A Place to Bark and Meow Blog by Bernie Berlin

Tuesday, April 07, 2009
"TEN" To LIFE!!" A Place To Bark's Annual Fundraiser
"I tell you the truth: If you have Faith as small as a mustard seed..
Nothing will be impossible for you."
-Matthew 17:20-21



It's that time of year that we have to start the fund raising campaign!!!
I have written this post a dozen times...
I kept putting it off.. 
I guess, I just really hate asking for help & especially when it come to money.
Getting over my ego, is a very difficult task, 
but I'm not asking for myself it's for them.. 
I do not draw a salary from the rescue.  ALL of my time is donated.
If anything, I'm always putting money back in:)
Your donation dollars go to the care of the animals.
We do not euthanize for illness, unless there is no other option, if they are terminal, are in pain & we cannot fix them.  
We treat all illness, parvo, kennel cough, heart worm, injuries, etc. they come in with...
Many surgeries currently waiting on funding & past due vet bills needing payment.
The economy has really hurt us this year, we've lost 2 grants & our food source. 
No contest & the matching grant offered is only 10k instead of 35k. 
Last year at this time we had over 40,000 in donations, 
this year we are at 4,000.
I believe we will get thru these hard times, 
it will just take Faith, Hope & Patience.
We will make the best out of what we have and continue on!!!
I just hope we don't have to cut back our intake, we've been struggling terribly these last few months.  But if we can't pay the bills, we may have to:(
I may stop for a bit, to catch up on bills, but I promise you I will never quit!!!
My love & commitment is to the animals & we have come too far to ever give up. 
Pets need us, they cannot survive without the care of their humans.
So let's not let them down...
The Theme is "Ten to LIFE" 
If you can donate ten dollars or more & ask ten of your friend, 
we should be able to turn the tables and make this year the BEST ever!!!
ALL donations are tax deductible:)
Suzi Blu made this video for us, so that you can see what we have built this far..



To minimally finish the inside of the shelter, we need approximately 25,000.00
Then there are operation costs. Transports, food, veterinary bills, etc.
We saved 502 dogs last year and 46 cats.
So we are hoping to raise $100,000.00 this year.
Claudine is working on the thermometer so you can see our progress.
I know, I know... 
It sounds like a huge amount, but it's a reality of what we are doing, 
there are huge expenses, even though we try to keep cost down.  
I have to believe that if each one of us, donates ten dollars, 
forwards the plea on, to all their animal loving friends 
& they donate, we'll be able to do this, 
achieve our yearly budget and hope to save more animals in need.

The biggest part is finished. The building!!!



Now that it is up, we need to finish it.  
Then it will be easier for me to write for the bigger grants. 
We officially have a shelter..  That was a HUGE accomplishment!
Now we have to complete it and make it HOME!!!



I have nationally known artists from across the U.S.,
 who have offered and are willing to come down to paint & decorate the inside.  
We will not only have a functional animal shelter with a beautiful home environment atmosphere, but one that is colorfully bold, beautiful and artistic.  
Where animals can rehab, have sanctuary & receive the care they need.
Dreams can happen, we just have to come together and believe...

You have watched us grow over the years and the work we have done,
 can be verified thru our local Sheriff's Department
Many of you have adopted from us too!!!
So many of the stories are archived on this blog, thru tv, magazine & newspaper articles.

Please help us in any way you can & spread the word!! 
I will continue to share their stories and we'll keep expanding the program the best we can.

Ways to donate:
Online: Network for Good badge to the right of the blog
 or our Paypal account: aplacetobark@aol.com. 
Checks can be sent to: A Place To Bark, P.O. Box 649, Portland, TN 37148

More ways coming in the next post, that don't cost a penny, only a few moments of your time.
No worries, one way or another, we will continue on, we have to!!!
The animals can't do it for themselves.  They need caring animal loving people to help them.
We raised enough to keep us going for a year, last year & I know we can do it again!!!



WE HAVE RECEIVED A MATCHING GRANT FROM:
 THE ZOLINE FOUNDATION FOR $10,000.00.
DONATIONS WILL BE MATCHED  UNTIL June 1st.
Any donation is incredibly important, no matter the amount!!!
Together we can finish this shelter and help more animals in need:)



We have many things planned for this year..
An Art Auction, Zine, some online classes & possibly a craft cruise to benefit "A Place To Bark"
Many new things planned for the website & will be registering with Charity Navigator.
We Thank YOU!!! For reading and being a part of something GREAT for the animals!!!
 Stay tuned, we'll be getting really creative!!!

"NEVER, NEVER, NEVER give up"
-Winston Churchill

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A Place to Bark is a 501(c)(3) registered non-profit, tax-exempt charitable organization. Donations are tax deductible.

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