VOLUME 1, ISSUE 7

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Folsom Feline Rescue (FFR) is fortunate to have many active, willing volunteers and each volunteer stands out for one reason or another. Tracy Kirsten stands out for her original ideas, her superior leadership skills, and her enthusiasm.

Tracy is the developer of FFR's LapCats Program. She conceived LapCats while she was a student in a leadership course through Landmark Education. Her class assignment at that time was to develop and carry out a community project that inspired her.

Tracy approached Janet and John Bennett, cofounders of FFR, with her idea for LapCats. The Bennetts were responsive to her idea and fully supported it.

For those of you who don't know, the LapCats Program brings seniors together with cats and volunteers for a social gathering. The
volunteers transport compatible cats to visit seniors in nursing homes.

Tracy's Project was an immediate success. The seniors were delighted
with the cats and with the volunteers. It was a "day brightener" for
the elderly and for the volunteers as well.  Tracy states, "The
volunteers were plentiful. It was very rewarding to see the numbers of people volunteering and to see the reactions from the seniors when they got to pet a cat."

Over a 12-month period, there have been 7 LapCats events (6 with seniors and 1 with children at the Sacramento Children's Home). All the events were successful in terms of bringing smiles to the faces of the seniors and the children, and also educating the public about cats in general.

Another successful event planned by Tracy was the CatWalk 2000. The purpose of this autumn walk was to raise funds for cataract surgery for one Russian Blue kitten named Viktor. According to Tracy, "CatWalk 2000 came together in a matter of weeks. It's amazing what you can do when there is a need. We banded together and made it happen."

CatWalk 2000 raised $1100 for Victor's medical needs. About 20 folks collected pledges and participated in the walk. Tracy made up a jingle for the volunteers to sing while walking and she created a sign that was carried along so onlookers could see what was taking place. She got pledges and she rounded up local sponsors like Remo's Pizza who gave the volunteer walkers a discount price on lunch. She inspired the group with her exuberance and with her "can do" community spirit. It was a very successful and gratifying experience.

Tracy currently serves on the Board of Directors for FFR, providing input for all the major decisions. She confers on all the major programs including the budget, the Spay and Neuter Your Pet (SNYP) program, and fund raisers.  Her ongoing job with FFR is monitoring the group's voicemail and calling individuals back. She is also a frequent
volunteer at adoption events.

Tracy's association with FFR led her in a new career direction. She had been doing administrative work and bookkeeping work for her husband's business when she decided 7 months ago to pursue a life-long dream of working with animals. She was quickly hired by Blue Ravine Animal Hospital when they learned of her interest. The management of Blue Ravine already knew of Tracy's commitment and her skills through her volunteer work with FFR so a resume and references weren't required. The Animal Hospital hired her as a Veterinary Assistant to work with the
Technicians. She is learning how to draw blood, monitor anesthesia machines, administer vaccines, run lab tests, look at slides through the microscope, check for ear infections and bacteria, etc. Under supervision, she is doing a lot of what the licensed Technicians do.

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