never would
have had Sean and Rocky come into your homes. And until lately, there
would have been no deaf ferret references over the past several years.
You all have been directly affected by this woman, even if you don't
know her. The ADV efforts, White Russians story, the first
comprehensive website about ADV, various shelters plights that we've
come to know, and so much more would not even be here, or at least in
the same way that we know them to be today if it were not for this
woman.

Kim Fox, and friends have been trying to figure out a way to raise
money through a raffle because Kat has had to move and to an area that
does not have Internet connection. Here's the thing. Kat is the raffle
queen and runs the raffles for SOS and for other projects so that we
"don't have to". She is not here to do it. We are. We are new to
putting up websites and everything else that goes along with a raffle.
But it is getting done. The page is up, some things have been donated,
and Kim is skilled and reputable enough to run the numbers. But we do
need more items, and we need participants. So please, if you have
anything to donate write Kim Fox at [log in to unmask]

And if you'd like to participate, please check in on the webpage at
www.geocities.com/woozlekisses8/raffleforkat.html as things are added
to see if you are interested in anything. Lastly, if you are busy, and
even if you don't have anything but a couple of dollars to give ...
please contact Kim Fox to see about sending a check on to this fund for
Kat. Kat has lived her life around the firm belief that every single
dollar is a precious thought and a help. Every single one. There is
never a gift too small her eyes. There is always something you can do.
If you want to read more about what Kat has given to this community,
keep your eyes peeled for the future Ferrets issue that highlights her
in my Superstars column.

[Posted in FML 5618]