Dog Park of Rarity Bay Inc. C January 2013 Newsletter Featured Reports January Financial Report Checkbook Balance $6,156.12 Reserve Account $5,000.00 See Year End 2012 Summary and 2013 Budget in this issue Membership Report Members Families 39 Small Dogs 29 Large Dogs 27 Secretary Report 12/12 DPRB Board Meeting minutes posted on DPRB website Board of Directors President Marlene Eeg -2465 marleneeeg@earthlink.net Vice President Joyce LaMantia -3486 Jmlamantia@tds.net Secretary Cathy Barrett -2515 J_c_barrett@yahoo.com Treasurer Jim Gecsei -2882 jgescei@tds.net Director Tom Simcox -2060 Bazooka6@tds.net HEADLINES Happy New Year! 2012 Year End Financial Report 2013 Election Results Membership Renewals 2013 Maintenance Planning & Stewards of the Park Member Portrait Fostering Puppies at the Barrett Home Toys from Petsmart Support Greenback PPAW Clinic With the brand new year, we have a new Newsletter format which we hope you will find fresh and easy to read. The green bar at left will have regular features to report business and membership summaries, with your 2013 go to contacts for the Dog Park, and general notices. Individual articles in the Newsletter will continue to provide news about the dog park operations, updates on planned projects, and education and entertaining information about dogs and our Members. Please continue to offer suggestions on topics you would like us to consider for future articles. Board Election Results Thank you to all who responded to our 2013 electronic election ballot. December is a busy time of the year to hold elections with the holidays going on, but to coincide with our annual fiscal year it is a necessity for us to hold elections at this time. Of the 39 member families we had 17 responses, still enough to confirm the election. There was only one change in the 2013 Board, and we welcome Jim Gecsei as our new Treasurer! A very special thanks to outgoing treasurer, Cheryl Heinecke who has served this organization for 5 years with passion and enthusiasm, and with the right mix of caution and due diligence with our finances. As they now plan their move to California, we are already missing Cheryl and Fred, but wish them the best in the future. Membership Renewals As our new Treasurer, Jim Gecsei will also be handling the Membership program. There are still a few existing Members who have not paid their $50 membership renewal. Please contact Jim directly to process your renewal and be sure to provide updated rabies vaccination information with your renewal. The expected date for changing the entrance gate code is 2/1/13.
Dog Park of Rarity Bay Inc. January 2013 Newsletter Page 2 Events Calendar Monthly Board Meetings First Friday of Each Month at 9:30 am at CAC; Open to all Members Yappy Hour Each Friday at Rusty s Place at 4 pm during winter months; 5 pm summer months; Bring a drink and enjoy the park! Special Events Scheduled January 1/19/13 - MCFA Dinner & Auction Gala; 6:30 pm at TV Yacht Club see Nancie Guido or Sue Cleverdon for tickets May 5/27/13 DPRB Memorial BBQ Fundraiser planning volunteers needed contact Cathy Barrett September 9/14/13 DPRB Shaggy Chic Super Sale at CAC; Set-up 9/12 & 9/13/13; planning volunteers needed contact Marlene Eeg October 10/27/13 Howl-O-Ween Costume Event 2012 YEAR END FINANCIAL RESULTS You may recall that in 2012 we made a one-time adjustment to our Fiscal Year reporting to a normal January-December calendar year and to align our reporting with the TN State Non Profit registration reporting schedule. Our 2012 Fiscal Year actually started September, 2011 and was adjusted to end December, 2012, for a 16 month onetime reporting period. At our November Annual Meeting we presented the need to make this reporting change and presented the revised fiscal year budget and actual to date. Below are the final 2012 year results. Original FY 2012 Revenue Plan September 2011 thru August 2012 Actual FY 2012 Revenue September 2011 thru December 2012 Note that the revenue budget for the original 2012 fiscal year included the Shaggy Chic event for September 2011 ($4,500 planned revenue with $4,091.00 actual revenue). With the adjusted 16 month reporting period, the September 2012 Shaggy Chic event was added to this reporting period, which is why the budget to actual revenue is significantly higher than anticipated. There was no revenue projection yet for the 2012 Shaggy Chic, but we re happy to report the actual revenue from this past year s event exceeded any previous Shaggy Chic sale in the past. This was a welcomed surprise and helped us finish the 2012 year with a very good cash flow position.
Dog Park of Rarity Bay Inc. January 2013 Newsletter Page 3 General Notices The two supply boxes on the fence contain items for you to use while in the dog park. Pick-up bags and first aid kits should be used, but please take your used bags and any garbage with you for proper disposal. Special thanks to Paula Gecsei who has volunteered to maintain the supply boxes this year. The Board has obtained new bids for mowing service in 2013. Brad McDonald, who mows numerous home sites here in Rarity Bay, was chosen for 2013. He will mow the turf and trim the patio areas for $60 per mow. 2012 YEAR END FINANCIAL RESULTS - continued A summary of the 2012 Year End expenses is described below along with the 2013 Expense Budget. We are planning for an average increase in general expenses, but will work with diligence to control costs. During the 2012 period, we did not spend any funds on some park maintenance such as mulch and plant replacements, but used previous savings and fundraising money to build the new patios and improve the turf. Additional funds are being allocated to the 2013 budget to provide for some much needed spring maintenance this year Summary of 2012 Total Expenses and 2013 Planned Expense Budget A New Committee led by Bob Elgin with Jim Barrett, Jim Gecsei, and Mike Guido has been created to establish potential options for improving the walkway. As recommendations are formed, the Board will review and communicate ideas and options with the Membership for input prior to making any decisions to proceed. Contact Bob if you would like to participate in this. The Board will monitor the first quarter finances and look at potential future improvements needed prior to simply spending the money. Future projects such as the walkway improvement are not budgeted, so available funds and potential costs to complete this project will be reviewed separately to be sure that funds are available and not taken out of the basic operational expense budget (shown above for 2013). The patio project last year was a good example of how we managed the funds. The excess savings from previous 2 years of fundraising was set aside, separate from the operational expense budget, to pay for the patio project. The Board feels this is a smart, low risk approach to be sure there is sufficient operating funds at all times during the year. The fundraising events during the year the BBQ and Shaggy Chic Super Sale events will generate more funds for both our savings and ongoing operational expenses that our minimal Membership fee does not.
Dog Park of Rarity Bay Inc. January 2013 Newsletter Page 4, Stewards of the Dog Park Member participation to handle occasional tasks is critical to keeping the park running smoothly and our operational costs low. Contact these 2013 Stewards of the Park with questions or suggestions you have related to these areas. Irrigation Jack Wright & Arvey Eeg Pest/Ant Control Harvey Phillips Garden Plant Pruning Sandy Knoedler & Nancie Guido Turf Improvements Arvey Eeg Supplies Boxes Paula Gecsei Tree Maintenance Mike Guido & Tom Simcox Website & Email List Nancie Guido Walkway Improvement Plans Bob Elgin A general Maintenance Day is being planned for the dog park sometime this Spring with some clean up / replacement of plantings, mulch and other needed maintenance currently being defined. Details coming soon. NEW 2013 FINANCIAL PLAN The new 2013 budget with projected revenue and operational expenses is described below. The reporting period from now on will be January December, for 2013 and the future. The DPRB Board has a philosophy to be very conservative in budgeting; conservatively low in expected revenue and conservatively high on potential expenses. This has allowed us to consistently come within 90% of our annual budget and be able to plan future enhancement projects when funds are available. DPRB 2013 Budget January 2013 through December 2013 Current Cash Situation The January 2013 cash balance is $11,156.12. Earlier this week the Treasurer and President transferred $5,000 to a separate cash reserve account which will keep these funds separate from the operating funds with a small interest applied for growth. Our By-Laws require that we maintain a separate $5,000 reserve for emergency needs. Our cash situation looks very good in terms of maintaining our reserve and meeting our expense obligations for this year. Receipt of the new 2013 revenue (estimated above) will be critical to funding any new projects during this coming year.
Dog Park of Rarity Bay Inc. January 2013 Newsletter Page 5 Park Member Portrait Jim & Cathy Barrett Puppies Get Ready In Rarity Bay for Adoption Did you know that Cathy and Jim Barrett often foster puppies in their home to prepare them for relocation and future adoption? They have been active participants in the Monroe County Friends of Animal (MCFA) Rolling Rescue program which collects animals from our area shelters including Monroe County and places them in temporary foster homes for a short time before they get transported to New York and for adoption in that area. The New York area has a high demand for puppy adoption primarily because of some of their local breeder and spay/neuter laws. Unfortunately, in East Tennessee, we have more than an abundant number of puppies who are dropped off at shelters. Our local shelters are often full and have limited funds to keep most of the animals they receive. Sadly, even puppies have been euthanized as a result. Now with the Rolling Rescue and foster program, many animals can be saved! Here s how the process works. Animals brought into the shelter go through an exam to assess their health and suitability for foster care and adoption. That s when the Barrett s get a call to help! Normally Cathy and Jim foster puppies for 2-3 weeks, enough time to prepare them for transfer to New York. They ve created a maintenance-free area in their basement for this purpose and can take puppies when it is convenient for them. They make sure the puppies get any needed medications, are healthy, and get some early socialization and lots of love. It definitely takes some work, as anyone who has had a puppy knows. Jim and Cathy get up early to feed the dogs and do the morning cleanup, so the puppies have full tummies, fresh bedding and a clear floor each day.
Dog Park of Rarity Bay Inc. January 2013 Newsletter Page 6 Park Member Portrait Continued The Rolling Rescue group handles the transportation to the Queensbury New York facility, a no-kill shelter. About every 2 weeks a van is loaded with healthy puppies, kittens, and older dogs to travel to New York for their adoption and forever homes! The puppies are usually adopted quickly once they arrive in New York, often within a few days of their arrival. Cathy and Jim have personally fostered 93 puppies since they settled here in Rarity Bay, and all their foster pups sent to New York have been adopted. While we all realize that no rescue program is perfect, this one seems to have a very good process and the percentage of successful adoptions is high. Jim comments that this can at times be an emotional rollercoaster because you cannot save them all! There are some puppies that are brought in either too late with illness or neglect and can t proceed with the rescue program, which is just a sad reality. But, for those saved and given a new happy life, it is all worth the effort! Cathy and Jim will tell you this is truly a labor of love and the greatest reward is when they get a photograph of the new owner of their foster dogs sharing how this dog has been welcomed to their family and is now a healthy and happy pet! Here is one happy story that Cathy and Jim wanted to share. Reggie came to us when he was 8 weeks old. Shy and timid, you could see the desire for love and a home in his eyes. We were thrilled to receive a photo of him and his new best friend a year after he was adopted! The expressions on their faces say it all! New Puppy Reggie Arrives At the Barrett House for Initial Foster A Happy Reggie and His New Family After Adoption Did you know that for $25 you can sponsor a puppy ride on the Rolling Rescue to New York? That s all it requires based on the numerous volunteers who contribute their time and personal expenses to transport a group of dogs every 2 weeks from East Tennessee to Queensbury, New York. For more information on becoming a foster or making a donation, please don t hesitate to call Cathy or Jim. Many heartfelt thanks to Cathy and Jim for all that they do to help these puppies toward a happy, healthy life with owners who will treat them like family!
Dog Park of Rarity Bay Inc. January 2013 Newsletter Page 7 Residents Support Animal Charities and Community Events Rarity Bay has many angels who are giving back to the community to help our 4 legged friends. Here are just some of those angels. Please let us know of others not on this list so we can share their stories and thank them personally. Nancie Guido Second Chance Pals focus on foster and adoption of adult dogs, otherwise more difficult to place Sue & Mike Cleverdon SNAP Spay & Neuter Program leadership. David & Wanda Little Scottie Rescue of TN, transport and occasionally foster Scottish terriers for the Tennessee chapter. Harvey Phillips and Reading with Riley at area schools. Cleverdon s and Guido s coordinating tables for the upcoming MCFA Gala dinner/silent auction fundraiser on January 19 th. Contact them for tickets if you haven t purchased yours yet! Petsmart Donates Toys for Greenback PPAW Spay Neuter Clinic The DPRB has supported the Monroe County Animal Shelter and Monroe County Friends of Animals (MCFA) with donations from the unsold items from our Shaggy Chic Super Sale. While we have talked with Loudon County in the past, they have not directly asked us for any support. Our impression was that they are fairly well funded. But recently, we heard the PPAW Spay Neuter Clinic in Greenback has teamed with BB&T and Petsmart to raise money for the Greenback clinic which apparently doesn t get enough funds needed from Loudon County to properly support this clinic. Colleen Fitch, Asst VP at BB&T Bank in Tellico Village approached us to consider participating in this effort. Since many of us live in Loudon County and the DPRB uses the BB&T bank to handle our checking account, it made sense for us to learn more on how we might help. The fundraising program they have set up is very simple! Petsmart donates new, with original tags, toys of a variety of sizes and types. People can simply donate $1 for each toy, or more if you re feeling generous. The toy prices appear to range from $3.99 to $8.99. What a great way to make a small donation and get a brand new toy for your dog or someone else you know! Colleen recently arranged this for the Tellico Village folks and simply extended the kind offer to us to participate with them. At the moment, Marlene Eeg has the tote of toys and we will be contacting the RBCAI and CAC to inquire about placing the toy tote with a cash donation box at the CAC building. It is probably the best place for the community and others who use the CAC to contribute if desired. We will periodically collect the cash for return to Colleen Fitch, who will add our donation and submit directly to Greenback PPAW Spay Neuter Clinic. Petsmart plans to continue to donate more toys, even other clothing items such as Halloween Costumes in the future if we want to continue to help. Many of you know that Mike and Sue Cleverdon are leaders of the Monroe County SNAP spay neuter program. Mike tells us that he s knows the Greenback PPAW folks well and would support us in this effort without any concerns with PPAW being in competition with SNAP. Everyone needs help! If you would like to stop by to review the available toys and make a donation, please give Marlene Eeg a call. If there is ongoing interest, we will continue to offer this and find a permanent location in the community.
Dog Park of Rarity Bay Inc. January 2013 Newsletter Page 8 Newsletter Feedback Tell us what other topics you would like to see in the DPRB Newsletter! More articles on Members? Dog Health? Dog Training? Let us know. If you would like to add a second email address to receive this Newsletter, please send us an email. Send requests to marleneeeg@earthlink.net or call Marlene Eeg at -2465. Dog Food Recalls The FDA continues to put pressure on dog food companies to improve their processes and more food safety testing on pet food products. The increased visibility and auditing of pet food manufacturing, specifically with chicken and jerky products, is making a difference, and more manufacturers are voluntarily withdrawing products from the shelves before an official recall is in place. The latest this past week was Cadet brand chicken jerky treats. Pet food testing is now extending to nontoxic ingredients, which includes antibiotics and other allergens, not necessarily unsafe in small quantities to most animals, but tighter process control efforts will improve the quality of pet food. See the full story at this website. http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dogfood-recall/ims-trading-group-chickenjerky-treat-recall/ You can also go to the Dog Food Advisor website, who gets direct information from the FDA to post news about pet food provider issues. You can sign up to receive an automatic email announcement on all new recalls by registering at this website. http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-recall-alerts/ To Unsubscribe to this distribution list, send your request to marleneeeg@earthlink.net Since the FDA only focuses on USA produced foods, we should always be suspect of any products that are listed as made in China or any non-usa location on their packaging. Too many foreign manufacturers have been found to put toxic materials in their foods and there s little regulation to control this when the packaged product arrives in our country. So the best we can do at this point is to be proactive and vigilant in our knowledge and careful in how we select the brands that we use with our pets. DPRB Inc is a non-profit social association registered in the State of Tennessee and supported by members, volunteers and fundraising events.