Local Artist Lends Talent To Make Furry Tails Can Come True

Gilbert, AZ - Renowned local artist Ron Burns has really gone to the dogs. Burns, well known for his colorful paintings of shelter dogs has taken his commitment to homeless animals a step further. In honor of the upcoming "Furry Tails Can Come True," Annual Auction, benefiting Friends for Life Animal Sanctuary, Burns has painted "Tiki", one of the dogs that is waiting for a family, and donated the original to Friends for Life, to be auctioned during the live auction portion of the event.

When asked how he chose Tiki as his muse, Burns replied "when I read in her description that 'She is smack in the middle of hard puppy hood and still does not know what is ok and what isn't ok to chew on,' - I thought - there's a girl after my own heart! What a perfect dog to capture in Burns colors - she will show them off like a badge of honor. This lil girl rocks - now lets find her a home so she can rescue a few more human hearts - she obviously knows what to do with them - puppy or not."

Furry Tails Can Come True, benefiting Friends for Life Animal Sanctuary, and sponsored by Gearhead Garage and Caring Hearts Animal Clinic, is a magical evening at the Arizona Golf Resort in Mesa. The event features a hosted cocktail hour with silent auction, followed by a dazzling meal prepared by the Resort's culinary staff, and concluding with the excitement of a live auction and pledge-a-thon. The magic will take place on Saturday, March 24th. 2007 and will feature musical entertainment by The Chauffeurs Band.

Friends for Life is a volunteer based organization, with only one part time paid administrator, however $15,000.00 is required monthly, just to provide the basics of food, shelter, and medical care for the animals who reside with Friends for Life. The group's mission is to rescue stray animals, who often arrive at the shelter in need of medical care due to the conditions they had been living in.

Barb Savoy, Furry Tails Auction Committee Chairperson, says that "Furry Tails is vital to the operation of Friends for Life. It is our largest single day fundraiser annually and volunteers typically begin working ten months in advance to ensure a wonderful evening for our guests. The committee's goal this year is to raise $40,000.00, which will allow us to continue our rescue operations through the slow fundraising, but highest need, summer months."

Seats for the Furry Tails Can Come True Auction and Benefit, and the opportunity to place the winning bid on "Tiki" may be reserved for just $60 per seat before March 17th, or $70 per seat thereafter.

Friends for Life is a registered, non-profit, 501(c)3, volunteer based, no-kill animal organization. For additional information about Friends for Life, Furry Tails Can Come True, reserving seats, donating an item, or becoming an event sponsor, please visit: www.azfriends.org or call (602) 377-7558.

KIDS DO THE DARNDEST THINGS

Diego - then & now gorgeous and recovering nicely thanks to the help of wonderful children in our community.

Gilbert, AZ – Ask a six year old to see their wish list for their birthday gifts and you might expect to see a list that includes a toy truck or a doll. Ask children to put on a play, and you might expect them to charge the neighbors $2.00 to earn movie money. The animals and volunteers at Friends for Life Animal Sanctuary are learning that for some junior philanthropists, this just isn’t the case.

The phenomenon began several months ago, in the Fall of 2006 when it was discovered by teachers and administrators at a Gila Bend elementary school that the children had been saving “leftovers” from their lunch boxes and feeding them to an injured stray dog that the children knew was hiding in the school field. The faculty contacted Friends for Life Animal Sanctuary to help the injured animal, where volunteers named him Diego. Upon medical examination, it was discovered that the Diego had Tic Fever, Valley Fever, a severely dislocated hip, and required surgery to repair what appeared to be an amateur “do it yourself” neuter procedure. Medical expenses were mounting for Diego, but never fear…the Kindergarten through 6th grade children took up a collection at school and raised $250 to assist with Diego’s medical expenses. They also wrote personal thank you notes to the volunteers at Friends for Life. Diego’s injuries have healed and he is gaining weight. He is still on medication for Tic and Valley fever but he is well on his way to recovery and he is very thankful to the children for rescuing him.

Will Perry is another philanthropic boy wonder. In celebration of his 6th birthday, Will asked that his friends not bring toys and gifts FOR HIM to his party, but rather than they bring toys and gifts for the homeless animals at Friends for Life Animal Sanctuary. Friends for Life on site caregiver, Erica Wellman said “Will had a wonderful time giving treats and toys to each and every dog and cat here at the shelter. He is a natural when it comes to the animals and I was very impressed with his maturity in communicating with them!”

Let’s not forget Andrea Consalvi, a Gilbert Junior High School student who put on a play, and donated $1.00 from every ticket sold to Friends for Life. She raised $210.00 that will help provide medical care for the animals.

Friends for Life is a regsistered 501(c )3, registered non-profit, volunteer based, no-kill organization that has approximately 130 dogs and cats in it's care at any given time. Friends for Life does not receive government funding and relies on donations, adoptions, fundraisers and public generosity to raise the $15,000 per month required to provide the basics of food, shelter, and medical care for the animals. To learn more about Friends for Life, or how you can volunteer, donate, plan a fundraiser, or adopt, visit them on line at www.azfriends.org or call (480) 497-8296.