VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6

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Who are the volunteers who contribute their time and their talents to Folsom Feline Rescue?  What do they bring to the organization?

The volunteers, as you can imagine, are a varied lot.  Some are young; some, older.  Some are  career oriented.  Others are retired or unemployed.  Some are married with small children.  Some are single. However, they all share a common bond - - - they love and appreciate cats.

Lisa James is one volunteer who has been active with Folsom Feline Rescue since February 2001.  She is a life-long animal lover and if you ask her how many pets she has at her home, her answer will be vague. "I'm probably violating some local ordinance," she says.  "I'm a hopeless kitty lover."

She is currently "fostering" some kittens for FFR until they can be adopted out to appropriate homes.  She swore she would never be a foster caretaker because she was afraid she would get too attached.  Well, now (because there is a need) she is "fostering" and, yes, she gets attached.  She says, "it's so difficult to give them up when they are adopted."

Lisa is an excellent spokeswoman who can converse with anyone at any time about the benefits of cats as pets.  She educates the public on spaying and neutering when she works adoption events and community events like the "Pet Expo" held at Cal Expo in September.  While at Cal Expo, she spent 1/3 of her time at the greyhound booth talking with people about adopting retired racing greyhounds and 2/3 of her time at the Folsom Feline Rescue booth talking with people about adopting homeless cats.  She found herself very hoarse after the 3-day event!
When McClellan Air Force Base closed, Lisa became unemployed and she began devoting more and more time to FFR.  She now spends about 20 hours a week on humane efforts. 

She does trapping of feral cats.  She makes trips to the veterinary office.  She socializes and tames wild cats. She staffs 2 adoption events a month.  She feeds cats, cleans litter boxes, buys supplies, travels to special events, etc.  She also writes articles for the Kitty Scoop Newsletter.  She is an excellent, creative writer.  In her spare time, she has written 4 unpublished fictional books.

I asked Lisa why she joined FFR and why she donates so much of her time to the group.  She said that the very first time she called FFR to ask for help in trapping and in spaying/neutering of feral cats, the FFR cofounders John and Janet Bennett, were exceptionally helpful, caring, and responsive.  They assisted her in getting Maddie funds for the
veterinary procedures; they helped her trap; they advised her; and helped her right away.  She started coming to meetings and she found she could meet some needs of the group and she was appreciated.

Some of her pets include a horse, 2 full-grown, retired racing greyhounds, and an Italian greyhound puppy, named "Greycie."  "I had to spell her name that way after her breed," she confided.  "I think of her as my mid-life crisis pet.  I'm over 40 and temporarily out of work.  I needed a puppy."

When you come out to a FFR adoption event or community event like the community faire or Folsom Thursday Night Market, look for Lisa.  She will be the one with 2 full-grown greyhounds lounging at her feet and 1 Italian greyhound puppy in her arms, and she will be talking with people about adopting cats!