friends... ======================== ***disclaimer***... jean did not authorize me to say this... and i am speaking as MYSELF...not ANY group i am affiliated with... ======================== i have heard a few grumblings about the fundraising for Jean...not much... but i do not want to let this pass... this was a VERY successful campaign...there was a FANTASTIC support group here...one person or even a club prolly could not have done this...it was the concerted efforts of several groups of people AND Jean that pulled this off... i say Jean, too, because not only has she consistantly given to the ferret community...private ferret owners and shelters...so there were plenty of people out there that WANTED to help...but she did not sit back and let others do this for her...she was in the middle of it all the way...making approximately 60 or so baskets from items donated and items she had on hand or could get at a great price...dividing them into 'themes', listing, and packaging the baskets... and then mailing them... and what about all those other fantastic people that did the other ebays and raffles?...outstanding...just totally outstanding... Jean is a very special lady...there is no denying that...but that is not the only reason this was successful... the way "I" see it... ONE...she asked for the help...a 'key' point... TWO...she had a support group, a DIVERSE support group, to help her... there were 9 in the HelpJeanGroup...there was Pooflingers, there was ClubMedFerrets...and SEVERAL individuals who donated and ebayed items to help raise the funds... THREE...jean herself did not sit back and expect it done for her...[not that many shelter moms or dads would have!]...she did not say..."i need help" and sit back and expect it done for her...she worked her butt off to contribute as much as she could... Jean is not the only one this can work for...the ferret community is a VERY special group...we get such personal gratification from helping shelters and personal ferrets both... so..if there is anyone out there who may feel a tiny bit resentful or begrudging about all this done for Jean...just remember...this CAN work for ANY shelter out there...they just have to ask for the help...and have a support group willing to put forth the effort to pull it all together... and this group needs to be a group of people that believes in you and willing to put forth a lot of effort to keep it going till your goal is met... yes..jean has cancer...that grabs all our hears...but that is not the only calamity that can and does befall a shelter/shelter parent...and not all shelters will/may need as much help as jean did...but that does not make it any less important for/to them... i would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved in making this such a success...the shelter is saved...even the kids needing surgery will get it...i am sure Jean will post about this herself...so i will say no more about that... but i DO want to thank everyone that donated... donated time... donated items... donated money... donated by buying raffle tickets... donated by running the raffles... donated by bidding on ebays... donated by running the ebays... donated and maintained web space... and last, but NOT least... donated love and emotional support...... there are too many of you to name individually...you know who you are... many do not want recognition anyway...but, i, personally, thank you all... God bless you all... kat p.s..i knew exactly how i wanted to say all this in bed this morning when i could not sleep..but it has not come out exactly as i wanted it to here...i wish i had a computer in bed with me sometimes!!! anyway..i hope everyone got what i was trying to say... anyone with enough support behind them can do this...and thank God for all the support we had... ===== KITY=^..^=KAT's Fuzzy Frenzy [+13](-16)... http://ferretlover97.terrabox.com/ ClubMedFerrets' Raffle for Jean... http://www.geocities.com/mookiejoey/CMF_Medical_Fund_Raffle.html HELP JEAN, Ferrets Unlimited, PAGE... http://www.kwflatbed.com/jean/jean.html ..... with links to lots of ebays and raffles to help Jean!!! SOS/FML Shelter and Vet List... http://SOS-ShelterList.supportourshelters.org SOS Raffles... http://sos-raffle.supportourshelters.org/ When you care about others....when you reach out to others.... ...when you give of yourself to others...YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE! [Posted in FML issue 4443]