It is hard to believe that the holidays are upon us already. This has been a very busy year and the time has just flown by! There are many things to be grateful for, uppermost in the list is the support of so many donors, adopters and volunteers.

 

We have handled over 500 animals this year and most ot them have found new homes. By networking with other shelters, rescue groups and getting the word out locally we have had a good adoption year.

Equally, we have managed to spay and neuter every pet before they are adopted - no exceptions- thus being proactive in our attempts to curb the homeless animal problem.

With a grant from the Charlevoix County Community Foundation we have been able to bring this beautiful new website to the public eye. We have also forged into social media by setting up a Facebook page and using a service that enables electronic newsletters. This has been more helpful than I could have even guessed as it cuts our costs but still gets the word (and our work) out to the public.

We, of course, cannot accomplish any of our work without the help of our donors and volunteers and we are forever grateful for the ongoing support that so many of you show.

It has personally been a difficult year with the loss of several close loved ones starting in January. Even as I write this, our community is mourning the loss of yet another young person killed in the line of duty only two months after being deployed to Afghanistan. We all hope to find peace somewhere. For this family I imagine that it will be some time before they fee any peace an I wish them all the best.

I mention these events that I might bring perspective to our lives - the challenges that we take up, the causes that we support. Everything we do in kindness comes back to us and to our community. Twice this year we helped deploying soldiers find new homes for their pets. We also helped on of our own as he struggles with cancer by finding a foster home for a cat that his family loves but the physicians won't allow while he is undergoing chemotherapy.

We can't do any of these things or help any of the animals that come to us without the assistance of people like you. Our donors and supporters make it all possible. To you all, I am personally and professionally grateful.

May the new year bring you and your loved ones joy, peace and prosperity.

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