Hello ferret friends! Before the Holiday is fully upon us I would like to thank all those wonderful folks who ventured up for our open house on Dec. 9th. It was wonderful to chat and offer refreshments and meet you face to face. I would like to thank all those kind folks who have dropped by leaving off shelter supplies such as laundry detergent, newspapers & paper towels. Each and every kind donation helps us provide better food & health care for the ferrets. Last but not least-- I want to thank the folks who have sent holiday cards & greetings to the shelter kids- each day I get to take more holiday cards to the shelter and put them up with little fur feet surrounding me. The small holiday twig tree is bedecked with new multicolored light and replaces the night lights. Everyone is happy and snug in the Martins cages we have installed in the past two years. Without support, both emotional and through donations we wouldn't be here for the kids that had no where else to go it is so very heartwarming.... this shelter first was filled with ferrets on Christmas eve-- 1994 and continues to be a gift to them-- from me. In the past few years the warmth of the season also robs us of a special child Ewok left on Dec. 10th-- his cremated remains were never returned as they were lost by staff workers. Now this year again we have more burdens of sadness at Ferret Wise this year as Bear has another medical plight which was diagnosed two days ago ( Jerimiah will enlighten you later) , and I cam very close to losing a personal ferret to advanced insulinoma / heart complications at only age 5 years. Yet aside from the sadness --I would like to say a very special thanks to the folks who through the giving tree have sent along holiday cheer for several of the elder- hospice kids here at the shelter: Rex, Casper, Sterling, Marie and Bear all received a gift package for the holiday. It is especially heart warming for me-- and uplifting as I have a personal ferret who at barely age 5 is teetering on the brink of death-- that with several shelter kids who are not in the best of health robbed a bit of cheer-- your thoughtfulness has restored some of the sadness this season brings-- so-- Thank you-- from the bottom of my heart for reaching out to the fur kids-- it has enlightened me and the shelter this season. We look forward to education & rehabilitation in 2001! Alicia shelter Mom for Ferret Wise www.ferretwise.org When you shop at The Ferretstore from their banner on our web site 5% of the purchases are donated to she shelter! Happy Holidays! [Posted in FML issue 3273]