Jill Burd, Board Member, Volunteer Program Director, welcomed the 33 in attendance to the Kick-Off Meeting. She thanked everyone for coming and for what they do every day to help FOCCAS achieve our mission.
Each volunteer was encouraged to put suggestions in a box and in the sign-in table. The ideas were then presented autonomously and discussed. Speakers from each of FOCCAS’s main program areas outlined their programs and the various opportunities for volunteer involvement. Attendees were encouraged to ask questions during each presentation.
Communication – Diane Osowiecki, Board Member, outlined the various communications opportunities, including working on the newsletter, website maintenance, and Facebook posting. Working with each committee, the communications team helps with marketing and publicity, both internally and externally.
Pawpals Program- Introduced by Debbie Holloway. Debbie is one of our best fundraisers. She raised funds for FOCCAS to purchase a trailer that the organization uses at promotional events. Her most recent endeavor PawPals.
Since its introduction on the website, 21 senior dogs have been sponsored through the PawPals program. A sponsor is asked to sponsor a pet with either a $20 monthly sponsorship or a one-time, $240 yearly sponsorship. Sponsorship funds go toward shelter, food, and medical treatments. Monthly updates, written by the sponsored animal, will be sent to each animal’s sponsor.
Foster Program – Jamie Deats, Foster Coordinator, spoke about the importance of fostering. Jamie, a foster herself, spoke about how rewarding fostering is and how it helps dogs find good homes.
The more dogs we get into a foster home, the more dogs we can rescue. A home environment is much better for a rescued dog to learn to socialize, potty train, walk on a leash, and learn manners. Jamie recruits and is always looking for new foster families.
Each Friday morning, Jamie conducts leash training with gentle leaders at the rescues in-take facility.
Adoptions – Darla Caswell, Canine Adoption Coordinator, organizes adoptions, working closely with the volunteers who vet and approve applications and with our adopters. She answers questions, vets applications, and is available to anyone who needs help with our vetting process. She talked about how rewarding it is to see the smiles on everyone’s faces during the meet-and-greet on adoption day.
Education – Ellen Rosenfeldt, Board Member and Education Director, outlined how she works with county schools through donations of books focused on teaching compassion and caring for animals.
As part of the Educational outreach, Ellen speaks at many community events about animal rescue. She is also a liaison with town and county officials whose focus is on abused, abandoned, and neglected animals. She promotes the need for them to have adequate shelter, proper food and water, vaccinations, and the importance of spaying/neutering.
Feline Program- Holly Brown, Board Member, Feline Program Director, spoke about the feline program and the need for a spay/neuter program. She was also able to answer questions about Shelter Manager, which is the database program used by FOCCAS to track each person and animal that comes into contact with the organization. Holly is also involved with the FOCCAS website and media.
Jan Hendrixson, Founder and President of FOCCAS, along with her husband Mark, who is Vice President, spoke on the increasing need for volunteers to assist with animal transport to and from medical procedures and health certificates.
Outreach, Fundraising, and Grants were also discussed during their presentation.
FOCCAS Volunteers 