Dear B.As you may know we chose not to do a Witches' Ball this year, but I have been in touch with one of our most respected NeoPagan organizations re Katrina, and I have just heard that they have sent monies to companion animal rescue groups this week, including the Humane Society:ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE WITCHES' VOICE: "On 9/16/2005, and due to overwhelming requests, Wren mailed out checks totaling 3,803.00 to Animal Rescue Groups, on the scene, helping save the animals affected by the hurricane Katrina disaster. Three checks were issued: The Humane Society - 2,000, Noah's Wish - 1,100 and Petfinder.com - 703. This represents funds received in donations/sponsorships (100% of our income)from this past week (9/8-9/15). see Wren chirps in. * If you have made a donation and have thoughts on where you'd like us to send future checks, feel free to email us. More information is available at The Witches' Voice website."I will also make an announcement in our Full Circle October newsletter to see if we can't raise some money locally for your shelter's special needs Katrina animals, and for the fund raising done this month by Silicon Valley Wildlife Rescue for their fox habitate and raptor needs, etc., (10% of which benefits wildlife rescue groups in the gulf coast, and those wildlife shelters hit by Katrina). If you have an SVHS announcement about your needs that you would like me to include in that newsletter, please let me know. Our newsletter goes out on 10/1 to over 1,500 households. As you know, October is our holiday season (SAMHAIN); a time when we remember the dead, so this is a very good season to ask for donations from our members.FYI: OUR COUNCIL VOTED LAST WEEK TO USE OUR USUAL OCTOBER PLEDGE DRIVE AT FCE TO RAISE MONEY FOR THOSE HIT BY KATRINA. AS OUR FRIENDS AT TWV HAVE DONE, WE WILL GIVE 100% OF ALL MONIES RAISED FOR SPONSORSHIP THAT MONTH TO VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS HELPING ANIMALS IN NEED. I will have a budget re this at the beginning of November.I spoke to some of your staff yesterday at Bark in the Park, and they told me that it is costing 800 a day to take care of just these 12 animals as they are very sick. I know how easily funds can be drained on special projects, and I just wanted to say a personal "thank you" to you and to your organization for doing this work.All good things,Sia VogelCouncil Leader, Full Circle Eventshttp://www.fullcircleevents.org"Honor the past. Celebrate the present. Create the future"* TWV sent over 2,000 to the Red Cross last week and will continue to raise funds for various charity groups through October. I have petitioned them to include the wildlife rescue groups in their giving, as well. The Officers of Avalon (a nonprofit group of NeoPagan police, fire and rescue professionals) has raised over 14,000 through Avalon Cares. Their members were some of the first responders and they continue to work in that area, bringing supplies to those in need.cc: Janet Alexandar, WRSV,Rev. Wren Walker, TWVfilesbc: FCE Council & Senior Staff Other notes: * We sent that MSNBC story about the pets into Wren's Nest Yesterday. I'm glad she was able to use it so effectively. That story is just part of many others I'm hearing from animal rescue groups these last few weeeks that just break my heart.Meanwhile, Steve Wozniak has stepped up to help. I wrote and thanked him for that last night. I've been in touch with J. about getting some money out of the fat cats he knows in L.A. He's working on it, and we'll see. I've also written to T. to see if he's of a mind to help (he gives so much money to so many causes around the world, that it's hard to ask him for more.) However, he might have a line to somone at Pixar, which could help.Sia@FullCircle
