Week 59 - Rescued Critters Food Drive

Hi Folks,

Whoa... that was startling!

Christina and Blake, my friends and neighbors in the big house up front, always have their donation ready in a shopping bag on the porch steps. So when I stop by their home I am focused on putting the Thank You card in the safety gate and then hefting the bag back to the truck. The moment I place the card I looked up and jumped. What the heck is that? raced through my brain. Well, I think it was heck.

Later Sunday evening while conversing in our adjoining backyards, I told Christina about my reaction to her unsettling pet door addition. She told me there was some discussion with Blake about whether to buy the Halloween decoration or not.  By the subtle smile on her face, I could tell she was delighted she had prevailed.

This week we donated 203.2 lbs. of pet food, and courteous of Steve, my friend and neighbor on 13^th Street,  4 leather gloves, a 65 Lumens night stick, a large metal bowl and a large water bottle. Also, there was one Bark chew and $54.54 in cash and one check.

See you Sunday,

Peter

Week 58 - Rescued Critters Food Drive

Hi Folks,

“Without You, I'm Just Chopped Liver”

On October 11, 2019, I received the above framed certificate at the 30^th Annual League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and FBI Community Service Awards Luncheon. I also got to enjoy a fine chicken and string bean entrée with Bennett Simonsen, my friend and Community Programs Manager at Pima Animal Care Center.

With his certificate he got a teeny, tiny FBI badge which made me a little jealous. I told Bennett that when he now makes arrests, he’s going to have to hold his wallet very close to perps faces so they can see the badge. Yep, everybody laughed, even Bennett.

What YOU get is my humble appreciation for being my support and community service foundation. Without you, as they say in New York City, I’m just chopped liver. Thanks for helping me help thousands of rescued dogs and cats.

This week we donated 149.9 lbs. of pet food, a large sheet and $38.60 in cash and two checks.

See you Sunday,

Peter

Week 57 - Rescued Critters Food Drive

Hi Folks,

Signs of the Times

Created to encourage residents of student housing in the Miles Neighborhood to get involved in recycling.

Below is a photo of the area where there were numerous stuffed-to-overflowing blue recycle bins that contained all kinds of garbage. It took a couple of weeks of coaxing but the only thing on display now is the little “No Sense Bitching” sign reminding everyone that things are quite serious on earth.

I spoke to the girlfriend of a student who lives in the area while posting the sign and asked her for help. Also, Audrey, a neighbor who lives next door, spoke to a student or two.

The recycle bins now stand in the street collecting recyclable garbage only while the five bins in the alley all have their lids closed.

Created to get and hold the attention of neighbors who walk their dogs and intentionally leave a mess.

The worst area in the Miles Neighborhood for dog poop is next to the fence that surrounds the Miles School. Richard Fimbres, our Ward 5 Council Member, asked me to tell folks to pick up after their dogs in this weekly newsletter. The message is important but there has to be a better way to embarrass folks into being responsible … especially around a school.

I came up with Poop Deserter and my friend and neighbor, Christina helped me with some edits. Deserter is such a negative word. It connotes weakness and cowardliness. If their sneaky ways is actually defined as Poop Deserter, perhaps that sanction will be enough for them to even despise themselves. Cowards suffer greatly when they are confronted.

A week or so ago the whole strip along the Miles School fence was cleaned, but of course, one Poop Deserter left his or her dogs’ deposit. More signs will go up in the neighborhood and if we all begin to label the offenders Poop Deserters, they may respond to the hate hint.

We Donated Over 300 lbs. of Pet Food

This week we donated 295.6 lbs. of pet food (look at all those bags), 13 ballpoint pens and $42.95

(48 lbs. of food). in cash and two checks.

See you Sunday,

Peter

Week 56 - Rescued Critters Food Drive

Hi Folks,

Fourth Quarter Results

We Keep Getting Better

Our first-year’s anniversary fell on September 9, 2019 and we donated 8,194.0 lbs. of pet food to PACC. However, from now on, we will celebrate our anniversaries at the end of our fiscal year which is September 30. Accounting is so much easier when business quarters are followed.

With that said, our final 2018 – 2019 donations to Pima Animal Care Center totaled 9,274.7 lbs. Of that, $4,220.63 was in cash. (See chart below.) That’s amazing. Some really generous folks live in the Miles Neighborhood. 

Another fascinating fact is that we donated 1,080.6 lbs. of pet food to PACC since September 9. Based on our average of 270.2 lbs. for the last 4 weeks, we could donate close to 14,000 lbs. by the end of next year. Wouldn’t that be terrific.

Fourth Quarter Results

September 30, 2019

This week we donated 170.5 lbs. of pet food, a Bark chew, one water pouch, two leads, seven pill bottles, a grooming tool and $44.93. in cash and one check.

See you Sunday,

Peter

Week 55 - Rescued Critters Food Drive

Hi Folks,

We Hear “No Hope and No Future” from Kids and Most Parents Stay Frozen in Place.

When Nick Zaeda dropped off his neighbors’ PACC donations I sensed some disappointment … in me, too. So, I discussed approaches, email requests vs. door-to-door collections. Both Nick and his dad said they would consider a different tact. It was unspoken but all of us thought their neighborhood program was failing early.

In our brief conversation I mentioned the Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg and her startling rise to prominence. I have been especially taken by her use of English. She speaks like a native born American, with eloquence so concise it is astonishing. “Do not listen to me, listen to the scientists.” “I don’t want you to be hopeful. I want you to panic … and act as if the house was on fire.” “Yet you all come to us young people for hope. How dare you! You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words.”

Later in the evening my thoughts turned back to Nick and I became indignant, not mad, somewhat like Greta. These are terrible times and children are facing a future of crisis everywhere. So, when one kid asks for help from his neighbors, like Nick, whether email or face to face, why doesn’t he get that help? It’s just not dog or cat food. It’s food that PACC doesn’t have to pay for which means they can divert food purchasing funds to performing more spaying and neutering. This in turn would reduce both cat and dog populations. With respect to fewer cats, the US bird population could then begin to recoup the 29% loss it has suffered in the past few years.

Everything on this planet is definitely connected. It’s just not pet food Nick is collecting. Why don’t folks see that? And if they don’t really care or they can’t find the energy to engage, why did they have kids in the first place. It makes no sense, like their apathy.

I’m going to ask Nick to forward this email to all his neighbors with a little note like, “FYI, the founder of Rescue Critters Food Drive would like a word with you. Then I would like to schedule, via email, a pet food pick up time on Sunday. Thank you very much for your help. Nick.”

This week we donated 284 lbs. of pet food, 3 bags of Nylabones, one bag of Steak Sticks, a couple of grooming tools and $32.05 in cash and one check.

See you Sunday,

Peter

Week 54 - Rescued Critters Food Drive

Hi Folks,

It's Still Looking Good

Our weekly average is over 250 lbs. of pet food. That means we will donate nearly 12,000 pounds of food in the next year. The 10,000 lb. goal we just set two weeks ago is only going to last until August, 2020 … if that long.  

This week we donated 205.4 lbs. of pet food and $49.10 in cash and one check which adds up to 260 lbs.

See you Sunday,

Peter

Week 53 - Rescued Critters Food Drive

Hi Folks,

Incentivize Keeps Popping Up

When I’m not thinking about taking a nap, I’m always thinking about how to change my world.

Rescued Critters came to life when I was thinking about how to add heat protection to the food, shelter and water requirements for dogs in Tucson.

I was thinking about all of the dumped trash in our neighborhood that would appear weekly on the streets and in the alleys when an email response from Council Member Richard Fimbres introduced me to Pat Tapia, Deputy Director of Environmental & General Services Department. At the onset of our relationship, I’d see a mess, take a photo and send it to Pat. A few days later the mess was gone.

Many months later I met Pat at a neighborhood meeting sponsored by Environmental Services and the Tucson Police Department. It was dark and I was not familiar at all with the El Rio Community Health Center on Irvington.

About ready to give up after touring the large parking lot a number of times, I spotted a small sign for an AA meeting in the grass next to a sidewalk. My brain shouted, “meeting places, that may be it?” It was, and see how my brain works? Any glimmer of hope jumps to the fore.

After the presentations, I introduced myself to Pat. That little chat opened the door to a highly productive and ongoing neighborhood cleanup project.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about ways to encourage people to spay and neuter their pets. For folks like me who have no money to speak of, a minimum $50 vet bill is problematic. That’s why the lines at the intermittent and free, spay and neuter clinics can run 300 pet lovers deep.

My first thought involved a wealthy individual who supported one vet clinic that did nothing but free spay and neuter. When I figured out that $10,000 would only pay for 200 or so small dog operations, I started to look for other ideas

.

Then I got a two-fer … how about if every new registered voter could get his or her pet spayed or neutered for free? Responsible pet owners, responsible citizens … what a deal.

Then the dollars crept back into the picture and I let that one go. But incentivizing voter registration stayed on the table. Nearly every business offers discounts to military folks and vets, too. Also, police officers, fire fighters and first responders. They just have to present a ID and receive a discount.

So, what about registered voters/tax payers who pay to run the local and federal government? Shouldn’t they be recognized for their important contribution to society, too? Just show your Voter ID and receive a 5% discount. Why not!

For those who need incentives … which is most folks.

In a drawer some place I have a set of dog tags and a DD-214 discharge form. Another drawer houses my tax returns, but my most prized possession in the voter ID I carry in my wallet. That makes me feel the most American. And that feeling has been hard to come by lately, what with kids in pens, top government officials placating their “leader’s lies,” and frozen politicians.

CEO Doug McMillon, Walmart

When this insanity started years ago, I asked myself, “Where are all the corporate leaders? What are they waiting for?”

You see, I believe business will solve all of our social ills, not the government. And then it just happened this week. The sleeping giant woke up.

Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, Kroger and Wegmans stood up. Of course, there are calls for boycotts. But let me tell you something, when it comes to owning an assault weapon or putting delicious, quality, low priced food on the table, Walmart will win. Just ask any mom.

Now it’s your turn to stand up, whether you work for or own a business. Start figuring out how to offer discounts to all your customers with Voter ID. They’ll love you for it. Also, hand out voter registration forms and tell them they can register online and vote at their kitchen table. If you do a good enough job, there will be no more kids in pens.

It took two trips to PACC today to make our usual donation. My 12:30 pm delivery to PACC (on the left) was a bit too early for Steve. He sent me a text saying he had his donation ready as I was driving home. A pick up, then lunch and back to PACC was just fine with me. Mostly care about getting a donation, never when.

This week we donated 141.7 lbs. of pet food and $115.04 in cash and two check.

Epilogue: (fancy word for more to say)

I’m still in need of an idea to incentivize pet owners who need free spay and neutering services. Please let me know if you come up with anything. Start with ways to get lots of money for caring veterinarians.

See you Sunday,

Peter