Christmas Party

Just a reminder, the A.S./A.P. holiday party is being held on the 19th of December at the shelter. Plan to come at 7:00 p.m. and if you want to bring something, feel free. No formalized plan on food, just your favorite munchie is fine.

We will hold the raffle drawing at 8:00 p.m. as advertised.

Thank You!!!!

We have a really happy announcement to make. Because of the generosity and help of our members and others in the community, all our vet bills have been PAID OFF!!! We even have a balance in the bank.

The money has been donated as a response to the newspaper article that Diane wrote and published, as memorials for Margaret and Dr. Thomas Kroner, and for raffle ticket sales. We also have a member who will begin working on grant applications, so hopefully we will not get into this situation again.

Wish List

We are often asked for a wish list. The only major item we need (besides 10 acres of land and a building!) is a computer. We have had two computers donated, but neither was in working order.

Something else that was mentioned to us by Dr. Parrish is a tattoo iron so that neutered and spayed cats could be identified later on. If anyone has information on this equipment, please let us know. We could provide them to any interested veterinarian in Monroe County (possible grant program).

Adoption Ban

No cats wil be adopted during the week of 21-27 December. This is a long-standing policy of A.S./A.P. Cats need to be adopted before the holiday week or else presents can be placed under the tree and the cats can be reserved for pick up after the 27th. This is the only time of year when we reserve cats prior to adoption.

Letter from the President: Charities

Once again it is time to donate. Not that you should't donate to charities all year long (their problems are year-long, not seasonal), but it is the end of the year and the holiday season. People's minds drift to giving presents and supporting the needy.

If you are still reading this letter you must truly be interested in charity work, so I will introduce a few charities that your fellow members of A.S./A.P. are also involved in.

First, of course, let me encourage you to donate to A.S./A.P.

Most of you reading this letter are well acquainted with our tax deductible non-profit organization,

Second, St. Clare Health Mission of Sparta. A.S./A.P. member Dr. Patricia Raftery's group. Human health mission for those under federal poverty income levels and the uninsured. St. Clares' provides medical care (complete) and medications at no charge except a $10.00 donation is requested if possible. St. Clare Health Mission of Sparta, 310 W. Main Street, Sparta, WI 54656

Third, the Child Center Cemetery Project. A.S./A.P. member Diane, editor of the Sparta Herald. This is a new group trying to erect a decent memorial stone and maintain decent cemetery grounds for the old state owned child center in Sparta. Many years ago a state owned orphanage was located in Sparta. Many of the children who died while at the orphanage were buried in a private cemetery which is located in the middle of what is now the Municipal Golf Course. There are 301 (as far as we know) children buried at the cemetery with simple cement slabs for burial stones and only numbers (1, 2, 3, through 301) given on the stones and no names.

The child center cemetery project is trying to raise the approximate $10,000 it will cost to put up a large memorial stone in the cemetery with the names of the children as available and to try to maintain the grounds.

Child Center Cemetery Project, ATTN: Donna Kastburg, c/o State Bank of Sparta, 145 N. Water Street, Sparta, WI 54656

Last, but not least, is the group A.S./A.P. member Phyllis is interested in helping called Community Helping Hands. Phyllis is the owner of Second Season, 128 N. Water Street, Sparta, WI 54656. The people at Community Helping Hands have done several programs including distributing clothing at no charge to the needy, providing school supplies to children that can't afford their own, and now a special program to distribute Christmas toys to children.

In addition to money and other donations needed, Community Helping Hands is brand new and could use some knowledgeable help on incorporating, getting tax deductible status, 501(c) 3 status, etc. While these people are not yet tax deductible, they could sure use some help getting started. I think you can reach them using Phyllis at the above address for right now.

Hope this letter can point some of you in a direction for your charitable donations where your fellow A.S./A.P. members have their other interests. After all, if you all didn't have soft hearts and heads you probably wouldn't belong to A.S./A.P. HA!

Happy Holidays

Georgette