The 13 Project Needs You!

It all started a few months ago on Facebook. I "liked" a local animal shelter's page. I didn't realize it at the time, but they post pics of dogs and cats that are, as they put it, "urgent". It means they are on death row, that their name is coming up next on the euthanization list if they are not adopted or rescued very, very soon. The shelter and volunteers post pics in the hopes that people will help either by sharing the pic on their own fb page, adopt the animal, or pledge money in hopes to attract a rescue group to take the animal. The more pledges an animal has, the more attractive it is to rescue groups. How can I see these urgent posts and just turn a blind eye?

This particular shelter also has an album on their page of the animals whose status is PTS (put to sleep). I would sit and look through the album literally in tears. These animals end up at shelters through no fault of their own. It just breaks my heart to look into their eyes and see how scared they are. I so badly want to help these animals but feel helpless and powerless to do so. This is a viscious cycle where one animal is rescued but ten more are lined up to take it's place at the shelter. So, I can choose to do nothing, or I can choose to do something knowing that I can't help them all, but I can help some.

And this inspiration comes from Serena over at Pretty Fluffy. She has started the 13 Project. "The 13 Project is a Pretty Fluffy initiative that involves 13 acts of kindness towards animals before 2013." Just come up with a list of 13 ways that you can help animals.

Here is my list:

1.  Donate a portion of proceeds from my shop, LeeLu Creations, to an animal charity.

2. Share adoptable animal pics on Facebook.

3.  Make a donation to a rescue group to help save an "urgent" animal.

4.  Donate old towels, blankets, and sheets to the animal shelter.
5.  Donate dog and cat food to the local shelter. I coupon so I snag deals when they are on sale.

6.  Go through Buffy and Chi Chi's toys and donate any gently used items.
7.  Donate a couple of old cell phones I have to ARFP. They are able to recycle them and get money.

8.  There is an amazing group in my area called Project Pearl. They work with the Forsyth County Animal Shelter by taking fun pics of the animals that are available for adoption. They clean them up, make 'em purty (haircut, etc), dress them up (jewelry, hats, bows, so fun!) and take their pics. This has been highly successful. I want to consider finding time to volunteer with them. I'm afraid that I'll fall in love with only every animal!

9.  Repurpose an old dog calendar into gift tags to raise awareness about shelter animals. Donate a portion of the sales.
10.  ARFP is collecting books. Donate books for their annual book sale.
11.  Do the "Daily Click" to donate food and care to homeless dogs and cats over at The Animal Rescue Site.
12.  Continue to spread the word on Facebook about anything animal!
13.  Share and promote The 13 Project!

Now, what's on your list?

Proposed Mastectomy Law Change-Very Important!

This was actually an email that was forwarded to me so I decided to post it here. Please take a few moments to read the following and then sign the petition on Lifetime's website. Ladies, please, Facebook, tweet, twitter, blog, use your resources to get the word out! What can it hurt? Only takes a few minutes of your time. Thank you!

(The following was written by a surgeon.)

I'll never forget the look in my patients eyes when I had to tell them they had to go home with the drains, new exercises and no breast. I remember begging the doctors to keep these women in the hospital longer, only to hear that they would, but their hands were tied by the insurance companies.

So there I sat with my patient giving them the instructions they needed to take care of themselves, knowing full well they didn't grasp half of what I was saying, because the glazed, hopeless, frightened look spoke louder than the quiet 'Thank you' they muttered.

A mastectomy is when a woman's breast is removed in order to remove cancerous breast cells/tissue. If you know anyone who has had a mastectomy, you may know that there is a lot of discomfort and pain afterwards. Insurance companies are trying to make mastectomies an outpatient procedure. Let's give women the chance to recover properly in the hospital for 2 days after surgery.

This Mastectomy Bill is in Congress now. It takes 2 seconds to do this and is very important. Please take the time and do it really quick! The Breast Cancer Hospitalization Bill is important legislation for all women.
Please send this to everyone in your address book. If there was ever a time when our voices and choices should be heard, this is one of those times.

There's a bill called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act which will require insurance companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy. It's about eliminating the 'drive-through mastectomy' where women are forced to go home just a few hours after surgery, against the wishes of their doctor, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached.
Lifetime Television has put this bill on their web page with a petition drive to show your support.. Last year over half the House signed on. PLEASE! Sign the petition by clicking here.