Only a few hundred miles away from our safe homes here in the middle of America is a disaster of unbelievable proportions. Everybody saw it on the news, but knowing someone who was heading there to help was a way to make it more real. One of our clients contacted the Kansas City Star, and an article about the bird rescue efforts we made appeared in some versions of the paper on Saturday, September 17. We felt honored to represent the bird loving people of our great city by taking your donations directly to the animals in need. Without your help, we could not have made the trip. The incredibly generous people of the Kansas City area have given money, cages, dishes, perches, and bird food to the pet birds of the New Orleans area. We want to provide those people with a complete accounting of how their money was used.
As of December 20, 2005, we have received monetary donations of $5471. Items donated were not assigned a monetary value, but cages alone were worth over $1000, including 3 large macaw cages and 15 new cages in boxes.
Our expenses for the trip of September 9 to 12 totaled $1445. This included:
van rental $556.21 for 4 days including full coverage insurance
gas for two vehicles $354.34, not including that paid for by donations received by Vicki Berg from her clients at Curves in Peculiar
one night in a motel $75
over 200 pounds of bird food $250
medical supplies approximately $100
assorted supplies $90 which we purchased at the request of those housing and rescuing birds in Louisiana
airport parking $20
We are using $1200 of the donated money toward our expenses, and we are donating the balance of $245 as our contribution.
We gave donations of $1500 to people rescuing and caring for birds in Baton Rouge; $1000 in cash while we were there, and a $500 check mailed on Friday, September 16. One client wrote a check for $100 directly to Donna Powell at our request, which we mailed with our check.
--------------------------------------------------------------Dr. Julie went to Baton Rouge and New Orleans for a second visit on September 24 to 27. Expenses totaled $1422.61, including:
minivan rental $162.04
insurance on van $36.00
gas $304.39
purchase of a large freezer $597
several dozen large plastic trash cans and tubs for storing bird food and three big folding tables $323.18
--------------------------------------------------------------We made a third trip leaving on Friday, October 7, returning Monday, October 10. We borrowed a converted RV style van from Dr. Penny Montgomery who was willing to loan hers so we didn't have to rent one again. One of our clients, Sandra Brown, went with Dr. Julie and Jennifer Lehr, a fourth year veterinary student at Kansas State University. We did not make major purchases like the freezer this time, so gas was the major expense. The expenses were $752.44, including:
gas $592.44 (that big van used a lot but it was worth it!)
food to feed all the volunteers there for a couple of days $160.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------A fourth trip leaving November 25 and returning in the wee hours of November 29 included Dr. Julie and Vicki Berg from the first trip.
Van rental and insurance $390.96
Gas $101.33
-------------------------------------------------------------------Our total balance still available is now about $5.00. Dr. Julie will use that to rent a movie and relax!
We have a number of small cages brought back from Baton Rouge that we are selling to raise money to give back to the rescue operation. These were extras that were not needed for the rescued birds, and were filling the driveway and yard at Donna Powell's house. If anyone needs a little cage for transporting your bird, give us a call. We also have a lot of canary breeding supplies such as nests, so these will be sold to help the effort as well.
