Mark Your Calendar!

Annual Bingo Fund-raiser Features Vera Bradley Animal Friends of North Central West Virginia is pleased to announce its 4th annual bingo event, this year featuring beautiful Vera Bradley products. Sunday, October 5, 2008 1 p.m. (Doors open at noon.) Elks Lodge, Post 411, 1138 Chestnut Ridge Road 20 games for $20 The winner of a $5 raffle will receive a Capri Blue garment bag, hanging organizer, on-the-go purse, wallet with strap, and clip zip ID, a $293 retail value! Tickets are available at Lucky's Attic, Woofs, and Masman Jewelers, or by calling 304-290-0161, 304-291-5825, or 304-282-4052.

It's Almost Time for "Howl-o-ween" Dress up your special critter in his or her favorite costume and join the fun: Sunday, October 26, 2008 1-4 p.m. Mountaineer Mall, Greenbag Road $5 donation to enter pet in costume contest Prizes for the costume winners!

Splish-Splash - Fun! Animal Friends' annual "Splash Bash" - a dog day in the pool - was held on August 24. More than 200 dogs made their way to Marilla Pool with their owners in tow. Many dogs just enjoyed the water, but those with a competitive spirit partici- pated in games such as Best Pet Trick, Dog-Owner Look-Alike, Limbo, or the swim relay across the pool. The day was truly special for a dog named Cocoa from the Canine Adoption Center who found a new home during the event. A special thanks to Mark Jones, Hillcrest Veterinary Clinic, Woofs, Cheat Lake Animal Hospital, Dog Tags, the Mon. County Canine Adoption Center, Brent Armstrong, and all the volunteers who helped make the event a huge success!

"Fore!" for the Animals More than 70 golfers participated in Animal Friends' first golf tournament on June 8. A very special thank-you goes to Andy and Diane Brozik for organizing and running the event and to Patty Roland and Cathy Reisdorf of the Meadow Ponds Golf Course, where the event was held. The golf tournament was one of Animal Friends' many fund-raisers held throughout the year to support the group's operation of a no-kill animal sanctuary and other humane efforts. The financial contributions of the tee sponsors (listed among our business supporters on page 2) are greatly appreciated! All proceeds from Animal Friends' fund-raisers support our no-kill animal sanctuary.

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Many Thanks from Animal Friends of North Central West Virginia to area businesses who contributed to our fund-raising efforts during our Community Support Campaign, May 1 - July 1, 2008

GOLD LEVEL O. J. White Transfer & Storage Superior Seamless Gutters & Finishing Touches Triple S Harley Davidson

SILVER LEVEL Alliance Realty Blue Mountain Equipment Rental CSC Home & Hardware Cheat Lake Animal Hospital Chico Enterprises Fred L. Jenkins Funeral Home Hamstead, Williams & Shook, PLLC High Meadow Pet Crematory Hillcrest Veterinary Clinic Jack's Excavation Latusek 1001 Enterprises March-Westin Masman Jewelers Morgantown Veterinary Care, PLLC Pathfinder of West Virginia Penn Development Services Racer X Woof's

BRONZE LEVEL Citizens Bank of Morgantown

Phase 2 Progresses at Sanctuary Through the generosity of many contributors and the "elbow grease" of many volunteers, Phase 2 of Animal Friends' no-kill sanctuary is well under way. Phase 2 will house larger dogs and provide space for a surgical unit for a low-cost spay/neuter program for eligible households. Volunteers, including WVU students and local high school students in the National Honor Society, have been ripping up the carpet, lining up plumbing work, and painting. You might also have noticed landscaping improvements around the Sanctuary. If you're dividing your perennials this fall, please consider donating extras to the Sanctuary. We'd love to have them. Much has been accomplished, but there is still much work to be done. To volunteer to help, contact Animal Friends' volunteer coordinator, Kathy Orosz, at 304-290-0161.

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Many Supporters -- Near and Far - Contribute to Campaign

Animal lovers from as far away as Hawaii contributed to Animal Friends' Community Support Campaign last spring. In addition to the businesses at the left and a number of supporters who prefer to remain anonymous, the following individual contributors are deeply appreciated:

Contact Information:

Name __________________________________________

Home Address _____________________________________       City, State, Zip _________________________________________

Home Phone: __________________     Email Address ____________________________________________________

Family or group: (Please list names.)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Financial Support:

Choose one:         ______ New           _______ Renewal

Choose one:     ________ Individual($20/year)           ________ Group/Family ($30/year)

To make an additional contribution, fill in amount here: $________ Total enclosed: $__________

Make checks payable to AFNCWV. Contributions are tax-deductible.

Volunteer Support:

Please contact me with more information about:

______ Working at the thrift shop         ______ Fund raising         ______ Working at the Sanctuary

______ Fostering         ______ Transporting/Rescue         ______ Other (Please describe:____________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Would you prefer newsletters and information via (Choose one)      ______ Email           ______ U.S. Postal Service

_______   Yes, you have my permission to publish my name as an Animal Friends supporter.

_______   No, please don't publish my name.

Lucky's Attic has a new look and new merchandise, and the shop is ready for Christmas! New shelves have added more display space, and many donations have added outstanding inventory for the holiday season. Ask about the furniture bargains!

Lucky's Attic is Animal Friends' thrift shop and is located in the Mountaineer Mall on Greenbag Road. All items in the shop are donations, and all staff are volunteers.

New tee-shirts in bright new colors have arrived at the shop and are $10, with tie-dyed styles available for $15.

Store hours are: Tuesday, noon - 5 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, noon - 7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

To volunteer, contact shop manager Kathy Orosz at 304-290-0161. The shop number is 304-291-5825.

The Hillcrest Veterinary Clinic is organizing a non-profit organization designed to reduce the tragedy of pet overpopulation. "C.A.N.S." stands for "Collect Aluminum Neuter Spay."

Supporters are asked to drop off aluminum cans at the Clinic, Canine Adoption Center, Lucky's Attic, or the Animal Friends Sanctuary. The cans will be recycled, and the money will go to a fund for spay/neuter coupons for eligible families.

To begin the project, the coupons will be worth 50% off the price of neutering or spaying at the Hillcrest Veterinary Clinic, and they will be available at the Canine Adoption Center on River Road.

For more information, call Hillcrest Veterinary Clinic at 304-292-6933 and ask for Megan.

What's in a Name?

We were blessed recently with a visit to our Sanctuary from a Certified Animal Behaviorist and Reiki Master, Judith Levy. Judith was able to visualize our spay/neuter clinic and had some very affirming ideas for our future. Her primary suggestion was about using the positive force of words. Words do have an energy force behind them, and how and when we use words makes all of the difference in the power that they have.

Often, people refer to Animal Friends' building that houses our animals as the shelter. In fact, since we take in only animals from other shelters that are seriously injured, critically ill, orphaned, nursing, elderly or fragile, we offer a place for them to safely heal and recover from the situation they were in before they are adopted into new homes. The intention is for healing. So what's the big deal?

The word "sanctuary" has a more positive and general feeling of well being. The energy surrounding it is much more positive and indicative of what we are about. If you have been to the Sanctuary, you know that it is a nurturing and peaceful place, with spacious cages and condos for the kitties, who are generally loose when we are not open to the public. Dogs are not kept in cages, but in open areas with soft bedding and large fluffy blankets, and volunteers walk them and play with them several times a day. The intention is to provide a healing and loving environment -- which is exactly what a sanctuary is supposed to be, and exactly what we are.

Since becoming a Reiki Master myself, I have learned that it's all in how we direct our intentions, be it in words, actions, or belief. If we think, act and believe good things will happen, they usually do. Animal Friends of North Central West Virginia is based on faith that God will provide for us. It's that kind of faith and intention that have made us the organization that we are. We have been blessed, repeatedly, because our hearts are filled with positive intention to help the animals in our beautiful Sanctuary.

Wish List

• riding lawn mower
• mud and snow tires for our van: 215/65R 15
• microscope
• bleach
• heavy duty(!) 30-39 gallon trash bags
• clumping cat litter - preferably Scoop Away or Tidy Cat