Metro Support Team meeting notes

RLRR September 23, 2009 Meeting Notes
Colleen Meyer, Crystal Berntson, Barbara Bowman, Claudia Wielgorecki, Laura Leonard, Lauren Cox, Kristin Goral, Denise Luke, DeeDee Welles

I. Transports
We have transported and placed 241 animals from July-September. There will be a transport this weekend with approximately eight animals, which brings the total through September to 249.
There are about 53 animals at the shelter, now.
Denise is planning to go up 10/14 and will transport back to the Cities on 10/15 or so.
II. RLRR Foster/Adoption
Since the RLRR foster/adoption network began in March, we have adopted 82 animals into new homes. There are currently 15 dogs, puppies, and kittens in our foster homes.
DeeDee and Teresa are working on finalizing Adoption Policies and a Foster Handbook for the RLRR network.
III. 2009 Spay/Neuter Clinics
We have had three S/N clinics at the warehouse in Redby. The Animal Humane Society did a clinic in April, and Animal Ark and Akin Hills Pet Hospital teamed up for clinics in May and August.
The cost for each clinic averages about $5000. The three together cost a little over $15,000 and a total of 381 animals were altered.
Animal Ark and Akin have offered to do another clinic in October, but there are no funds left to pay for a clinic this year.
We have re-applied for the DJ&T Foundation grant, which will, hopefully, be renewed and will pay for the community-owned animals at the S/N clinics in 2010.
IV. Straw Donations
Supporters have generously contributed to the straw drive, and Karen has arranged to have the straw in time to fill the doghouses for the coming winter months.
V. Volunteer Needs
Volunteers are needed to help with adoption applications. Both Kristin and Crystal offered to help.
We have a Meet & Greet scheduled for 10/ 24 at Chuck & Don’s, Wayzata, and an open house at Rivertown Animal Hospital in Stillwater on Oct 3rd.
Volunteers will be needed at future Meet & Greets to pick up animals and take them to these events.
We discussed the need for a public relations packet, and for volunteers to give presentations on RLRR and do tabling at various events around the Cities. Lauren volunteered to make a RLRR powerpoint presentation. We need to gather the info, photos, videos, articles, and other stuff that’s out there about RLRR and have it compiled and in an accessible format.
VI. Tri-Fold Brochure
We need to print our updated brochure, but it’s costly to print, especially with our color logo. Kristin has a relative in the printing business and offered to check with him on pricing.
Liz is getting a bid in Elk River, and Colleen may know of some resources, too.
Thanks to Barbara for designing the brochure and updating it.
VII. Puppy Sweaters
Laura brought some cute knitted puppy sweaters and asked for feedback on sizes.
She is fundraising/facilitating the knitting/sewing of sweaters/jackets for the RLRR animals. The puppies and dogs with mange can lose a lot of their hair and get very chilly.
VIII. Holiday Fundraising
DeeDee would like to send out a holiday card/flyer asking for donations. Lynn did it last year and raised quite a bit of money. We need someone to design the mailing and facilitate this project.
We discussed the possibility of doing a RLRR rescue calendar, but decided that it may be too late in the year and the profit margin may be slim.
Someone mentioned the idea of doing a poster with a collage of RLRR rescues' photos and using it for fundraising and/or as a thank you for donors. This seems like a more cost effective idea.