UPDATE 12/22/02 on the Montana Collies

Statement by AWCA President Jean Levitt

*Permission to crosspost*

The AWCA grooming team is back home after 2 weeks in Shelby, Montana.  According to the captain of our professional groomers, a very special woman, Rev Oakes, one-half of the workload is completed.  The most contaminated rough males are now beautifully groomed out, as are dogs with special needs, determined by our veterinarian.  The groomers will return to Shelby and resume grooming after the first of the year.  At the request of the commander of the Shelby Search and Rescue, we vacated the Search and Rescue building, AKA, the Collie Spa, for the holidays.  Presently the AWCA holiday support teams are on the ground in Shelby.  On a rotational basis team members fly in and out of Great Falls, and drive the final 100+ miles to Shelby every 5-10 days.  The work is hard and the hours long.  Between hand-washing stainless steel in a tent, cleaning pens, feeding, and watering dogs in the 4-H stock building, AKA Camp Collie, they manage to pick up and distribute supplies we ship in.  They also report what further items are needed, and win at the casinos!  Our big winner donated winnings back to the collies!!!

Because no one knows how long the animals will be held in Shelby, AWCA is preparing for an indefinite length of time.  To those of you who have been so patient, and are waiting to be called to go to Montana, thank you for understanding.  We are limited in how many people we are allowed to send.  This small wonderful community cannot support a deluge of animal people, however, they will continue to need outside help for the duration.

Continue to send your names, phone numbers, and the date you can go to Montana to Secretary Judy Cummings at jccollie@worldnet.att.net.  You will be required to sign an AWCA Briefing Statement regarding conduct while in Shelby, and be willing to submit to a criminal background check by the Toole County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) if requested.  AWCA checks references on volunteers we send under our letter of agreement with the TCSO.  When you contact us, indicate whether you prefer to work with the professional groomers as “collie huggers” and “cat snugglers” to support emotional and basic needs, or at Camp Collie.

AWCA helps set up roommates at the hotel, and helps arrange car-pooling.  Local volunteers (and by “local” in Montana that means within 250 miles of Shelby) sometimes can pick us up at the airport.  Again, let us know if you need ground transportation.

                When this ordeal is finally over, I will personally send all donors and volunteers a handwritten “thank you” note (I’m hoping you will understand why I haven’t sent out my annual holiday greeting card).

                I am humbled by your continued generosity.  Happy holidays to all.

Calmly,

Jean Levitt, President AWCA

Lisa King, AWCA Director AWCA Rescue

Officers and Members of AWCA