Ramen Noodle Outreach at RLRR

JENNY'S STORY OF RED LAKE ROSIE'S RESCUE OUTREACH EFFORTS:

I first met W~ in the summer of 2009.

It was my first time volunteering at a spay/neuter clinic, so I was excited to be asked by Karen to tag along while she made a run to W's house to "pick up cats". We arrived at W's house to discover 29 cat kennels stacked in his front yard - each containing a noisy feline - and all trying to do their best to inform us that they were NOT happy to be shut into a box.

A smiling W came out of his house, excited to show Karen that he had managed to trap "most" of the cats (apparently there were three very wily kitties who refused to be caught). I stood by quietly, wanting to hear his story unfold.

It turns out that W has "adopted" many of the cats that live at one of the dumps on the Reservation. He provides food and water for the cats and shelters them when necessary. W has named all of the cats and can talk about each of their personalities in great detail. And the cats, in turn, have adopted W.

W had called Karen before the August 2009 clinic and wanted help to get the cats neutered/spayed. W was a little unsure about trapping his babies but Karen told him that by having the cats altered, it would cut down on the number of stray cats at the dump and it would also help his "adopted" cats to be healthier.

As the conversation continued, Karen asked W how he managed to feed 32 cats on his very limited income. W told her that when he gets his check at the beginning of the month, he gets a ride to Bemidji and purchases as much cat food and Ramen noodles as he can. The cats eat cat food for as many days as it lasts, but by the end of the month, the cats and W are both surviving on Ramen noodles.

After hearing W's story, I was determined that I would help him on this very unselfish mission. When I returned home, I told W's story to some of my friends - many of whom were very eager to help.

Now, every time I go back to Red Lake, I am loaded down with money, food and supplies - all donated by friends and all to help W in his ongoing mission to help the cats from the dump.

Donations to Red Lake Rosie's Rescue make a real difference.