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APL news update

Hi everyone! You haven't heard from me in a few days, so I thought I'd touch base and let you know what's cooking...

~Tonight is Reverse Trick or Treat at the Green Road Adoption Center! Stop by and drop off whatever treats you can spare for the animals...and enjoy some punch and cookies too. We'd love to see YOU in your Halloween costumes too!

~Spayghetti: We need a head count. Please give me good news and tell me we've sold lots of tickets. Oh...and remember to highlight (when you're trying to sell tickets) that 75% of each ticket sold goes directly to ACAPL. We know Madison seems "out of the way," but the Wagon Wheel Restaurant is being incredibly generous and donating their time and space to us.

~Details for Photos with Santa are slowly trickling in. We still need props for all dates...and Santas and elves for the December dates.

~If you happen to have...or know somewhere we can borrow...an artificial Christmas tree (or two...or three...or four)...please let me know! We're doing photos with Santa for sure on three dates. And we're talking about doing some "adopt a cage" ornament trees in schools and around town. So we need lots of holiday spirit to go around!

~I will be coordinating our presence at the Ashtabula Christmas parade. Devon has so kindly offered to make another float with her hay wagon (I'm telling you...she is the parade queen). If anybody would like to volunteer to ride the float, walk with a dog, or throw out candy canes...please let me know. It is Friday, November 20th at 7pm.

~There is a fundraiser planned for The Cove on November 21st. Doc Fiala is chairing this and more details will be coming soon.

~Keep thinking and bringing in ideas for fundraisers. Donations are down and we need to keep up our best efforts.

~We're going to be starting a push for Kuranda dog beds for the holidays. Let's get the dogs up off the concrete for the winter months. Be sure to tell everyone you know about the link on the website. The cost is discounted since the beds are going to us AND the cost can be taken as a charitable donation! Win-Win!

~As a note of information...the Board is strongly encouraging everyone to NOT refer to our Green Road facility as a shelter anymore. As a point of public relations, we would like everyone to refer to it as the Green Road Adoption Center. I know it's wordy and seems kind of silly...but as you know...perception is everything. This is something simple we can ALL do to help improve the community's perception of what we do. Thanks!

~Boo Wow...well...WOW! What a fun day! Thanks to everyone who helped or participated! And thanks to the committee for making it all happen!

Every single volunteer in this group is amazing and you are all appreciated for the hard work you do for the animals!

Have a safe and happy Halloween!

News Update

It's been a while! Sorry about that! But we're still here and we're still looking for adoptive homes for all the homeless critters!
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We've been busy getting our website up and running efficiently. We have seen a spike in web traffic, so we want to be sure it's as up to date as possible. But it's a lot of work for one volunteer, so if anyone wants to help, please drop me a line at catherine@acapl.org

Along those lines, we desperately need a computer tech person. Do you know anyone who really knows what they're doing and will get our system running the way we need it to run? Someone who works cheap? Someone who would be willing to donate their time as a tax deduction (remember, we're 501(c)(3))? Again, email me if you know anyone who foots the bill.
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Speaking of volunteers...we need MORE volunteers! We have a BUNCH of events coming up and we need people to help get the animals out of the shelter to be seen! First up is the Grape Jamboree...we're going to have float in Sunday's parade! But if that's not your cup of tea, check the website for the calendar, pick an event that sounds good to you, and let me know!

Before I forget...if you are a volunteer already, please fill out a volunteer application to be kept on file at the shelter. It is available on the "Contact" page of the website. Thanks!
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The Boo Wow Walk is just around the corner and we still need business sponsors. If you know anyone with a business in Ashtabula County (or anywhere really) who might consider becoming a sponsor, please have them fill out a sponsorship form (available on our website).
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Come by Ashtabula Towne Square on October 24th, and meet author, Mari K. Eder. Her book is filled with letters (dictated by her Miniature Schnauzer, Benson) that "are whimsical, autobiographical, filled with fantasy, wonder, and the reality of life as a geographically-circumscribed house dog." AND when you stop by and buy a book at the book-signing, all proceeds benefit ACAPL!
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We're always looking for new and interesting ideas for fundraisers!
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For those that don't know, Hugo the Min Pin was stolen from our shelter on Saturday, Sept. 12th. A news release is going out and his picture is on our website. Please try to get this story out to all your rescue contacts. We worry about poor little Hugo.
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In other news from the shelter...
NewsChannel5 and Fox8 were both out last week to do stories on our population overflow situation...which resulted in adopters coming from ALL OVER northeast Ohio. It was amazing! I lost track of how many adoptions we did...but we were able to avoid euthanasia for another week...which is great! We just need to keep the momentum going.

Oh! For those of you who've been around...Sylvester was adopted! He was our longest term resident and it was sooooo nice to see him find a family (a very nice couple). I hope it works out for him...he deserves the best...such a sweetheart.
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We are still running our donations-as-adoption-fees-for-cats special for the rest of the month of September. If you know anyone interested in adopting a cat, let them know that we spend approximately $70 a cat and would like to recoup our costs...but since our goal is to adopt out all healthy adoptable animals, we'll take whatever donation they're willing to give. It's all about saving lives!
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Be sure to vote for ACAPL in the Animal Rescue Site's Shelter Challenge! We could win $20,000. Voting is free...and you can vote every day! Right now we're at #617...let's move that up!
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I entered Zip and Peanut Butter in a photo contest with IMOM and Zip in Cesar Millan's National Spokesdog Competition on Facebook. You make a donation to those organizations in order to vote.

For IMOM, it's a calendar contest...if one of ours wins, we get 25% of the vote total proceeds and that animal gets to be in their calendar. Last year's winner received $5000. I am asking everyone to vote for Peanut Butter. Let's get the pits some positive attention and maybe win a prize for the shelter too!
Peanut Butter

For CMF, "The Grand Prize winner will appear alongside Cesar Millan in a public service campaign, receive an autographed pair of LandRoller skates, an autographed copy of Cesar’s new "Mastering Leadership" Series DVD, Common Canine Misbehaviors and win a $1000 shopping spree at PETCO. The top three finalists in each category (photos with the most votes) will also win some amazing prizes!" Whatever Zip wins, ACAPL wins since she is still technically a foster dog.
Zip

So vote whatever you can afford to vote! It would be awesome to even PLACE in any of these contests!
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Whew! We are BUSY! Hope to see you sometime soon at the shelter or out at an event!!!
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APL News Update

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The APL Board of Directors has terminated the employment of Kimberly Gilmore as Business Relations Director. All business related inquiries should be directed to the Board of Directors at boardofdirectors@acapl.org
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Tat won most expressive eyes at the ARC Rescue Expo on August 2 and several of our cats won...silliest sleeping position, best snuggle, most expressive eyes. Anyone who adopts these award winners will get to take home a winners goodie bag.
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ARC has offered to allow us to bring animals on Friday evenings for their adoption hours. Anyone who is interested in helping, email me at catherine@acapl.org
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For those that don't know, Davis Towing repaired the van that was damaged when stolen...for free. Now the other van has decided to give up on us...the oil light came on and I stopped, but it wasn't soon enough to prevent engine damage. If you know anyone who does car repair who would be willing to give us a deal, please let us know.
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When you visit the shelter you'll see the kindness and generosity of the Quartet company hanging on our wall. A brand new BIG bulletin board was donated...after just one email inquiry. What an awesome company!

We hope to feature our "Happy Tails" on this wall. So if you or anyone you know has adopted from us, have them send us an update and a recent photo and we'd be more than happy to show off our furry friends with their families.
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The Lowe's work day is coming up soon. Help is needed from local residents, businesses and non-profit organizations. You can help with planning/ideas, hands on help, and/or material donations. Contact Crystal at 998-6555 if you can help at all.
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A happy update from Pets Alive...Edison was adopted!
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Don't forget the K9 Extravaganza and membership meeting this Sunday!
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August 9th - ARC Animal Expo

OK shutterbugs!

ARC Animal Expo - Picture Contest JUST for Rescues

Dog/Puppy Categories:
Silliest Sleeping Position
Best Lick (self, another animal, or person)
Most Expressive Eyes
Best Dog with Child Picture

Cat/Kitten Categories:
Silliest Sleeping Position
Best Snuggle (another animal or person)
Most Playful
Best Cat with Child Picture

How to enter: Bring a picture that fits into one of the categories above to the Expo. You may enter as many times as you would like. Please put your Rescue's name on the back of the picture.

We will post on a board and have the public vote during the day. The picture with the most votes in each category Wins. Contest will start at 10:30 and winners will be announced at 3:30.

These pictures can be of your adoptable animals – we thought it would help to adopt them. If the animal is adoptable, we will put that below the picture. We are being a little sneaky as well as having fun.

The prize will be a Dog/Cat care package. You may keep the prize for yourself, give it to the person that adopts the animal, or whatever you would like.

Calling All Volunteers

We're getting organized!

If you are not a member but have volunteered for us in the past and have any interest in volunteering for us in the future, please drop me an email at catherine @ acapl.org (remove the spaces) with your contact information and some indication of what you've done in the past and what you'd like to do in the future.

Thanks!

Upcoming events

August 2 - ARC Animal Expo
10am-4pm

August 9 - K-9 Extravaganza
10am-4pm
Country Club Retirement Campus & Life Enrichment Center Apartment Courtyard at 925 E. 26th St., Ashtabula (off Harbor Ave. behind ACMC)

August 9 - Membership meeting
3pm @ ACAPL shelter
Agenda includes vote on Board of Directors seats and vote on Proposed Amendment to Articles of Incorporation for ACAPL.

Want a t-shirt?

Check out the ACAPL CafePress store. We have a couple new merchandise designs and we're looking for more ideas!