Spooky Pooch Parade

[Rhonda loje]

Thought I would separate this topic from the Panera thread to make it less confusing!

Here are Justine's thoughts:
As far as the digression to the parade, why would any funds be kept in an organization that has thousands for payroll? I think all the money should go to the two local animal shelters, Missy's and the Lakewood one. And NO way should MIssy be paying for a table to advertise a true non profit that HELPS dogs! No way!

[Danielle Masters]

I would try and do a search but I remember there was a lot of controversy and I imagine I'd have to go through a ton of stuff.

Was it ever disclosed how the funds were distributed from last years event? I will/would enter my dogs but only if non profits are truly being helped.

[Toni Northrop]

I'm sorry. What are you guys talking about? I'm not overly familiar with this event but had thought to take a new dog up that day.

[Rhonda loje]

Toni,
This was my response to Ed Dickson's response from the Panara Thread:

Ed,
The change is why I resigned as one of the co-chairs of this event.

From what I understand from the LA newsletter is that they are giving some of the profits to the Lakewood Animal Shelter..but they have not said what % of the profits.

As per their 2009 Mid-Year Report on Tuesday, June 30th 2009, LA refered to event as as fund raising event for LA.

I think it is only fair that all the Spooky Pooch Parade participants realize where the profits will go. I think all dog lovers, educators, rescuers and supports should be fully informed about the mission of this event.

What is the new mission of this event?

[sharon kinsella]

Try and find out anything about distribution of funds and source of funding from Lakewood Alive - good luck with that. When you ask, they exit stage left in a huff.

One thing that was impressive about the MHS response on the questions Bill asked was they were immediately forthcoming with all their funding. Amounts and sources of.

[Toni Northrop]

Thanks! I thought it would benefit the Animal Shelter. Usually non profits are happy to say where money is going. I tend to say keep the change if I know that it is helping an organization that I support.

[Missy Limkemann]

the thing is, no one knows how much is going to help the shelter. they wont say. i just dont understand why do a dog parade and not help out all the dog groups in lakewood. the dog park for one. ADH for another. You know I am the only dog rescue in this city. There are foster homes for other groups in here, but I am it. I don't even have any foster homes or help or anything.(well i have one foster home but she is for my cats, she ended up adopting her foster dog) It is all me, all the time. 24/7 365 days a year, I am the rescue.
I am happy to tell anyone and everyone where my money goes to when someone donates to me...it goes to Mastecard....because that is where all the vet bills go. I personally pay for the dog food, beds, etc etc. The "card" is pretty much maxed out right now due to several (and I am talking quite a few) special needs cases.
I also don't have a group like the shelter has making money for me. I also keep all my animals here till they find a home. My dogs stay with me (I have 2 here that I have had for over a year) and I don't euthanize anything. (I had to euthanize 2 dogs in 4 years...1 that tore my hand off, he was just too far gone with abuse to help and another that was slowly dying due to internal injuries that we could not repair...both of these dogs were bait dogs in a fighting ring, neither were pits by the way)
I pull dogs from all over the state, the puppy mills, and take in the worst of the worst. I treat them all, love them all, vet them all, and when they are ready for a new home, they are spayed/neutered and vet checked. You get copies of vet work, shot records, and any paperwork that involves that animal. I am not trying to sell myself here, but wanting ya'll to know I do more than the shelter and yet I always get shafted.
And now to ask nonprofits to pay for a table that we have to bring when we get nothing is insane. I don't have an extra 25 dollars lying around when it comes to the rescue. And not to be mean or snarky but I dont want my money going to either group when they dont help me. This parade could have been huge and could have been great for all the dog groups in Lakewood, but I guess some are just too greedy to share. And to use the money for devloping stuff...what exactly is being developed?

[Grace O'Malley]

what exactly is being developed?

Someone's resume.


Isn't there a law somewhere that says so-called "non-profits" must disclose where the money they raise goes?

When they promote an event and claim that the proceeds will benefit a specific cause, unless that money actually goes to where they said, then I believe they have broken a law.

Can anyone confirm how much money the spooky pooch parade brought in and where it was distributed to?

[Richard Cole]

The 2008 LakewoodAlive Annual Report indicates:

"Spooky Pooch Parade attracted 200 costumed dogs and 400 humans to march
in downtown Lakewood on October 18th. Registered participants paraded Detroit
Avenue from St. Charles to Arthur Avenue providing many laughs and great photo
opportunities for spectators. Celebrity judges awarded prizes and the event raised
$1000 for the Lakewood Animal Shelter."

I could not find anywhere in the Annual Report who the auditors are.

[sharon kinsella]

No one can confirm anything about the funds for Lakewood Alive. Right before I got really sick I was getting ready to go in there and demand the paperwork. I had asked that the itemized budget be faxed to me, I got told what drawer it was in in their office.

I was sick, it was the middle of winter and their were huge piles of snow on the ground. I walk with a cane and have serious issues with my arthritis and did not feel safe trying to park and navigate the terrain to their office. Not everyone in town is over anxious to walk in their and demand it. I was not able to do it or find anyone else to do it.

Then MaryAnn left the deck and wouldn't respond to me.

I can't do this on my own because of my health. I would be willing to partner with someone to do it.

[Missy Limkemann]

Since we are talking about "books" and stuff let me share with you totals...

Key Bank checking 545.92 (400.00 dollars came from my personal account to help pay off some of the debt. My husband is a huge helper and knows how hard I have been struggling with the rescue and knows how much it means to me.)

Wamu Card balance 6168.35 (this account only has a limit of 6500 and was maxed out, so I had to use another card)

Paypal credit card 476.42(this is the emergency card when the main one gets maxed out.)

If you look at the statements for each credit card you will see all the vet office visits that I have. I have no problem showing anyone my books, my folders, the copies of all my receipts, anything you want to see you can see. I have no income as I do not get paid for what I do. I do file 990 forms and have those as well to show anyone at anytime.

I just want everyone to know my status so you can understand better what I do, and why this upsets me. I am still paying for the dogs in rescue now, I still have a long way to go with the new dog, the knee replacement that is coming up, the min-pin that was abused. And yet every single day I get new emails for more dogs needing help.

[sharon kinsella]

Missy, you and your husband are wonderful people and I'm proud to be starting to know you.

Open books are only for organizations that have nothing to hide.

That's the way all 501c3's are supposed to operate. Every non-profit I worked for always had open books. I've never seen the kind of stonewalling I got from the rep on here from LakewoodAlive. It disturbs me to know end. The money, the source of the money, the grantees, the grants and the outcome reports all should be open to the public.

Are they hiding things? Who would know for sure? But if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, I figure it's a duck.

[sharon kinsella]

Richard did you notice that it didn't say how much was raised, costs incurred by the event?

Nice omission there, don't you think?

[Jim O'Bryan]

Rhonda

I remember when you first walked into my office with dreams of helping fund many
animal shelters back in early February of 2008.To get animal owners and dog lovers to
pitch together, and raise money. At the time I told you the Lakewood Observer would
be more than willing to help in anyway we could, even contribute. As an owner of two
dogs it pains me that it has turned out this way.

That said, LakewoodAlive since the very beginning has never talked about being interested
in pets, arts, music, education, other non-profits or anything, without there being a
direct pay off to them.Which would be used to pay themselves, and to further their cause
which is economic development. Even at their "arts" meeting it was 100% using arts
to bring economic development to the city.This is the soul reason they exist, not to help
pets, people, homeless, uneducated,and even small businesses. They are here to fulfill
their dream of malls, big box stores, and a drastically different Lakewood, then the one
we loved and moved here for. So that it is not surprising to those that have watched
the metamorphosis of those that lied during the WestEnd, to the educational group
that had the mission statement of educating us poor stupid people on the NEED for economic development and WOULD NEVER TO IMPLEMENT, to the publicly funded group
that is now working overtime to change Lakewood in the vision of a very small handful
of people.

FWIW

.

[Missy Limkemann]

I just got an email with a link to their 990 form. Wish my non-profit was able to pay me almost 50,000 a year for a salary. Wish I made over 150,000 in contributions. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.lakewoodalive.com/pdf/2008-Form-990.pdf

I hope that link works...