Olympic Mountain Pet Pals

Pet Pals is grateful to the Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship for designating the offerings from their April 24th service for us. The congregation generously contributed $818. READ to ROVER dog, Sunny, especially enjoyed attending their morning service.

Pet Pal’s President, Pam Kolacy, has prepared a report on our 2015 accomplishments.

Here are some of the highlights of our efforts:

• 327 pets in low income families spayed/neutered in 2015; 4,412 pets since 2002
• 104 community cats spayed /neutered in 2015; 2,139 since the program began in June 2001.
• 30 animals given medical treatment through Ginger’s Fund in 2015 for a total of 581 animals since that project began.
• 11 Pets to People therapy dog teams making regularly scheduled visits to Life Care Center, Seaport Landing, and Victoria House.
• 31 READ to ROVER teams were active at Grant Street Elementary School, Chimacum Primary School and the City public library.
• The community cat and low income spay/neuter volunteers were busy clearing up at least two identified situations where pets had been allowed to breed uncontrolled for years.
• An $8,000 grant received from the HTB Family Fund to support spay and neuter programs.
• Our newsletter is now printed in color and looks more striking and professional.
• Low-income spay/neuter clients contributed nearly $2,000 in co-pays for vet services
• Because we operate only with volunteers, 88% of our funding goes toward veterinarian services. Our local vets provide their services at a rate that is nearly at cost.

You can find the complete report by clicking here.

The Fall 2015 newsletter is now available on-line by clicking here. If you are on our mailing list, your paper copy will be arriving in the mail soon.

Kim Pratt, who serves as our READ to ROVER coordinator and advocate within the Chimacum School District, had a great idea for a way to build a community of proud and enthusiastic readers at Chimacum Creek Primary School. She created the t-shirt project to provide each 2nd grader who reads with our dogs with a READ to ROVER t-shirt and she has worked hard to find funding for it.

Two years ago, with the help of Elma Berry and Ginny Albrecht (volunteers extraordinaire),
solicitations for the project were made to various organizations in the Chimacum, Hadlock and Port Townsend areas. The response was truly amazing. Donations came in from all over! Their wonderful supporters included: Port Hadlock Medical Clinic, Lisa’s Jewelry, Dr. Shores, Don’s Pharmacy, Gooding,O’hara and Mackey, CPA’s, First Federal Savings and Loan and Olympic Mountain Pet Pals. In addition, private donations were graciously received from incredible citizens such as Noreen McCarron, Peg Carlson, Pat Swain, Carla Ellis, Elizabeth Berman, Phyllis Taylor, Mary Jane and Amberson McCulloch, Peg Furey, Helen Williams, Shirley Williams, Laura Tucker, as well as Vicki and Gene Cox. These businesses and individuals were ALL behind the great success of CCP’s first year’s “T-Shirt Project”. THEY made it a possibility!

It only took one Friday’s Read to Rover experience for Karen Newman to become a fan as well as the sponsor for CCP’s second year’s project. Karen, President of the Friends of Chimacum Schools organization generously donated the funds which were then obtained through a grant submitted to FOCS. Karen’s support has been monumental in the continuance of this terrific project and program at CCP. Her love and compassion for children is forever present in our Chimacum School

Last spring, Kim organized a presentation about the READ to ROVER program to the Jefferson County Association of Realtors. Several of our therapy dog teams went along to show how well they behave (aside from some drool since it was a lunchtime event). The Realtors held a cake auction that raised enough money for all the kids to get their shirts at the beginning of this school year. As you can see in the photo at the top of this post, the 2014-15 READers were very excited to wear their bright red shirts!

So if you see some kids around town wearing red shirts with the READ to ROVER logo, ask them how much they like reading with dogs at school. And, if you know a local realtor, frequent a supportive local business, or just so happen to touch base with a “friend of the Rovers”, thank them for their support of young READers.

Listen to an interview between Larry Montague, Tonzo’s owner, and Ned Schumann by clicking here.