for the animals - Chemung County SPCA
for the animals - Chemung County SPCA
for the animals - Chemung County SPCA
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Little Voices Making a Big Difference<br />
The fourth grade classes from Erwin Valley Elementary pose with<br />
<strong>the</strong> letters <strong>the</strong>y wrote to get donations <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Chemung</strong> <strong>County</strong><br />
<strong>SPCA</strong>.<br />
On March 26, representatives from <strong>the</strong> <strong>Chemung</strong> <strong>County</strong><br />
Humane Society and <strong>SPCA</strong> visited Erwin Valley Elementary<br />
School’s fourth-grade classes to pick up donations that were<br />
raised in a very special way. The students wrote letters to<br />
various companies to ask <strong>for</strong> donations <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> shelter. The<br />
outpouring of support shocked shelter staff and teachers alike.<br />
Large boxes of rawhides and Kongs were just <strong>the</strong> beginning<br />
of what turned out to be a successful donation drive.<br />
To fulfill an English Language Arts (ELA) letter writing<br />
requirement, <strong>the</strong> classes took <strong>the</strong> <strong>SPCA</strong>’s wish list and wrote<br />
letters to <strong>the</strong> manufacturers of some of <strong>the</strong> items on <strong>the</strong> list<br />
asking <strong>for</strong> donations.<br />
“We never expected to hear back from <strong>the</strong> companies,” said<br />
Sarah Michaelson, <strong>the</strong> teacher of one of <strong>the</strong> classes participating<br />
in <strong>the</strong> project. “I wanted <strong>the</strong> students to have an au<strong>the</strong>ntic<br />
experience writing a business letter, not a pretend letter to a<br />
pretend company. Students learned <strong>the</strong>ir words have power.”<br />
Michaelson went on to explain how <strong>the</strong> students got personalized<br />
letters from companies who sent donations directly to<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>Chemung</strong> <strong>County</strong> <strong>SPCA</strong>. These companies do not usually<br />
make donations, but were so touched by <strong>the</strong> students’ letters<br />
that <strong>the</strong>y made an exception.<br />
“We were delighted to receive <strong>the</strong>se donations,’” said Barbara<br />
McLean, Executive Director of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Chemung</strong> <strong>County</strong> Humane<br />
Society and <strong>SPCA</strong>. “It means even more to us that <strong>the</strong><br />
students took <strong>the</strong> time to write letters on our behalf and that<br />
<strong>the</strong> companies answered in such a positive way.”<br />
Volunteer Profile<br />
From left to right Marcia McPherson and Betty<br />
Ling hold shelter residents Koala and Mary<br />
Mabel during a Monday afternoon cat cuddling<br />
session.<br />
Volunteers Marcia McPherson<br />
and Betty Ling started volunteering<br />
on March 31 of last year. The<br />
retired school teachers from Addison<br />
volunteer whenever <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
schedules allow, but have been<br />
coming on Mondays <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> last<br />
few weeks. “After being retired<br />
<strong>for</strong> a year, we looked at options<br />
of what to do with our time,”<br />
Betty said. “This option appealed<br />
to us over o<strong>the</strong>r options.”<br />
The pair mostly cuddles cats, but,<br />
“if we see something that needs<br />
to be done, we do it,” Marcia said. As <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir favorite part of volunteering,<br />
Marcia says it’s, “holding <strong>the</strong> cat,” while Betty thinks <strong>the</strong> best part is<br />
<strong>the</strong> older cats. “It’s strange because we both agree that we like <strong>the</strong> older<br />
cats more than <strong>the</strong> kittens,” Betty said. “The older cats have already established<br />
personalities, while <strong>the</strong> kittens are just <strong>for</strong>ming a personality.”<br />
The pair agrees that this is a meaningful experience <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong>m and it’s why<br />
<strong>the</strong>y volunteer to help <strong>the</strong> <strong>animals</strong>. “To me it’s something I can do in retirement<br />
to feel like I’m still making a difference; I’m providing a needed<br />
service,” Betty said. “I do this because <strong>the</strong> cats need socialization,” said<br />
Marcia. “I enjoy it and <strong>the</strong> cats do, too.”<br />
Paulette Millan and <strong>the</strong> staff of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Chemung</strong><br />
<strong>County</strong> <strong>SPCA</strong> in front of <strong>the</strong> shelter.<br />
A French Connection<br />
On Wednesday, April 14, <strong>the</strong> <strong>Chemung</strong><br />
<strong>County</strong> Humane Society and<br />
<strong>SPCA</strong> had a trial run of <strong>the</strong>ir new<br />
“Shelter-to-Shelter” program. This<br />
program hopes to build relationships<br />
with o<strong>the</strong>r shelters locally,<br />
around <strong>the</strong> country, and in this<br />
case, around <strong>the</strong> world.<br />
Shelter representatives met with<br />
Paulette Millan, a woman who<br />
volunteers with <strong>the</strong> SPA Limoges<br />
(Society <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> Protection of Animals)<br />
in Limoges, France. She was in <strong>the</strong> country visiting her daughter<br />
who adopted a cat from <strong>the</strong> shelter last year, and her daughter arranged<br />
<strong>for</strong> her to tour <strong>the</strong> shelter and meet with our staff.<br />
With <strong>the</strong> translating help of her daughter and our quadra-lingual Executive<br />
Director, Barbara McLean, Millan told shelter staff about <strong>the</strong> policies<br />
and procedures in place at her shelter and <strong>the</strong> <strong>Chemung</strong> <strong>SPCA</strong> staff<br />
shared <strong>the</strong>ir experiences with her. It was a great multi-cultural test run of<br />
our “Shelter-to-Shelter” program.<br />
A New Look <strong>for</strong> Employees<br />
Our employees have a brand new look! To <strong>the</strong> left: <strong>Chemung</strong> <strong>SPCA</strong><br />
employees Jennifer Farrel and Audrianna Jones model <strong>the</strong> new <strong>Chemung</strong><br />
<strong>SPCA</strong> Staff t-shirt. The uni<strong>for</strong>m was implemented in an ef<strong>for</strong>t to make <strong>the</strong><br />
staff more identifiable to <strong>the</strong> public.<br />
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