Have You Taken the LakewoodAlive Survey?

[Mike Davis]

I think there maybe alot of misinformation/understanding about events like the Dog parade. These events are dreamed-up, planned out, and put on by volunteers. Just like the PTA, LA, your favorite charity, etc. the strength of the event and success of the event are tied directly to the strength and time commitments of the volunteers. The first Spooky Pooch Parade had three co-chairs - moms, wives, full-time workers - who worked on the project in their "free time" because they thought the community would enjoy the event and hopefully they could do some good at the same time.

All the participants were treated as equally as possible - all monies collected were used to pay the bills of the event and donate $1,000 to a Lakewood dog organization and some small amount of money was held back to pay the front end costs of next years parade - and alot of people from Lakewood and outside of Lakewood had a good time.

No charity or non-profit group with any longevity gives away ALL THE MONEY every year. If a group did not get a formal invite or missed an e-mail or a mailed invite the second year, it is propably because they were busy with their daily lives or a mom was distracted at her kitchen table by one of her children when she was addressing envelopes or updating e-mail lists. I assure you, the volunteers behind these kinds of events are doing the best job they can - and they can always use more help and new ideas from others that take and interest in the project.

If you like the event and want to help make it better - get involved - if you do not have time with all your other commitments - then enjoy the work of other volunteers in your community.

If you have issues with others in the community deal with them directly. Don't keep dragging a fun community event, put on by volunteers, into the middle of your never ending cat fight.

[sharon kinsella]

How insulting. If women are discussing the abuse and theivery of a non-profit organization it's a cat fight?

How dare you make a misogynist statement like that on a board that school children read. Retract it or be known as a cad.

[Rhonda loje]

Mike,
I agree with you!
The volunteers should never be blamed for the mismanagement of the total organization.
I was one of the volunteers.
And resigned because of what I have been harping about all along.
The transparency, accountability and just being told the truth from the organization.
The volunteers should never be blamed!

[Rhonda loje]

Mike,

If you like the event and want to help make it better - get involved : from Mike Davis

I was one of those volunteers.
I don't know how anyone could volunteer to help and organization...no matter how fun the event is..if the organization is not transparent, accountable and truthful. That is why I resigned from this event.

The volunteers should never be blamed!

This is no way for any organization to keep and gain the participation of volunteers.

[Mike Davis]

Sharon:
Take a deep breath.
This Spooky Pooch Parade discussion is not a women only conversation, review the thread.

Get off your High Horse. cat fight - dog parade a small attempt at humor.

There was no thievery involved with this event - I know because my wife was one of the co-chairs and founders - so retract it yourself.

[sharon kinsella]

There wasn't light humor there. That statement is what it is and you should be adult enough to apoligize. Are you married to Rhonda?

[Mike Davis]

sorry the humor was above your head.
No I am not married to Rhonda.

[Mike Davis]

but, she is a friend

[Rhonda loje]

Thank you Mike!
And yes we are friends! My husband's name is Michael.
But my dog (Indy) loves his dog (Tyler)!
Does that mean anything??

[Justine Cooper]

Wasn't Rhonda the person who dreamed this up ? Am I missing something? And there have been SO many posts MIke on the deck from Missy, about Missy, that there is no way her NOT getting an invite could have been overlooked. And to charge a dog rescue for a dog parade? There are no words to defend that. None. Except greed. And anti-animals really.

[Rhonda loje]

Wasn't Rhonda the person who dreamed this up ?

from Justine Cooper.

Yep..that would be right! I got the idea from a website called http://www.justinrudd.com. His event is called the Halloween Haute Dog Parade. I called Debbie Baker while she was on vacation in January of 2008 to see if she would help me. I told her to look at the website and my idea and she said yes. She then called Katy Davis and we ran the SPP together.

The problem was is that I got the idea while working on a committee for LA. So thus...the idea and everything that went with it...just like patents.......belong to LA.

At the end of the event (while we were still on good terms) I gave Shannon all the information of everyone I contacted for the event on several (!) spreadsheets with all the contact information. That included people who came and those that did not. Name, address, telephone number and email address. Missy attended last year's event. So that information would have been included in what I gave to Shannon.

Why Missy was not invited? You will have to ask Shannon from LA. Not the volunteers.. She had the information to give to those that would be in charge of the event. This would have been an error by the LA management not the volunteers.

Just to keep things straight!

[sharon kinsella]

Just to keep things straight, none of us said one disparaging thing about the volunteers.

I'm getting kinda tired of that being put into the conversation, in addition, Rhonda, I don't remember you ever flushing the situation out like this until Mike got into it with me.

What's up with that?

[Rhonda loje]

Sharon,
What would you like to know? It seems to me my life has been an open book on this subject. If you need more information please just ask.

As for your part in this conversation, that is your choice.

The part about flushing...you will have to give me more information for me to respond.

[sharon kinsella]

It's just that you never gave the story like that before Rhonda. Not all these pieces were put on the deck, that's all.

Many of us thought that you were the idea owner. I'm only confused.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Mike

This is what is so troubling. When anyone asks a question it is instantly spun off to an attack
on all of the good non-paid volunteers. Or it is spun off to a statement of the good things
done. Or it is spun off to a question about the person asking questions.

But it is never answered.

While I have other very real questions about real accountability which seems to be none.
If they have plans, or do they just look for restaurants, and burger places. What all they
did for LEAF Community, etc.

It is refreshing that you might be finally able to put this entire nightmare to rest.

You mentioned your wife was a co-chair. So she must have the numbers handy. Could you
please end this inquisition and post them? It would be nice to have Rhonda putting this
behind her.

.