UPDATE 12/25/02 on the Montana Collies

Statement by AWCA President Jean Levitt

*Permission to crosspost*

Happy Holidays, Everyone!  The Shelby collies have their own Christmas tree at Camp Collie.  The dedicated volunteers were presented with our favorite holiday book, The Christmas Collie by Ted Paul.  Before they left Shelby, Pati Merrill and Nancy McDonald played Santa Claus by distributing the cases of books generously donated by Ted and Beverly Paul to everyone in the fire department, Search and Rescue, Sheriff’s Office, veterinarians’ offices, and the long-term volunteers at Camp Collie.  A charming book plate in each book, prepared by the Collie Health Foundation, included a drawing of a collie resting by a fireplace with a cat snuggled by it (our wish for the future of all of the animals at Camp Collie, and the following message:

Thank you for volunteering.  In appreciation for your efforts on behalf of all the beloved collies rescued by Toole County, Montana.

Signed,

AWCA Collie Rescue of America

Collie Health Foundation

Collie Club of America

The Entire Collie Community

Ted and Beverly Paul

The Collie Health Foundation has always offered to provide educational materials to help AWCA when we have a collie rescue situation.  For this Shelby, MT, collie rescue, I asked the Foundation to please provide educational materials on the collie breed for the people of Shelby.  Further, I requested a book list on Foundation-recommended collie books be provided to the Shelby library along with one copy of each book on the list for the head librarian to review.  The Foundation has agreed to provide additional copies of each book the librarian requests in the amounts she requires.

Because the animals are all under quarantine, no one under age 18 is permitted near them.  By providing these books, the children of Shelby will become acquainted with our breed.

On behalf of AWCA, I thank Ted and Beverly Paul for the wonderful gift of The Christmas Collie.

AWCA will forever be indebted to the Collie Health Foundation for the educational materials and their support in so many wonderful ways.  AWCA and the Foundation present the Collie Memorial held every two years at Sunnybank to honor deceased collies.  In 2004 we will remember the collie that died on the truck.  Both of our organizations exist for and are devoted to ALL COLLIES.

A Merry Collie Christmas to you all!

Calmly,

Jean Levitt, President AWCA

Lisa King, AWCA Director AWCA Rescue

Officers and Members of AWCA