Voting Needed to Help Fondas Foundlings

[Anikaca77]

Shirley Fonda of Fondas Foudlings asked me to forward this e-mail so that she can get the $25,000 to help her find homes and take care of her 60 cats.

I know there is other non-profit organizations out there that need this money too so I'm just asking everyone to forward this if they can so she can get some votes as well.

Thank you all so much,
Melissa


Dear Petfinder.com members,

You can win $25,000 to help your pets by getting the most votes at
www.theanimalrescuesite.com

Through the $100,000 Animal Rescue Site Shelter+ Challenge, we are giving
away a total of $100,000 in grants. Our friends at the Animal Rescue
Site are hosting this special challenge for Petfinder.com member shelter
and rescue groups. The grand prize is a $25,000 grant and there are
numerous other grants available to groups with the most votesa total of
$100,000 in grants for Petfinder members like you.

All you have to do is encourage voting for your organization. Send all
of your supporters to www.theanimalrescuesite.com. After they CLICK TO
GIVE, they will be able to click on ads located at both the top and the
bottom of the landing page and vote for you in the $100,000 Animal Rescue
Site Shelter+ Challenge. Individuals can vote once a day, every day,
through December 15, 2008. Every time you vote, or tell a friend to
vote, you are increasing your chances to win.

Find easy resources to help you get the word out and increase your
chances of winning by using the customizable resources created for you
at
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelteroutreach.faces?site
Id=3&link=ctg_ars_shelteroutreach_from_shelterchallenge results_maincolumn

Best of luck and have a great adoption week! --Kim

Kim Saunders, Vice President
Shelter Outreach & Public Relations
[email protected]
http://www.petfinder.com
Adopt A Homeless Pet!

". . . Saving just one pet won't change the world
. . . but, surely, the world will change for that one pet . . . "

[Anikaca77]

Here is an article that was in the Centre Daily Times on Monday. I wrote to the CDT asking them to do another story on her and well it did help so that's great.



Home, heart overflow with stray cats
By Stephanie Koons- [email protected]

For the past seven-and-a-half years, Shirley Fonda, of State College, has dedicated her life to finding homes for abandoned cats.

But she can’t do it forever, and finding people to ease her load has become another challenge. Fonda, 73, has housed about 755 cats in her Park Forest home. Currently, there are about 60 cats that live in colonies in seven rooms.

About three years ago, Fonda formed a nonprofit organization called Fonda's Foundlings. With the help of two volunteers, she shows cats at Petco every Saturday, and advertises on pet finder.com, statecollege.com and Craigslist. She also posts flyers in grocery stores and veterinary clinics.

Getting the cats adopted is a slow process, Fonda said, and at her age, she doesn’t know how much longer she will be able to care for them.

“I don’t know, there’s just no real answer, “ she said. “ ... There’s just a need for someone to take over for me.”

It takes about three hours each morning to feed the cats, she said, and they also want to be petted. While her husband, Tom, helps her with lifting heavy bags of food and litter, it is physically draining for both of them.

“It’s not an inconvenience, it’s just frustrating that I can’t find good homes for these cats,” she said. “And I would love to have some free time.”

A native of Iowa, Fonda graduated from State College Area High School and earned a doctorate in geology from Penn State. She worked as a wildlife rehabilitator for the Pennsylvania Game Commission for about 25 years. People started bringing injured cats and kittens to her, and local police and Centre County PAWS have asked her to trap stray cats.

“It’s amazing that she can get that connection with cats and get them to not fear people,” said Melissa Aiken, of State College, who has been working with Fonda’s Foundlings for about two years.

Fonda rescues a lot of cats that have been abandoned by Penn State students after they vacate their apartments. She has also taken in cats found at Toftrees and the former Mellott Mobile Home Park in Patton Township.

“She just can’t say no to an animal in need,” said Carol Vail, of State College, who has known Fonda for at least 20 years.

“She always finds time for the animals. She’s just a wonderful person and I wish people would help her by adopting her cats.”

The enormous number of homeless cats, Fonda said, is a result of pet owners not taking precautions.

“I think that’s the big problem nowadays, that people aren’t neutering or spaying their pets,” she said.

She won’t take in any more cats, she said, although she may help endangered kittens.

“I don’t mind helping people with the problem, I just can’t take on more or I’ll always take on more,” she said.

Another barrier that Fonda faces is fundraising. She pays vet bills out of her own pocket and is looking for someone to write grant proposals. Having taught piano for 40 years, she gets some additional money by accompanying students at recitals.

Despite the challenges she faces, Fonda said she gets a lot of joy from her work with cats.

“It’s just a delight to be able to turn their lives around and give them a nice home,” she said.

Editor’s note:Each Monday, “Helping Neighbors” will feature an exceptional volunteer in Centre County. To nominate someone for a future story, e-mail cdtnews [email protected].

HOW TO HELP

Those who would like to donate money, adopt a cat or foster kittens may contact Shirley Fonda at 238-4758, or write to her at 1956 Norwood Lane, State College, PA 16803- 1326, or e-mail her at [email protected]

[moosmom]

Melissa

Done!!

[Moesha]

I've been voting for Jen's One by One charity. But that is a nice thing that you did for her.