Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Couple of work days at the Cattaraugus County SPCA

Mowed the play areas and developed plans for future projects that will both make it easier for SPCA employees to care for the dogs as well as allow more dogs to be outside at any given point.  WIN!

 Here is the "after" being used by a dog.

 This is a mini trail behind the play areas.  It needs some dirt.  Anyone want to donate a pickup truck full?  We will use it!

 A before picture of the fourth play area

 A small beach head is achieved.


A bit bigger




and the finished product:


oh a Snake!


Another dog playing in the newly cut area:


Monday, June 25, 2012

Br Updates: So late, so sorry.

Sorry for the long gap in between posts--not enough time in a day/week/month and when it comes down to working or blogging on the work, the blogging gets pushed back.

Fast updates:

1. Our trip to Texas and Kentucky went well.  There was an amazing amount of driving (about 4800 miles in 17 days--yeah almost 300 miles a day average!), and the work was backloaded (the need was much greater in Kentucky than in Dallas) but overall a good trip.  Rough estimates of services provided were about $12,000-16,000 at an out of pocket cost of about $2,100.

We worked in and around Dallas (mainly tornado damage and one day on a Habitat Build), in Harlingen (at Loaves and Fishes, the Harlingen Neighborhood Food Pantry, and in private homes in the Colonias), and in West Liberty KY (Tornado clean up and a ramp build).   Here are more pictures.

2. Local (Olean area) Work continues throughout the summer.  We have been doing something every weekend (and some week days as well!)  Work has mainly been on wheel chair ramps, a roof job, fixing a trailer's ceiling and floor, installing grab bars to prevent falls, trail maintenance, and helping out at the SPCA on mowing and some special projects.

Most of these jobs have been being submitted via out online submission form and/or the Cattaraugus  County Department of Aging.

3. Haiti: We recently sent 14 barrels of school supplies to be shipped to Haiti.  We have (thanks to Allegany-Limestone Schools) two more pallets plus a few more barrels.  The need is still great even though fewer supplies came in this year.   Want to help?  We'd love more donations of school supplies.  New or slightly used.  You can drop off in Murphy on the SBU campus or at the Allegany Park and Shop or if you have more, just let us know.

4.  WarmSnugglyBlanket: As many of you know we launched WarmSnugglyBlanket to help realize Marge Mahar's wish of helping those with cancer.  Here is the website (which does need some more work on it): WarmSnugglyBlanket.org.  So far we have given out almost 40 blankets to those with cancer.  They have been well received and we hope they are helping to remind the recipients that people do care and they are not alone! 

On September 29th we are planning a big blanket making day where we will reserve a gym floor and make many many blankets.  It is open to all and we hope (assuming we can raise enough money) to make over 250 blankets!

5. Want to fee 250 people?  We'd love to be able to help support Villa Volunteers on their food packing event.  All we need to do is to raise about $50 for each volunteer and we can take a van (or two) up to Buffalo to help pack food.  This is with the same organization (Feed My Starving Children) that we did our food packing event a couple of years ago.  (why aren't we doing it again?  Lack of fundraising). (ad yes it is Parents Weekend).

6. There may be another summer trip.  Stay Tuned.