I have to share the heartwarming success story of a recent fundraiser, the Jr. Picasso Pet Portrait event, which not only brought joy to our community, but also significantly contributed to supporting our shelter's mission.Our Development Department team has the job of coming up with fun ways to bring donations into the shelter and they have to be creative all the time. Sometimes we draw inspiration from other creative minds in the animal welfare field, as well. The Jr. Picasso Pet Portrait fundraiser was a unique initiative where individuals could submit a picture of their beloved pets for a small donation of $25 each. What made this fundraiser truly special for us was the collaboration with 3rd to 5th-grade students from the Sycamore Elementary School District. These budding artists poured their creativity and enthusiasm into each pet portrait, finding immense joy in the project while supporting a cause close to their hearts. We received 125 entries, and every submission was met with excitement and dedication from the students, knowing that their efforts made a real difference in the lives of animals at Haven. We mailed out the finished portraits and received so many words of gratitude and excitement about their beautiful pet portraits. I’ve included a few portraits in this letter and we’ll be adding more of them to future announcements and social media posts.
I hope seeing these inspires you to participate in the Jr. Picasso Pet Portrait event next time around. We extend our sincerest thanks to Sycamore Elementary School Art Students, Art Teacher Michelle Holtz, and everyone who participated in and supported this fundraiser, whether by submitting a pet portrait, making a donation, or simply spreading the word. Your contributions have made a tangible difference in the lives of animals in need, and for that, we are immensely grateful.
Congratulations to Heather Ferguson, our 2023 Volunteer of the Year! Heather does so much for the animals at the shelter, from walking dogs, to training new volunteers, to hiding easter eggs filled with treats, Heather is always ready to do what she can to enrich the lives of shelter animals. She is present at all the outreaches and fundraising events like our golf tournament, bowling day, college finals week de-stress breaks, Redding Rodeo and Christmas parades; Heather is always there with a smile just hoping the dogs she brings out in the community will be seen and adopted. Our Volunteer Coordinator chose Heather to pilot Haven’s new Tails on the Town program where a dog from the shelter has a special day out on the town. It was so fun and successful, we continued the program with more dogs. Heather gets to know the dogs so well, she becomes a great resource for helping adopters choose the best pet. Heather brings a lot of fun to the shelter for the staff and the animals and we appreciate her greatly. If you’d like to explore ways to help the animals through volunteering, information, and an application can be found on our website at www.havenhumane.org/volunteer or call Kassie at (530) 241-1653 x223.
Since filing taxes has been on everyone’s to-do list lately, I’ll let you know that Haven Humane can email your donation history to you at the end of the year. If you’d like a record of your donations for your future tax filings, call our office at (530) 241-5262 or email your interest to Mandy at mhoblin@havenhumane.org. Mandy is also available to help you set up automatic monthly donations if you are interested. Thanks for being part of Team Haven. Your support truly makes a difference.
Mark Storrey, CEO
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