For the friends of the Independent Cat Society, a no-kill cat shelter
Summer 2016 #150
Start ‘em Young –
Teach Them Early!
By Judy Dean, ICS Volunteer Coordinator and Board Recording Secretary Over the past 6 months, Judy Dean and Diana Foster of the ICS Volunteer Committee have met with various groups ranging in age from 5 to 11 years, to discuss the purpose of the Independent Cat Society as well as spend some time with the cats or kittens. Although the program content was the same for everyone, it was further designed to meet the specific needs of each group.
share information about handling kittens. The ICS visit resulted from a request by Cathy Moeller, Service Project Coordinator. Each group donated supplies as well as money to care for the ICS cats and kittens. In addition, they were all so excited to talk about their kitty cats – their eye color, the color of their coat, where they slept, how and where they got their kitty cats and the number of cats at home. The record? One hundred and twenty-one farm cats, all neutered and spayed! WOW! Questions from the children included those that many young people wish to know about animal care: How do you tell if a cat is sick?
Our Daisy Troop friends!
Eight members of Daisy Troop 40394, including girls in grades Kindergarten and 1st grade, along with their Troop Leader, Becky McGowan and parents, toured the Shelter, learned about what we provide for our residents, and were able to spend time in each of the cat rooms. This activity supported their Three Cheers for Animals journey book. Prior to their Shelter visit, several of the Daisies attended and helped out at the Sweetheart Event held in Valparaiso this past February. In early April, Judy was off to attend her very first 4H Meeting – ever. The meeting, held at the Washington Elementary/Junior high School in Valparaiso, was initiated by an ICS teen volunteer, Henry Hubbell and his mother Maria. Mewsletters and other ICS promotional materials were shared with over 40 participants. In May, Judy & Diana made their appearance at the Duneland Boys and Girls Club in Chesterton. Can you imagine 50 young people between ages of 5 to 10 years maintaining their interest throughout the program? This group chose ICS as their fundraising recipient for their $325 Candy sale. Everyone had the opportunity to pet the two kittens – brothers Tommy and Bobbie – while Diana continued to
Kids enjoying the show at the Boys and Girls Club.
Where do you take them when they get sick? Do they sleep all the time? Why do cats always land on their feet? Do they have to eat every day? Why do they use a litter box? If your resident young person in your life wants to know the answer, the Humane Society and ASPCA websites are wonderful resources! At the end of each presentation everyone, including parents and staff, received a silver tone cat charm or laminated ICS Bookmark as a gift from ICS. Interested in a Tour of the shelter or a Kitty visit to your group? Contact Judy Dean or Diana Foster at our shelter --- (219) 785-4936 or shelter@catsociety.org – to discuss your request. We love meeting new people, and spreading the word about humane education to children!
Upcoming Events, Black Cat Strut Registration, and much more inside!