Mewsletter-fall2014_mewsletter 135 10/22/14 9:00 AM Page 1
For the friends of the Independent Cat Society, a no-kill cat shelter
Fall 2014 #143
Volunteers Make the Difference! If you’ve spent any time at our shelter or our events, you may have noticed that there are a lot of people involved with the Independent Cat Society. Many different people help do things like answer phone calls and emails, counsel new adopters, comfort and play with our cats, run our fundraising events, and manage the general business of the shelter. Our volunteers work hard to make sure our shelter is the best it can be for our cats and kittens, and it takes many people to ensure that everything is operating as it should. Depending on the day you come to visit, you may never see the same smiling face twice! Even though we do have a small paid staff of wonderful people who clean the shelter as well as feed and medicate the cats, volunteers help us in all aspects of what we do. These invaluable people serve vital roles to ICS. In fact, our shelter would not exist without them.
In this issue, we would like to thank all of our volunteers for their service over the years. Without them, we cannot do what we do to help cats in our community. We would also ask others to consider donating their time and talents. Believe it or not, even an hour or two a month can make the difference in the lives of our cats and in the smooth functioning of our shelter organization! Possible volunteer roles include:
Room Mom Help with Fundraising events Humane Education in Schools Baking Making Crafts Maintenance/Grounds Public Speaking to Groups Cleaning Adoption Counselor Grooming/Visiting Cats Transporting Cats Help with medications Returning Phone Calls Providing Foster Parenting
Why volunteer with ICS? Your time and commitment helps build the organizational strength of the ICS. You extend our resources as you complete the hands-on “to do” tasks and activities that might not otherwise get completed. You learn new skills and become knowledgeable through networking and using your talents within the organization, and you provide valuable input to the ICS Leadership,
Our volunteers help with everything from shelter daily life to
While many of our volunteer roles ask that you fundraising events and much more! be over 18 years of age, young people who wish to help can still get in on the act as well! Minors aged 13-18 can definitely assist with fundraisers, baking, crafts, groundskeeping and maintenance, and grooming and socializing our kitties, and we welcome volunteers of all ages to join in wherever they can. Volunteers as young as 10 can enjoy something as simple as coming in and talking with and petting the cats which can make an amazing difference in their lives, and they will most definitely make sure you know how appreciative they are!
Interested in pitching in for a great cause? You can use our convenient online form to register as a volunteer: http://zelda23publishing.com/indcatsociety/volunteer-application/. Our volunteer chairperson will get in touch with you, orient you to the shelter and volunteer roles, and help you find the best fit for your talents and available time.
ICS's mission is to serve as many cats, pet owners and community members in the Northwest Indiana, neighboring Chicago and southwest Michigan area as possible. To accomplish this, ICS: provides a sanctuary for homeless felines in their transition to adoption, strives to provide for the healthcare needs of the shelter population, promotes responsible feline ownership through educating the public, and addresses feline overpopulation through our various programs.
If these philosophies match with yours, please join us in any way you can! We would love to see you amongst our wonderful volunteer squad soon. You CAN make a difference!
Adoptable Cats, Upcoming Events, and more inside!