Hi Again Folks: In addition to sending an email to all of my friends and family asking them to vote for the pij in the Pepsi Refresh Project challenge, I contacted the public relations department of my local animal shelter -- for me, that's the Marin Humane Society -- using the note below. I found the address on the MHS website. I will follow up with a phone call later today or tomorrow, to see if I can speak directly with their PR person. Would you be willing to reach out to your local shelter(s) to ask if they can use their connections to get voters for MickaCoo? Because MickaCoo works in partnership with many shelters, taking the pigeons and doves that come in, these shelters will directly benefit from keeping the organization healthy. Elizabeth asked me to post the note I wrote, in case you want to use it as a model for your own. Thanks much. Shae _____________________________________________ Hello: My name is Shae and I am a King pigeon adopter and volunteer with MickaCoo Pigeon & Dove Rescue. (I'm also a Marin County native.) I saw that MHS was recently able to work with MickaCoo to foster and place a small flock of King pigeons and a few doves. Thank you!!! I don't know whether you've heard, but MickaCoo is currently in the running to win a $25K grant from the Pepsi Refresh Project (http://ow.ly/5n02r). There are very few sources of financial support for domestic birds, so a grant like this could make all the difference in keeping MickaCoo alive. To win the grant, we need enough voters to place the organization in the top 15 projects. Right now we are placed 33rd out of about 160 potential projects -- good but not enough to succeed unless we get more help. That's why I'm writing to you. I wonder whether there are any avenues through which you'd be willing to support MickaCoo by spreading the word to help us get voters -- an email list, FB, Twitter? The instructions for voting are super easy to follow, and I also have a flyer that could be printed out and posted at MHS. I would love to send an email with details and flyer attached, or have a talk on the phone. Voting closes at the end of June, so we need to act quickly. I do hope you can help us: If MikcaCoo stays healthy, the organization can continue to ease some of the burden on MHS and other shelters by accepting pigeons and doves for fostering and adoption. Thank you very much for your consideration and I hope to hear from you soon! Shae ________________________ Shae Irving P.O. Box 275 | Fairfax, CA | 94978 tel. 415.497.5306 http://hitchhikingtoheaven.com