Community Thanks May 17, 2015
CLINIC: Thanks to all involved
Spaying and neutering cats is one of the most effective ways to end the cat overpopulation and to stop the euthanasia of innocent cats each year that end up in shelters. With much gratitude I would like to thank everyone involved in making the Low Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic held at the Rathdrum Animal Clinic on May 3 a fantastic success!
First and foremost our wonderful vets who took on the challenge and worked tirelessly throughout the day, Dr. April Sherman, Dr. Tonia Gable and Dr. Katherine Ovink, to the fantastic staff at Rathdrum Animal Clinic, family members and volunteers who eagerly jumped in to help, Pam Duncanson, Heather Venator, Diane Robinson, Brodia Barber, Ashley Sherman, Mack Sherman, Heather Barber, Drew Webb, Terah Chance, Claudia Guevara, Brandi Malpica, and a big thanks to Ami Jo Gibson, director of Concerned People for Animals of North Idaho who sponsored the event with funds from her program.
I also want to mention Allegra Marketing Print-Mail in Coeur d'Alene - specifically Becky and Bill Ellefloot and Karen Lynch for providing the much needed in-take and scheduling forms. Thank you so much for donating these forms to our cause, it was so much appreciated. Lastly, I want to give a big thank you to all of the people that took the time to bring their cats in for the procedure, you took a first step in being "part of the solution, not the problem." It was a wonderful turnout, we spayed 36 female cats, neutered 26 male cats, and we had a lot of happy cat owners.
In closing, I would like to state a few facts about cat overpopulation in the U.S. Each year approximately 1.4 million cats are euthanized in shelters, of the cats entering shelters approximately 41 percent are euthanized, the rough estimate of stray cats living in the U.S. is up to 70 million, the average number of litters a fertile cat produces is one to two a year; the average number of kittens is four to six per litter, one cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 kittens in seven years! Again, thank you everyone for your time and efforts to being part of the solution and not the problem!
JODY CAMPBELL
Rathdrum
PAPA: Amazing care at Kootenai Health
On Thursday, May 7 our family's hero experienced a massive stroke, Joseph Renaldo (Papa), was helicoptered to Kootenai Health. While there he was rushed into surgery and then stayed in ICU. Through those hours Papa experienced AMAZING care for him and all of our family.
Dr. Ganz performed emergency surgery. Dr. Ganz throughout the entire two days was brilliant, composed, patient and caring. We are very fortunate to have such a talented neurosurgeon in Coeur d'Alene.
The nursing staff at Kootenai Health really outperformed. To have your beloved father, papa and hero laying in front of you helpless is an experience I hope nobody will ever have to experience. But if you do, you want your doctors and nurses to respect and care for your loved one just as much as you do. The entire time we were at the hospital they called him by "Joe" and explained all that was happening. I have no idea how they keep so many tubes and wires straight.
The family would like to say a special thank you to Dr. Ganz, the ICU nurses, Jody, Levi, Bryea and Lisa. You touched lives that you have never met. You are appreciated so very much.
We lost our hero but now we have him watching us from heaven. Those who tried to save him put their heart and souls into helping him and us and we can never thank them enough.
Please make sure that you thank those that are our local heroes every day.
There is still good in the world.
RONDI RENALDO and the RENALDO FAMILY
Hayden