Monday, June 20, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
A WORLD WIDE CRY FOR HELP.
Special Announcement: The Summer Of Love is a series of " On-Line Fundraisers & Social Media Awareness Campaigns ". To Save The Kitties at " The World's Greatest Cathouse",.
Our first awareness campaign is title - A WORLD WIDE CRY FOR HELP. I will be driving kitty lovers from all over the world from the Social Media sites starting tonight to our Web Site.
By using this powerful and truthful message.
Save 230 Special Need Kitties
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TODAY.
Care - Share - Volunteer - Adopt - Shop - Donate
Englewood, Florida’s “World’s Greatest Cathouse,“ Puffy Paws Kitty Haven, is a 501(c) (3) non-profit, no-kill cat hospice specializing in providing quality and loving care to special needs cats.
With all of the heart and soul that we can muster there is no easier softer way to say this: we need a influx of working capital to continue with our mission here at Puffy Paws Kitty Haven.
If we fail at raising the funds needed to take care of the 230 kitties under our care there will be no other option but to close down. What choice would we have?
A whole cat hospice will be wiped out and only painful and sad stories will be told because we could not round up the worldwide awareness and financial help that these beautiful cats deserve.
Please share with your friends and post everywhere that you can think of about Puffy Paws Kitty Haven.
Care - Share - Volunteer - Adopt - Shop - Donate
We need your help and YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TODAY.
To help and for more information please go to our website at:
http://www.puffypawskittyhaven.com/
.
When they come to our site - This is the message they will see.
A WORLD WIDE CRY FOR HELP
We are Englewood, Florida’s “World’s Greatest Cathouse,“ Puffy Paws Kitty Haven is a 501(c) (3) non-profit, no-kill cat hospice specializing in providing quality and loving care to special needs cats.
“We care for kitties with feline leukemia, FIV, blind kitties, feral cats, epileptic kitties, kitties with only one eye, senior kitties, kitties that do not use their litter box, kitties with thyroid conditions and more - basically unwanted and unadoptable kitties that would be euthanized elsewhere.”
Since the airing of the Video in October 2008 all of our numbers have double. We now have 230 kitties. It cost $250 dollars a day for the kitties daily needs and we have 3,000 dollars in monthly operating expenses. We did obtain our 501(c) (3) non-profit from the IRS. So all donations are tax - duct-able.
As you saw in the Video we do not get paid, 100% of all donations goes to the kitties daily needs and the operating expenses.
It is getting tougher and tougher raising the funds that are needed to take care of the kitties but the only reason we are doing it, is by creating awareness of our plight and only though the love of the kitties lovers through-out the, World donating ,the doors are still open and the kitties are safe and alive.
And for this will will always be grateful for your love.
If you can help please do. Please only give what your heart and budget can afford
On our Home page you will find many great articles and Videos. Please enjoy.
Mad Kitty Love Goes Out To You All.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Were Would the kitties be if it was not for you.
Dear Friends of The Kitties
Were Would the kitties be if it was not for you.
They would have been a forgotten memory.
And for this we thank - you.
Puffy Paws Kitty Haven made it on a big time national Web site and we could not be happier. About. com
Please make sure you read Alissa Wolf article " Cool Business Model ", about Puffy Paws ( About.com, Pet Shops Guide).
Click Here To Read The Story
When I first read it , I cried cause we never get this kind of respect and recognition as the saying " In our own backyard ".
I do what I have to do for the kitties and I always tried to think outside the box.
Because of our reaching out to you and asking for help when we need it, over $800 dollars in donations came in this week.
We are speechless. Your love shines through and for this we thank you.
After getting the supplies for the kitties, up till today.
We have been paying bills.
But Now - The Kitties Luck Just Ran Out.
Now We Have To Ask For Your Help At An Item At A Time.
Chrissy Went To The Cupboard To See If Dinner Was Their And The Cupboard Was Bare.
Da Kitties Need Only 2 Cases Of Wet Food -$34 & 2 Bags Of Dry $25 -
PLEASE HELP FEED THE KITTIES TONIGHT. $1 $5 $10 Donation Goes A long Ways -
12 bags of litter will get us through the AM.
WERE DID ALL THE FUND GO ?
The kitties have had their supplies, $250 a day, for the past week, thanks to the love of everyone.
Enough funds came in and we paid the $400 dollars FPL bill that was due.
Also our domain names were due on the 17th.
We own puffypawskittyhaven / com / info /net /org / TV
We also brought
theworldsgreatestcathouse.com
So $72 was paid out to GoDaddy.
It would have been a nightmare if we lost them because of non -payment
Chrissy cell phone was due at $50 bucks. We paid $35 instead because we switch to the family plan at Metro PCS and the total savings per year for switching her phone over to Metro is $360 a year.
Now the Cell phone bills are due on the 30th of the Month at $70 at month instead of the $100 dollars we were paying for two different couriers.
Just a heads ups
Next month power is going to be a 'Whooper" and plus the payment plan together. Estimate at $900......
We have a special page on our Web Site , so we are starting to work on collecting funds for that now.
CLICK TO DONATE TO NEXT MONTHS FPL BILL
Next big bill up is the Thrift Shop rent $420 plus electric, which is late.
As the fires pop up, we all put them out together .
And for this we will always be grateful ..
Thank You Rick & Chris & Da Kitties
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Thursday, June 2, 2011
THEIR IS NOTHING WRONG WITH OUR THRIFT SHOP JUST THE WORLD WE LIVE IN
People do not believe me when I say I live in a very strange town. I had to respond to this comment with a full explanation - "
" Not to sound mean or anything but something is wrong with a thrift store not making money in this encomy..people flood them looking for bargains..maybe your prices are too high..maybe you need more advertising plenty of free places on the web to promote..if you merchandise is not moving even at low prices try having a once a month sack sale..say everything you can put into a sack for a $1.00 or fill a trash bag for $5.00 ..to clear old items..just a few ideas might help you out"
My Respond;
Thank you for your concerns, they do help.
My Respond;
Thank you for your concerns, they do help.
I hope I do not come across as rude.This is not my intention. I'm just telling the truth and stating the fact after years of hard labor at the Thrift Shop and the bad apples I have to deal with.
And I like to let you know what we are up against each and everyday.
We love the good apples....: ) but they are few and far in between. These people donate what we ask with no questions.They know what their donation goes for and are happy to help our cause and now on the other hand.
NOTHING WRONG WITH OUR THRIFT SHOP JUST THE WORLD WE LIVE IN
Our prices are what other Thrift Shop asked for or even below everyone else.
This is Englewood Florida, half the town leaves to go up North in the summer.
So its dead in the Summer time.
Please check out this video of the Thrift Shop and the items we have and they way we have them.
THEIR HAS BEEN A BIG PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE WHO COME TO OUR SHOP , FOR THE MOST PART, WHO ARE CHEAP, RUDE AND SELFISH AND DO NOT CARE WE ARE OPEN SOLELY TO RAISE FUNDS FOR THE CATS! A LOT OF PEOPLE DO NOT LIKE CATS AND SO THEY ARE AFTER A STEAL NOT A DEAL!
( I just had to deal with a potential PR Nightmare as we shall read in the blog Please read ALL of our blog to catch you up to speed on this issue.)
THESE SAME PEOPLE SAY THEY SUPPORT THE OTHER RESCUES AND THE HUMANE SOCIETY.
I QUESTION THE FACT WHEN I SEE PEOPLE COME OUT OF WALMART WITH HUNDREDS OF DOLLAR WORTH OF MERCHANDISE IN THEIR CARTS, AND THAN DRIVE OVER .THEY WANT TO HAGGLE. AND OFFER ME A QUARTER FOR EVERYTHING THEY SEE
HARD TIMES ?
Have you ever had a yard sale before? People will offer you a quarter for everything on your tables. We are not a Gumball machine; we are an all day fundraiser for the kitties.
I rather and we are going to put all the good quality merchandise we have inside our Shop in our eBay store ,so we can get a fair market price for the items people have donated and that we buy for the Shop, such as the DVD’s, Video Games & systems, etc…so we may feed the kitties. Instead of selling our inventory for pennies.
We have thousands upon thousand of dollars worth of unique stuff inside.
Check out our eBay Store.
http://stores.ebay.com/puffypawskittyhaven?_trksid=p4340.l2563
Check out this article ' Englewood Strangest Store "and pictures of what we have inside the Shop.
http://www.puffypawskittyhaven.com/id319.html
https://www.facebook.com/TheWorldsGreatestCathousePuffyPawsKittyHaven#!/media/set/?set=a.10150204442567384.331848.206241152383
This is our third summer here at our location in the middle of a Walmat parking lot. Half of our town leaves in the summer
In the summer we have tried $1 items in the bins / $5 a bag, etc, in the two previous summers.
Outside of the Thrift Shop is stuff you will find at a regular Thrift Shop. And the majority off the stuff is rummage sale left overs and garage sale left over.
Dishes, glassware, kick knack, picture frames, etc
It is the end of the season here. So donations of merchandise is drying up for the outside.
What is left in the bins is the bottom of the barrel stuff that no one wants.
The stuff on the table is the good stuff in this realm and we will not give it away.
We want to get at least one dollar per item or 2 for a buck. One buck buys a can of cat food.
The Englewood Review is running this press releases for us this week
http://www.englewoodreview.com/main.asp?SectionID=10&SubSectionID=22&ArticleID=1764
“ Puffy Paws Kitty Haven would like to announce that they now have items up for sale on their Ebay site. All profits brought in from Ebay will go towards helping the kitties Puffy Paws. And don’t forget about their Thrift Store, which accepts donations as well. For more information about Puffy Paws, the Ebay page, and the Thrift Store, visit www.puffypawskittyhaven.com.”
So there is nothing wrong with our Thrift Shop just the World we live in.
New Course of Direction
As you know there are good days and bad day at the Thrift Shop. Now that our season is over we are having more bad days than good. Which means I have to reach out for help more and more. I’m afraid one day, if this pattern continues on through out the slowest days of the summer months, with me asking for help.
Help might not be their one day.
We will still need help and will be asking for help but as time moves on, we hope not like we are doing now
So this is the game plan.. Like it always has been at Puffy Paws - Improvise & Adapt & Overcome.
It always been my job to bring in the funds wherever they may be.
Before Puffy Paws and still today. I’m a graphic artist. A very good one I might add.
I can design and have anything professionally printed in beautiful full -color such as
Business Cards, Post Cards Brochure, Signs, Magnets, Banners ,etc at very reasonable prices.
Custom photography is included , just like in the business card below.
This is how I supported 70 kitties on our own back in the day, along with Chrissy’s Housekeeping business.
The sad news is that I can not be in two places at once .I have to go were the money is during the summer and it always been in selling full color printing.
I sell 1,000 business cards for $125
5,000 for $250.
We make around $100 on 1,000 business cards
$200 on 5,000
I usually sell two deals in a day, give or take and set up appointments through out the week
Just by walking in cold.
I have sold hundreds upon hundreds of printing orders. It is nothing new to me. Getting in the swing of things will take time.
Yes. I know the economy is not doing so well but every business owner needs a nice quality cad too attract business.
The look, design and feel of my cards stands out .That’s why I was so successful with selling and still will be.
So I will putting back on my business attire during the week and going out selling full color printing - "Full-Time".
Not Only will I will be selling full-color printing. I will be asking for gift certificates and donations for Puffy Paws Kitty Haven and networking through our Community in finding new friends for the kitties.
While out in the business community I will be getting collection bank program ,up and going, once again.
Before I take off to sell from Home. I will be Live-Streaming the kitties once again on a regular schedule, so that everyone can enjoy them. This will create much needed awareness for the kitties and donations.
I will be building up our inventory in our our eBay store at night and doing my graphic art work at the Shop.
While I’m their at the Shop alone , I will open late, for folks who may want to get something or for a drop off .
So the fate of Thrift Shop is this.
The Thrift Shop right now is like a bad co-dependent girlfriend, always requiring constant attention with little return during the week.
It is Hurricane season already in Florida and a small depression almost got going. We are going to be down sizing the the outside of the Thrift Shop by doing away with the forty bins for the summer
They are almost empty and I can never put the whole outside of the Thrift Shop away inside the Shop
with out help in case of a Hurricane Warning.
So this is a public safely matter because I need to put away the whole outside of the Shop by myself inside ,in a 8 hour period.
Right now I can not do it all, so that is why we are down sizing. The tables and the big shelf . I can handle and they will stay.
What sad is that I’m constantly babysitting the Community Service Personal. I’m the kitties fundraiser. Not a babysitter.
They did it to themselves by behaving in the exact manner that got them their.
I can not work with these people 7 days a week anymore.
If they want hours they can work with Ken .
So during the week when Ken can man the Shop it will be open. If he can not it will be closed.
If a trust worthily local volunteer can step up to the plate to man the Shop while I'm away. I’m all for it.
We can not make it on $40 to $50 dollars days anymore. Which during the week it is the norm
Also Ken will be listing on eBay for us and I will listing at night.
On the weekends it is always a little bit better but still slow in the summer so I will man the Thrift Shop.
So please remember - We will still need and will be asking for help but as time moves on, we hope not like we are doing now
So this is the game plan.. Like it always has been at Puffy Paws -
Improvise & Adapt & Overcome.
PS I have my first business card appointment in the afternoon on Friday.
Ken is going to be manning the Shop.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
TRANSPARENT
Dear Friends Of The Kitties
TRANSPARENT: characterized by visibility or accessibility of information especially concerning business practices.
We do all we can do to be transparent and I know this is the only reason why the kitties are still around. We share the good - the bad and the ugly. The good news -the bad news -The sad and happy time because you are the kitties family and you have the right to know it all.
It can be said that that Englewood has never really supported Puffy Paws Kitty Haven in a manner which we see the other rescue groups in the area received finical & physical help.
If we had to solely had to depend solely on Englewood for finical help the cats would have been dead a long time ago.
Over the years we been subject to behind the scenes dirty tactics. Town folks calling Code Enforcement to get the Haven closed down and the Thrift Shop. Putting the lives of this community unwanted special need cats in jeopardy.
Just recently a unfounded complaint to our landlord, the local newspaper and I'm excepting a call from Code Enforcement ,any day now, because of the fact got upset because at the Thrift Shop regarding the fact ,We Set The Donation Amount So We Can Feed The Kitties And All Price Stickers Are Voided "
We do not put stickers on any item in the Shop. All price stickers that are left on any item came in that way. All priced tags are voided. We set the donation amount so we can feed the kitties. We set the donation amount verbally for each item.
The reason for this is that we have had problems in the past with price tags left on items in the Shop due to the volume of items that come in.
Dealing with this potential PR Nightmare took away 10 hours of my time.
Being transparent prevail. This is the email I just received form the Editor of the local paper the Englewood Sun.
" Rick.
Thanks for your very comprehensive explanation Rick. I know you are doing it all and can't do everything. I'm sure you are super-vigilant about your sales. I guess there will always be someone who will take exception to what you are doing or how you are doing it. It comes with the territory.
Thanks again, Dana "
With out me being a " Social Media High Tech Beggar" asking for help from the World Wide Community of kitty lovers, the kitties would have been long gone by now.
For the kitties daily needs, it cost, $7500 a month plus $3,000 dollars in operating expenses - $10,050 total a month.
Each and everyone of you got us through another month.
In May, the total amount raised on-line was $6,048.07 and with the Thrift Shop, donations through the mail and a$1200 check from Microsoft Gift matching program, my $750 dollar monthly check, the doors are still open and the kitties daily needs were taking care of and they are safe and alive.
AT ONE DAY AT A TIME BECAUSE OF YOU.
Today is like no other we still need help with the daily needs once again and the office cell phone will be turned off tonight ( $40).
If you can help please do we need 22 bags of litter for the next 24 hours and the kitties breakfast.
We have come up with a way of saving over $8,000 dollars a year on the kitty litter. ( See Above picture.)
Once again thank you for saving the lives of 230 special need kitties under our care.
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God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.
--Reinhold Niebuhr