Creative fundraising helps volunteers fulfill their mission

By Natalie Bazinet
Staff Writer

CARIBOU — Without the courtesy of applying even slight pressure to the brake pedal, someone drove by the Caribou Inn and Convention Center on Thanksgiving Day and chucked a cat out of the window.

Though terrified, the cat was caught and sent over to the vet to be checked over and fixed within 24 hours of being thrown from a moving vehicle; shortly after her abandonment, Halfway Home Pet Rescue volunteers had prepared a cozy little niche of the shelter for the frightened feline to sleep off the lingering anesthesia from her spaying.

The cat, named Tasha, was the newest addition to over 30 other cats that tentatively call the Halfway Home Pet Rescue their home, as they await their adoption. For Tasha, at least, adoption should come quickly as she’s quite affectionate.

Just about 30 cats and kittens are around the average number of animals at the shelter at any given time — clean, fixed, and happy cats. Even the rescued cats that aren’t quite comfortable with humans yet express their content by snuggling into a sunbeam and purring loudly while they scarf down their food. (As HHPR President Norma Milton says, “you simply won’t find a depressed cat here.”)

With another month to go in 2011, HHPR volunteers have already saved well over 230 cats from dismal fate (and by sterilizing those 230 cats, volunteers prevented the inevitable births of thousands upon thousands of stray, homeless cats — a fact that’s not exaggerated in the least.)

But whether volunteers are saving cats like Tasha from the harsh reality of an Aroostook County winter, rescuing animals from hoarder situations or providing a disadvantaged family with a safe place to relinquish a pet they can no longer care for, half the battle for Halfway Home Pet Rescue volunteers is coming up with the funds necessary to ensure they can help as many felines as possible.

Seasoned volunteers of the rescue know full-well how the global recession has impacted the local community, and they’ve resultantly found new and creative ways to keep their little haven for homeless cats going strong — mostly by coming up with fund-raising ideas that appeal to the public.

“We haven’t asked anyone for an arm and a leg because people don’t have it right now,” explained Halfway Home Pet Rescue President  Milton.

Instead, volunteers have been coming up with fund-raising ideas that help the cats, the community and business owners simultaneously — sort of a win-win-win situation.

Their February Calendar of Gifts is a prime example of this symbiotic relationship: without breaking the bank, many local businesses have donated some pretty significant prizes — car washes, gift certificates, pizzas, etc. These 29 prizes are distributed throughout the 29 days of February’s calendar. Each prize donated by local businesses is valued well over the calendar purchase price of $5, making it a chance for community members to win more than their initial contribution.

While businesses get a good amount of advertising and community members get some great deals, the cats are the ultimate winners as proceeds will be used to help obtain a new shelter for the animals, as the city of Caribou decreed that the Halfway Home Pet Rescue can not continue operating at their existing site at 11 Pioneer Avenue.

Another stocking-stuffer fundraiser that HHPR volunteers are excited about is the Pizza Hut Value Card they’re selling for $6 — the cards offer 12 coupons for Pizza Hut with savings exceeding the expenditure.

But whether volunteers raise $1,000 or $10 for the animals from any given fund-raiser, the sliver lining is always found.

Last year, for instance, HHPR volunteers entered into a contest hoping to raise $1,000 for their new building fund. Despite tremendous community support, another shelter from downstate won the contest instead of HHPR. Too busy and optimistic to mope or sulk, volunteers became proactive about their loss and started their dollar-drive, hoping that if 1,000 people sent in $1, they’d be able to raise the funds themselves.

“That one-dollar challenge ended up with $3,000 coming in for that building,” Milton explained, “We’re doing it again and $300 has already come in.”

But it’s more than just dollar bills coming in; they’re getting notes of support and encouragement from people from as far away as California and Poland who truly believe in what HHPR volunteers are doing to help the animals.

Dances, suppers, drives and sales — the volunteers work together to come up with new ways to help save homeless and abandoned cats. While coordinating fundraisers months isn’t easy by any stretch, volunteers are confident that they’re winning the struggle one cat at a time.

“I think the key right now is that we’re working hard and people know we’re working hard,” Milton said. “They know the money goes to the cats so they tend to support our fundraisers.”

Upcoming fundraisers, dates pending, are already in the works including an auction in the spring and a Spaghetti Dinner, scheduled tentatively for February.

Additional information regarding the Halfway Home Pet Rescue can be obtained by calling 492-1722 or by visiting www.countypetrescue.org.