FCHS hosted its 2nd Annual Golf Tournament on June 7th at Bull Creek Golf Course. It was the perfect day with great weather, delicious food, a beautiful course and a fun-filled Embers Concert. The event was a huge success and everyone had a great time, young and old. With a total of 32 teams, public participation exceeded last year’s event. Stromberg Metal Work’s Team had the best score of the day with a nice 46. A big shout out to Paul, Joe, Rich and Billy for playing a great round. Golfers were treated to a box lunch from Village Deli of Wake Forest before the tournament at noon with a shotgun start. Wrapping up around 5:30, golfers along with their guest enjoyed a lovely dinner by Joey’s Italian Chophouse of Louisburg and a fabulous lawn concert by the Embers.

Net proceeds of over $6500 will go directly to FCHS to support its various community programs such as low-income spay/neutering services, fostering and seniors programs. A very special “Thank You” goes to all our sponsors for their continued support faith in our organization. It was a fabulous day for all and we hope to see everyone again next year.

Slideshow of the event

Photo Album of the event

Cruiz’n for Critters

April 4, 2009’s weather was perfect for FCHS’ 5th Annual Cruiz’n for Critters motorcycle run.  22 bikes joined the FCHS family for a beautiful 150 mile ride through 5 counties.  We had riders from the local area and some from as far away as Pittsboro, NC and Henderson, NC.

Local businesses provided food and refreshments for the riders along the way. One rider even joked that it was like an eating tour of Franklin County! Local businesses that participated were McKenzie’s, Wake Forest Coffee Shop, Vollmer’s Farm, Baxter’s and Shannon County Line Lounge. Food at Shannon’s was provided by Wacky Weiner Hot Dog Cart.

Everyone had a great time and we raised $311.00 for the Humane Society.  Thanks to the volunteers who helped man stops and collect raffle prizes.  This event is just as much fun for the riders as well as the volunteers.

 

 

 

   

Putt’n for Paws:

On Sunday, June 7th, the Franklin County Humane Society is sponsoring the Putt's for Paws Golf Tournament, followed by the Embers in concert. The tournament and concert take place at Bull Creek Golf and Country Club in Louisburg.

Teams of four can register for $85 per player. Registration includes greens and cart fees, lunch by Village Deli, dinner by Joey's Italian Chophouse, all beverages (including beer), and the Embers in concert. Tickets to the dinner and concert are available for only $15 so non-golfers can enjoy the event as well.

You can download registration forms at http://www.fchsnc.org, or call Kelly Larson at 919-484-2571 ext 230 for more information. All of the proceeds will benefit the Franklin County Humane Society.

July 21 Public Meeting

Everybody please mark their calendars for the next Humane Society meeting on Tuesday, July 21.  Angela Harris, the Franklin County Manager, will be our guest speaker and available to answer questions about the county's future plans for animal care and control.
 
Please plan to be there and invite anybody interested in hearing Angela and getting the chance to discuss animal welfare issues with her.
 
The time and place will be as always—the Youngsville Library Conference Room.  We will have a brief business meeting from 7 to 7:30 and then our speaker
5K-9: The annual 5K, this year on October 10, is one of our major fundraising events.  A lot of volunteers are needed for that day so mark your calendars.   The 5k committee has already begun to work on this year's event and needs help soliciting sponsorship packages and flyers for the event.  Anyone interested in helping with sponsors can contact Deana at stormryder22001@yahoo.com.
Animal Advisory Board:  The next meeting of the County Animal Advisory Board is July 29 at 6:15 in the County Administrative Building.  This past quarter the AAB prepared (with the help of Vance Granville Community College) and had printed a complete summary of the spay/neuter options available to Franklin County residents.  Stop by Animal Control to pick up your copy.

Volunteer update:

We want to take this time to thank those who helped at the Adoptathons, St Patrick’s Parade, Motor Cycle Run and Bark Around the Park.  But unfortunately it is the same people every time.   We have a large list of volunteers who have been on our yahoo list for quite some time.  But we never seem to see them at events.  Part of the requirements to be on our yahoo list is to help at least 2 hours every three months.  It takes more than saying “I am a volunteer with the Franklin County Humane Society,” you actually need to do some work.  Without the volunteers who come to the events we would not be able to save as many animals as we do.  Or help spay/neuter Franklin County Animals through SNIF.  For that we say THANK YOU!!!  For those who have not helped in a while PLEASE VOLUNTEER TO HELP AT OUR EVENTS.   

Spay Neuter initiative:

SNIF was implemented by FCHS in 2007 and we are happy to report that, to date, we have helped 194 animals within Franklin County. SNIF (Spay & Neuter In Franklin County) is a low-cost spay/neuter program that is administered and funded by FCHS. The program helps low-income families afford to get their pets altered.  To reach SNIF, visit our web site at www.fchsnc.org or call 919-990-1047.  SNAP, a mobile spay/neuter unit, also accepts FCHS SNIF vouchers.  For SNAP, visit their web site at www.snap-nc.org or call 919-783-7627. 

Many thanks to the SNIF line volunteers for answering the phone lines and sending out applications.  We are still looking for help with advertising so for more details contact Deana Ayers at stormryder22001@yahoo.com.

Treasurer’s report:

Treasurer’s reports are distributed and discussed at every meeting.  If you wish to obtain one outside of a meeting, please email Kelly at kellynickle@msn.com.

Fostering/adoptions report:

Adoptions for the period of Jan 2009 thru May 10th 2009:  Cats Adopted- 26; Dogs Adopted-19.

We are so blessed to have a wonderful group of foster parents. They take our dogs into their families and their hearts. To become a foster parent you need to have the time and the love. These little guys need nurturing and acceptance. In time, these dogs go through an amazing change. Their emotional, physical and spiritual wounds are healed. That scared little guy that cowered becomes a proud, healthy, playful and affectionate dog. They learn to play, to trust and to live without fear and confusion.

On the canine side I would like to welcome our latest dog foster team member for the first quarter.

A BIG thank you to our Dog foster team:

Iris Hindle, Larissa Moore, Mary Beth Cristinziano, Julie Fulmer, Jeannette Hicks, Shannon Irwin, Margaret Knox, Paula & Marty Lewis, Julie Nowicki & their families joining our team to help find abandoned dogs new & forever loving homes.

This quarter I would like to feature two of our foster family’s:

Shannon & Lance Irwin & Family

 

Lance and Shannon Irwin joined forces with the Franklin County Humane Society the week-end of the 5K dog event last October.  They wasted no time getting up and running and pulled their first foster, a beagle they named Miley, from AC just a few weeks later.  Since then they have fostered 3 additional beagles (yes…they do have a soft spot for beagles), all of which have found wonderful forever homes.  Shannon says she and her husband make a great team and is so thankful that Lance is willing to accept whatever she comes home with.  They really balance each other well because Lance enjoys the day to day caring for the fosters as well as working with them to build their confidence and teaching them basic obedience skill and she enjoys the interaction with the fosters as well as getting the dogs’ exposure through the adopt-a-thons, internet postings and communicating with potential adopters.  The Irwin’s feel fostering is very rewarding and it has helped them to teach their children what being a responsible pet owner is all about and how wonderful it feels to help an animal in need.  Shannon has recently been appointed to the board of  FCHS and has accepted the position of Volunteer Coordinator. She is a on the Dog, Petpoint (our foster tracking database system), foster picture teams and helps with AC picture taking when her busy schedule allows. She also, looks forward to getting more involved and would love to see our dog foster network grow. Lance and Shannon are excited about sharing their experiences with anyone wanting more information about fostering a furry friend.

Julie & Chris Fulmer & Family

 
When sharing my role as a volunteer foster home for the FCHS, people always say, “I could never do that.  I couldn’t give up any of the foster puppies!”  But, really, falling in love with each puppy makes a nurturing foster home.  Indeed, it’s hard to part with the puppies, but focusing on the goal and, of course, getting yet more puppies, more puppy kisses and more puppy breath, makes it all worthwhile.

My name is Julie Fulmer.  I am a typical housewife, married with two children and a West Highland White Terrier.  I work part-time job and live in a typical suburban neighborhood.

Fostering puppies has been in my heart for years, but it wasn’t until I read an article in the paper about a local puppy mill closing did I actually make the first call.  The article said the raid on the mill was flooding the shelters with mangy, unhealthy dogs and puppies that had been living in very poor conditions.  The article had a link to a local shelter to contact if you wanted to help.  So I did.  I went to the web site and contacted a foster mom to ask how she started fostering.

Little did I know what a big impact that one email would have on my life, and my family’s and even neighbors’ lives.  Within days we had a litter of three precious puppies, each one different in color, size and demeanor.  I’ll never forget when the puppies were first dropped off and the neighbor children all came running out to our front yard to see them… in their pajamas to boot!  I wondered if Georgia (who dropped them off) would wonder about this crazy house with ten children all jumping up and down like it was Christmas morning with their parents excitedly following behind. 

Those three puppies warmed our hearts and opened our eyes to a new world of canine culture.  We have had several pups now.  The puppies take turns walking with me to the kid’s school at the end of the school day.  The kids take turns holding the leash, and being the first pet him or her.  They beam with pride.  Our house is more popular than the neighbors with a trampoline and even than the neighbors with a pool.  Everyone wants to play with a puppy.   Each day new memories are formed, like watching puppies play together, listening to children laughing while the puppies climb all over them kissing their faces, teaching the puppies a new trick, finding their favorite spot to be scratched, or watching the pups romp like bunnies and trip over each other… memories like that make life that much more enjoyable.

Through this foster program, we have met some of the most giving, thoughtful, and caring people I’ve ever known.  These are everyday people making a huge difference in little ways.  Just being around people like that makes me a better person. 

I leave you with this: Thank you.  Thanks to you who give your time, you who give your money, you who rescue animals, and to those who do all of the above.   Because of you, I, and those like me, reap the benefits of fostering.  I, my family and my neighbors are grateful.
Animal Control:  The ACPT (Animal Control Picture Team) is a group of FCHS volunteers who take pictures weekly of the animals available for adoption and place them on the FCAC Petfinders web site. They work regularly with other rescues far and wide to get the word out about these great animals. Without the help of these other rescuers, fewer animals would find forever homes, and their work and compassion is greatly appreciated.

Our feature team member for this quarter is Patty Ellis:

 
Patty Ellis has been our main picture taker for the last year. Patty grew up in Minnesota and attended college in Wisconsin and graduate school in Illinois.  She and her husband, Matt Perdue, moved to Youngsville in November 2005 with their dogs Rollie, a Rottie/Border Collie mix, and Chloe, a Boxer, and they also have a foster Boxer, Allie.  Patty is a Physicians Assistant who works full time in the ER at Wilson Medical Center.  She became a volunteer with FCHS after meeting Julie Bonett, and has been a member of the AC picture team since early 2008.  She is proud of the work that FCHS does in conjunction with AC, and enjoys seeing so many animals adopted and rescued from the wonderful new AC facility.  Other hobbies include gardening, cooking, travel, wine tasting, and sewing.

Thank you Patty for your continued support and hard work for the animals in Franklin County

ALL ABOUT RUBY

My name is Ruby and I am around 2 years old and weigh about 18 lbs. I'm a Beagle mix and my foster family named me Ruby because I am a gem! I am house-broken, gentle and quiet. I love to cuddle with the kids. I like other dogs and don't bother the cats at my foster home. My favorite game is fetch with my toy squirrel and I sometimes do a little "pounce" to catch it. But the thing I love best is curling up next you to give and get love. What can I say - I am easy! So if you are looking for a quiet, sweet, easy-to-care-for dog, I may be just the gem for you! For more information about me contact my foster family at mbcristinziano@yahoo.com

Filll out an application for me & make your life complete!

ALL ABOUT MOE

Hi, my name is Moe and my estimated DOB is 03/30/2009. My brothers and I were owner surrendered to a local animal control facility because our owner could not afford to feed us and give us proper medical care. It was here that we charmed a volunteer with FCHS and she took us into her home.

I love to play with my brothers but I am a little girl so I not as rough as they are. My foster mom says I like to sit back and assess the situation before I go rushing in. I am also the smartest of the three because I learned that if I sit quietly at my foster mom's feet and look at her with my big eyes, she will pick me up and let me sit in her lap.

I am sill a baby but I am working on my housebreaking and mouthing with my little sharp teeth. But my foster mom is getting me enrolled in puppy classes so I can be the smartest, best behaved little puppy. My new owner would have to contnue my classes so I can reach my full potential.

If you have room in your home and heart for me, please go to www.fchsnc.org and complete an application for me.

Filll out an application for me & make your life complete!