Thursday, August 28, 2014

When a donation brings an unexpected gift

On August 26th I was reading about the Announcement for Sparkle's Memorial Service


and knew that I was going to make a donation to Tabby's Place, as was requested above:

Tabby’s Place: a Cat Sanctuary
1100 US Highway 202; Ringoes, NJ  08551

908-237-5300 ext. 235  908-237-5311 (fax)
 
at@tabbysplace.org
 http://www.tabbysplace.org/


What I DIDN'T know was that I was going to be blessed with a new friend! After I made my donation, I was gifted with the most heartfelt and warm email from Angela Elizabeth Townsend, the Development Director at Tabby's Place.

I have donated to MANY places and causes throughout the years, but none have taken the time to respond with a thank you that exuded such warmth.

She conveyed her sadness at Sparkle's passing and also gave me the added treat of attaching this!

With a caption that read
"Brielle sends you her thanks and love "
and at the bottom of her email she wrote:

PS: As I type this email, Brielle,
 one of our sweetest Special Needs cats,
 is keeping me company.
 She sends you her purrs (and asked me to attach her photo as her thanks to you).

I was so taken by the story behind this cat,
that  as a tribute to Sparkle, I have joined other bloggers
who have already signed up to sponsor a kitty.
I signed up to sponsor Brielle!

Here I thought it was ME who was hoping to honor Sparkle's memory by simply making a donation to Tabby's Place. In the end it was ME who felt that they received a most unexpected and most welcome "gift." The GIFT of helping Brielle!!

35 comments:

  1. I love it when rescues say "thank you" in some way. I really appreciate the time they take to do this and it makes me feel like I would want to donate again. I've done small fundraisers that took time and effort in the past without so much as a "hey, we got your check in the mail" and it's kind of a turn-off. This is really awesome of Tabby's Place - I love it! I have been following one of their cats (who was adopted out) on Facebook for quite a while now. I believe I follow them on FB too.

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    1. I do too Ann, and I especially loved that it wasn't a "form" thank you. This one was so warm and personal. Years ago I won $1000 from a blog which I donated to a super popular, local S.E. Michigan rescue, (NOT Michigan Humane), and do you know what? They NEVER, EVER sent me any sort of a thank you. As a result, I refuse to feature or support them in any way. It was exactly like what you wrote above where they never even acknowledged it. Tabby's Place is just wonderful.

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    2. Wow, and $1000 is a lot! I think that might chap my hide a little bit. I kind of feel like a jerk admitting it, but it's the truth =/ I think there are a lot of other people out there who feel the same way though.

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    3. Ann you aren't a jerk. I never said anything about it publicly til now. A blog had a contest (it was a few years ago) and that was the main prize and it was for the shelter of your choice. Ironically, my brother-in-law had the same experience (we didn't know til we told each other after). When his Mom passed, in lieu of flowers he asked for donations to be made to the same shelter (she loved animals), he never received a thank you.

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  2. what a warm and wonderful response...it is nice to know that giving reaches others

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  3. We love Tabby's Place. Many years ago when there wasn't really Facebook, the mom followed and belonged to some cat newsgroups. On one of them she met the founder of Tabby's Place, Jonathon Rosenberg. This was back when he was first starting Tabby's Place.

    Congrats on sponsoring Brielle. We're having a commentathon tomorrow too in honor of Sparkle and we will use the proceeds to sponsor a kitty at Tabby's Place too.

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    1. Wooo hooo!! LOVE what you are doing as well!!!!! Thank you!!!!!!

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  4. That is just one of the many reasons that I love Tabby's place. Angela is just the best and they do such a good job of taking care of all the cats that come there no matter what their problem is. That really is such a nice gift that she sent to you. Happy Thursday to all of you.

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    1. Marg, I couldn't agree with you more. I think many other places could learn a thing or two from her! Happy Thursday to you too!

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  5. How nice that your donation was acknowledged in such a lovely way. It is people like that who stand out and make you want to write about them. That in turn encourages others to also donate as I shall be doing tomorrow.

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    1. Ohhhh Flynn! This just made me cry! You are sooo special! Your Mum is too! (wink!)

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  6. It is .. the way it is supposed to be. But in general it is not.
    It was a nice thank you.
    The Tabby's place sounds like a great place, with nice people.
    Bonne soirée
    Nat Ă  Chat

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  7. Wonderful Caren and Cody, we -- feline and human alike -- are blessed beyond measure to have you in our Tabby's Place family. Thank you from the depths of my heart for loving Brielle so generously, and for shining such a beautiful light on our cats. Sparkle's legacy shimmers on, and so powerfully, through you! XO

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    1. Angela you are MUCH too kind! All of us are blessed to know YOU and we all thank you for all that you are doing to help cats. We thank Sparkle as well for bringing Tabby's Place to all of us!!! Please give Brielle kisses from Cody and I! xoxo

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  8. Obviously this is a wonderful and caring organization who deserves your donation! It is nice when sadness can lead to joy.

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  9. Awww, sweet Brielle! What a great way to run a charity - that's the kind of thing that makes people want to work/donate/help them in any way they can (and it's such a simple thing to do!)

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  10. It is absolutely incredible how Sparkle is still helping cats in need even though she is no longer with us. I never thought too much about sponsorships until she blogged about it a couple months ago. Next month I'm having a commentathon for my birthday and the money raised will go towards sponsoring a cat or two. It's actually a gift for myself...due to current circumstances I can't adopt a brother or sister for Truffles, but by sponsoring a little bit of another cat is "ours".

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    1. It IS incredible! I can't have another cat either, so this is one way to do that!

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  11. Caren, that is a very sweet story! I never thought of sponsoring a kitty, either, but it is a great idea.

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  12. Oh Caren, what a wonderful story...how special for you to sponsor Brielle in tribute to Sparkle...we went over to read her story and are touched by both her and Tabby's Place. You rock Caren, love ya...

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    1. Thank you but I don't rock!!! Sparkle and Tabby's Place rocks!! xoxo

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  13. Thank you so much for this, Caren! Angela is SUCH a sweetheart and I knew you would love her - and the Tabby's Place kitties. I'm so happy you decided to sponsor Brielle... but then, who could resist that face? :-)

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    1. Sparkle no need to thank me, thank YOU! Your legacy is glowing bright and strong! Thank YOU for introducing us to Tabby's Place. Angela is just incredible.....I just adore her! Ohhh you are so right, who could resist Brielle? xoxoxo

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  14. That is wonderful Caren. I love when they take the time out to thank you too. And with a kitty photo too that's a plus. Very pretty kitty. Left a comment on Sparkle's blog. She sure will be missed. I never met her but; I sure loved her just the same.
    Sue B

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  15. What a beautiful little girl you’ve “adopted.” Pop used to sponsor cows through the Popcorn Park Zoo.

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  16. Aww... wonderful. She's beautiful!

    Purrs xx
    Athena and Marie

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  17. A simple thank you can make a huge difference. The Tabby Cat Place seems to have understand (understood ??) it : it makes donors come back. That's great, Caren, and your sponsored cat is beautiful ! Purrs

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  18. Dat is so pawsum. In these days when most hav furgotten simple manners and fankin' fols fur duin' fur ya', it's always nice to run acwoss dat special purrson dat members how much a fank yous can mean to sumpawdy. Brielle is such a bootyful kitty., and she's lucky to hav yous as hers sponsor. :)

    Luv ya'

    Dezi

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  19. We sent a donation to Tabby's Place and Angela emailed me straight back and asked how we'd heard of Tabby's Place - I emailed her again and told her there would be many donations to them. She couldn't believe she was going to receive donations in memory of Sparkle (in fact she didn't know of her). These donations will help her and the cats such a lot.
    Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx
    We also Sponsor a cat in the UK having been rescued by the Cats Protection League - in fact we have just received a short video seeing her going home with her new family. Her place would be taken up straight away and we will be sponsoring the new cat.

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    1. Hi guys! That's strange, she knew who she was when she replied to me and she also left a comment above...she knows of her for sure :)
      Sooo happy the kitty you sponsored found a home and that you will sponsor a new kitty! xoxo

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  20. That is wonderful that you are such a thoughtful giver. But sad that you aren't thanked more often.

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  21. Thanks for the kind words you left us, the support of the bloggie community is awesome,

    Mark (RARA's daddy)

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  22. I love it! I have been following one of their cats!

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