A while back I was fortunate enough to be asked to help raise money for disabled veterans. The gals from Bonnie & Cylde Boutique/Clarkston Flowers advertised folks could dunk your’s truly for a price.
I guess word gets around that I’m a sucker for a good cause. Last week, reader Michelle Ervin wrote me this: ‘I hear you’re great at a party.?
Well, my spidey-senses were tingling. This sounded like a lot of spam. I didn’t know then, Michelle was a reader and I was inclined to delete said e-mail only after marking it as spam (unwanted email) and then blocking the sender all together and forever.
But I didn’t. Instead I replied something in the usual Don Rush style — you know, something wonderfully short and witty.
‘Who am you??
Doesn’t that have a nice ring to it? Kinda flows off the lips lyrically, poetically. Boy, it’s tough being a wordsmith.
Who she am is a person helping another local person. She’s with the North Oakland Animal Husbandry 4-H Club and they have a fund raiser slated to help local Sharon Bergman. Bergman is a single-mom who is ‘healing? breast cancer. I am not sure what that means, but I bet it means she’s battling breast cancer. They are having a spaghetti dinner and silent auction on Sunday, October 23 at the Ortonivlle United Methodist Church, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Wrote reader Michelle, ‘We need to raise $2,300 in one night ? rather a big goal for a small 4-H club. So, I thought if someone with ‘influence in the community? (wink, wink) could bring a bit of pizzazz to the event we’d be that much better off. Of course, I know you’re a busy guy. Just thought I’d ask.?
I replied something as equally eloquent as my last reply.
‘Michelle, I’ll do whatever I can to help. Just give me the skinny.?
What I am doing is taking one (or more) in the face. Don’t know yet, but I do know I love pie . . . and, wrote Michelle, ‘Exactly how many pies would you be willing to risk? I am thinking of two options. You are set up on a chair in a visible area and subject folks to taunting who will then pay $5 to lob a pie (crust and whipped cream) at you from behind a line. OR We have a silent auction item and the highest bidder wins the one and only right to pie you Soupy Sales style.?
Readers, it’s your call. What should I do? Write, email or call me. For more info call 248-318-8568 or check out www.noah4hsharonbergman.webs.com.
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I recently wrote of dogs and collars — or combined — dog collars. And, like many times, when I write something I think is pretty straight forward and innocuous, I get a response. Case in point . . .
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Dearest Don,
After reading your column about dogs and their lack of collars I feel that some things need to be brought to your attention regarding collars.
As a seasoned owner of two German Shepherd dogs, both highly trained and highly spoiled, I feel somewhat qualified to comment on the subject. True, a flat collar with tags is a valuable aid in identifying a stray dog. But I feel a much better solution is microchipping. Any dog left unsupervised with a collar on has the potential of accidently hanging itself.
If you were to look around your house there are an unlimited amount of things a dog’s collar can get hung up on, especially if it’s ill fitting.
If someone comes to the door while you are not home and your dog jumps it can get hung up on the door handle and choke your dog to death. Two dogs playing can get their jaws entangled in collars. The struggle ensues until one dies. A collar left on a dog leaping up on a fence can get caught and death is not pretty. It happened to someone I know.
Collars with tags have their place. Mine never leave home without it. But while they are home they are never collared. I rely on their microchips and tattoos as identification if they should ever be able to get out. Any vet or shelter has all the microchip readers I’ve found.
So it is not laziness, cheapness or stupidity on responsible dog owners? parts if they do not have collars with tags if they have taken other steps to identify their dogs. My decisions, as well as many GSD owners that I know, to not leave collars on 24/7 are well thought out.
Respectfully, Diane K.