Happy New Year!!!

Three little words, yet they always seem to signify something BIG. Out with the old – in with the new. A chance to start over; to begin again. The opportunity to learn from the past, while dashing headlong into the future. It can be scary and and exciting all at the same time. The most important thing to remember is that, together, we can do many great things. Let’s take a look at what we’ve accomplished already….

October 31, 2012 – we went “live” and started the page on Facebook. Nine women who, a year ago, were strangers posting on a Facebook page. Over the course of that year, we became friends (confidants, sisters, littermates, etc…). Whatever you want to call us, we are now ONE. One group of feline loving folks who have a common vision. Some of us have been fortunate enough to move our friendship from behind the computer screen to real life. Coming up later in 2013, we all will ALL be together (can’t wait to share THAT story with you all). And, since October, our litter has grown by one. Each one of us has strengths that we bring to this group. We work well together. But we alone are not Imagine Home. Without you, we cannot do the many great things we envision for the future. Without you, we are just ten women with a vision, but an inability to make that vision a reality. YOU are Imagine Home. We are ALL Imagine Home. (To learn about your Imagine Home admins, please click here https://www.facebook.com/notes/imagine-home/your-imagine-home-team/479706148740594)

November 2012 – things really started taking off. Sign up sheets and secure databases were created to keep track of volunteers. We can’t do what we do without volunteers. Volunteers are the lifeblood of this organization. If you’re interested in being a volunteer driver for us, you can sign up here. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dER6LWY2dlpQY1g2N2tMVWZMN3N1VGc6MQ

Maybe you’re not able to drive at this time, but you have some room in your home and your heart to help a kitty by becoming a foster? You can sign up here to do that. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dE9weUM5UXM0RjYzX09ka3VpeDhUQWc6MA

We also created a database to keep track of member recommended rescue organizations. Do you volunteer somewhere and want to include them in our list? Maybe you just LOVE the rescue where your newest family member adopted you? Add those organizations here https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dHMtOW56Mnl4ZkNlUFVMZURPblNjenc6MA

We also created an Adoptable Kitties album for those kitties that are Imagining a Home of their own. Check it out here https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.484168658294343.115923.476095912434951&type=3 Have a kitty that you want to add to the album? You send a picture of the kitty, with all of the pertinent information, to stefanie@imaginehome.org and we’ll add kitty to the album. We just ask that you keep us posted on the status of kitty so that we can move kitty to the Happily Home album when they’ve adopted a new person to love on forever.

Behind the scenes, we started the process to become an official non-profit (501c3) organization. We will definitely keep you posted on our progress on that front.

Our website was launched. It’s still under construction, but you can go look at the pretty home page now, if you want http://www.imaginehome.org/

Transport planning also kicked into high gear during November, with several kitties headed to their new homes in December!

December 2012 – kitties, kitties everywhere!!! Events were launched for several Imagine Home planned transports (any transport that is requested directly through, and planned exclusively by, Imagine Home will have an Event launched on the Facebook page) and requests were put out for help with transports sponsored by other organizations. Because of the amazing generosity of our volunteers, many kitties were able to get home this month. Big Boy, Snow, Kristofur, Angel (fka Kibbles) and Henry – just to name a few. But there are more still waiting to get home – and requests are coming in every single day. To see a list of our pending transports, check here https://www.facebook.com/imaginehomeorg/events But, don’t forget to check our page every day. You never know when a request might come in for a leg on a transport for another group. This is where we need the most help. We need volunteers to sign up to drive, sometimes to keep a kitty overnight on an especially long trip and, most of all, to share, share, share the pending transports. I know we all think “but I don’t know anyone in that area” so we may not share. However, you never know – one of your friends may see it and think “hey, Aunt Betty lives out that way, let me reshare this so she can see it” We have seen it time and time again – social media really can be useful. Let’s take advantage of it!!

Becca’s Corner was launched on the page also. Keep an eye on the page throughout the week for helpful tips or fun posts/questions.

A Frequently Asked Questions note was started in December as well. Check it out here https://www.facebook.com/notes/imagine-home/frequently-asked-questions/491435340901008 Do you have other questions? Please send us a message, post on the page or email any admin. We’ll be sure to answer you directly, and to also put the question and answer into this note.

So, what’s in store for 2013??

Welllll – As of today (the minute I’m writing this) we have 648 “likes” on the Imagine Home page. Wow! 648 friends!! Some old, some new, all amazing!!! In 2 short months, we have grown by leaps and bounds. If that’s what happens in two months, we can’t wait to see what happens by this time next year! You can help by sharing our page with your friends, family, coworkers, neighbors – anyone you can think of that has access to a computer, smartphone or tablet! We need to keep the momentum going so that we can grow. The bigger we are, the more kitties we can help.

We’d also like your feedback. How are we doing? Is there anything we can do to improve? Is there anything else you’d like to see us add to our list of lofty goals? Of course we can’t be everything to everyone, but we’re always open to suggestions, thoughts and comments.

We’re going to continue our pursuit of non-profit status. We’re going to continue reaching out to rescues, shelters, veterinarians to help where we can (and of course to solicit help where it may be needed). We’re going to keep coming back to you, our friends, to help us build our network of drivers, fosters, recommended rescues/shelters/vets. We’re going to continue to research topics that might be of interest to you and pass that information along.

So, whatever you’re doing tonight – this last night of 2012 – we all just want to wish you a very Happy and Healthy New Year.

See you in 2013!!!