Talk of the town: Our communities care for people, pets

The volunteers at Paws Patrol and foster pet parents Merry Williams and Marsha Reif are very concerned about four unfortunate cats needing urgent medical care.

Kitties Lavern, Shirley, White Socks and Mougley could no longer be cared for by a Good Samaritan who took them in after they wandered into his business. He found Merry who agreed to take them in with Marsha and now they, along with Paws Patrol, are trying to raise the money needed for the cat’s surgery.

All four cats are from the same litter and have a serious genetic eye disorder that renders them virtually blind.

According to Merry, Lavern and Shirley have a combination of severe congenital ocular disorders including corneal fibrosis and secondary glaucoma, to name two in a long unpronounceable list.

White Socks and Mougley are also affected to a lesser degree. They have 30 percent to 50 percent of their vision. Surgery could improve this, Merry says.

“At this time, Laverne and Shirley live with daily pain in their eyes,” Merry says. “Medication has to be administered daily to help ease their pain.”

Green Valley residents Lee and Anna Collett help daily with the cat’s medication.

Two veterinarians, Joanne Lefebvre, DVM with San Cayetano Veterinary Hospital in Rio Rico and Marcella Ashton, DVM, in ophthalmology at the Southern Arizona Veterinary Specialist & Emergency Center in Tucson have agreed to perform the surgeries on the cats at a greatly reduced rate for each.

“These very generous vets are doing what they can to help, but there is still a cost to the surgery so we are raising money now,” Merry says.

Merry and Marsha also want to find permanent indoor-only homes for the cats once they have surgery and get a clean bill of health from the vets.

The discounted vet’s bills combined total a little more than $2,500. Donations are being accepted through Paws Patrol. Checks can be made out to Paws Patrol (include a note specifying for ‘blind kitties” fund) and send to Paws Patrol, P.O. Box 1642, Green Valley, AZ., 85622. For more information about Paws Patrol, call (520) 207-4024 or e-mail: pawspatrol@cox.net or visit: www.greenvalleypawspatrol.org.

The Greater Green Valley Community Foundation welcomed visitors last Thursday to its new location near the M&I Bank, 270 W. Continental Road, with an art exhibit, wine, appetizers and music. Hosted by David Clark, financial adviser with Wells Fargo Advisors, and the Community Foundation with Executive Director Michelle Phillips, the art exhibit features the works of Artists 13, a local oil painting group made up of Dott Beeson, Hugh Beykirch, Annella Campbell, Grace Dallanegra, Roger Ermili, Charles Gaudette, Ann Gillingham, Carole Green, Alyce Jones, Louise Netherton, Anelise Tessi and Dori Wolffis.

Since 1985, when the group was founded, Artists 13 has met for painting sessions and monthly meetings at each other’s homes. They’ve held annual shows and have traveled to many areas, including Paris to study the Impressionists and visit museums.

The art exhibit runs through June 30 and the public is invited to stop by and see their work Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There are also raffle tickets on sale at the office for some art work on display.

The GGVCF has a call to artists running now. The GGVCF gallery is available to both solo and group exhibits selected by the GGVCF board of directors. Call GGVCF Executive Director Michelle Phillips at 625-4556 or e-mail her at exdggvcf@questoffice.net for more info.

The Greater Green Valley Community Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life in communities in the Green Valley area.

GGVCF focuses on older adults, health care, children, housing education, the environment and rural living.

The group’s mission is to create a unified community by meeting the charitable needs of the Green Valley area through grants, technical assistance and other services to nonprofit organizations; to accomplish this goal by attracting and managing in perpetuity capital gifts (living and testamentary) from individuals, families, corporations, agencies and private foundations and to exercise leadership in select community issues and advance the cause of organized philanthropy throughout the Green Valley area.

rford@gvnews.com | 547-9740