Best Friends Brigades grow in number
A brigade is defined as a large body of troops and that's one goal for the Best Friends Brigades -- to increase in size and increase their work in local communities.
Best Friends Brigade members get together in teams and tackle specific projects to help animals in their community. The projects range from construction work to cleanup days, to creating promotional materials for pet adoptions, to organizing an event.
The Best Friends Brigade of Los Angeles began in 1997. Their first project was to put a new roof on the rescue dog's wing of Double EE Kennels in Canoga Park. Since then, they have bathed dogs at the city shelters to prep them for super adoption days, demolished a barn to make way for a new horse rescue area, put up new fencing for Gibbon preserve and helped relocate a rabbit rescue.
The Best Friends Brigade of West Virginia has worked on painting Jackson County Animal Shelter kennels. They also helped put on several fundraisers for area shelters. During the Christmas holidays, they handed out Toys for Paws baskets to local shelters with dog and cat food, toys, paper goods and office supplies.
The Best Friends Brigade of Maryland (pictured) has worked on a variety of projects, including collecting food and supplies for Pooles Dog Rescue in Aberdeen, Maryland as well as monetary donations. They worked with the Fallston Animal Rescue Movement (FARM) on updating and organizing their mailing list, which helped FARM receive over $3,000 in donations. In addition, they plan to attend a local Pet Expo in order to let area residents know about how brigade members can help local animal welfare organizations.
Kansas City Brigade members collected needed supplies for local area shelters as part of their "Angel Tree Project." The Humane Society of Greater Kansas City was one of the recipients of supplies like animal beds, cleaning supplies, food and bowls and toys for the animals. Plans are being developed for members to work on a food drive for the Lawrence Humane Society, website development for the Olathe Animal Control/shelter and a "deep cleaning day" for the Animal Haven Facility.
Seattle Brigade members helped the Hope for Horses sanctuary in Woodinville, Washington construct and paint a foaling stall for two mares due to foal in February. They also teamed up with PETsMART in Tukwila, Washington to put on a "photo-op" with local pets to raise money and needed supplies for local shelters.
A winter snow storm caused a delay of the first Brigade meeting in Chicago but once the weather cleared up, members were able to meet and begin planning projects for 2005. Brigade members are currently "spreading the word" about how people can get involved and they expect to have several "kick-off" projects starting in February. Stay tuned!
Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love, has Brigade members signed up and is just getting started. There is a Yahoo newsgroup for the Philadelphia Brigade, NMHPBrigade, and numbers are expected to increase this year as the group begins taking on projects.
In Atlanta, Brigade members are currently working on a project to build and distribute feral cat shelters for homeless cats in Atlanta, which will provide a warm and safe environment, especially during the winter months. Brigade members also hope to paint the adoption room at the Dekalb County Animal Control in order to make it more accommodating to visitors.
Whether currently taking on projects or just getting started, all Brigade members have in common a willingness to help animals in their communities and a commitment to do what it takes, one project at a time.
