With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Registrar’s Office is asking everyone to open their hearts to help benefit the animals of the Oshkosh Area Humane Society (OAHS).
For the past five years, the Registrar’s Office has put on a January/February fundraiser, which raised more than $500 per year for the OAHS. This year, a committee of five organized the UW Oshkosh fundraiser, the group includes: Marla Krueger, Julie Wilkinson, Julie Kumbier, Jane Kramer and Sharon Hyke.
“We are all animal lovers and with it closer to Valentine’s Day we wish to help spread the love of animals with everyone. It was Marla’s idea to begin with and it has always had good ratings as a fun fundraiser to do in the winter,” Wilkinson said.
Besides bringing cheer to winter, their commitment and enthusiasm to the OAHS can be seen year round in their Dempsey Hall office. They proudly display their Purple Paw Awards, which are paper certificates given to any individual or group who has done a fundraiser for OAHS.
“It means a lot that we don’t have to worry about supplies and that we get support from the university,” said Cheryl Rosenthal, Communications and Education Coordinator at OAHS. “It means a great deal us that they value the work we do and the great job that our staff does.”
With more than 180 cats, 20-plus dogs and dozens of small mammals currently on-site, the OAHS can use any help that they can get.
“Personally, I believe that how we treat our animals reflects how we treat one another. We need to treat every living thing with respect. We should not to forget that they give unconditionally and they rely on us to take care of them,” Rosenthal said.
Krueger and Wilkinson love the company of their pets and know they give unconditional love. They treat their pets like part of the family and think that it would be wonderful to have more people help out with OAHS through participation in the Registrar’s Office fundraiser.
“I love the animals and wish I could adopt every one of them. Even when they are there we know that they receive the medical attention and that they are safe. I hope that all of them get adopted, so it is worth it to help in any way possible,” Wilkinson said.
Rosenthal wishes more pets were in loving homes but advises that the owners need to be ready to make a lifetime commitment.
“We do more than just keep animals off of the street. That is part of the service but we are providing more than just that, we want pets to remain in their homes and the others to find happy loving homes,” Rosenthal said.
Rosenthal is thankful for the Registrar’s Office and all that they have done and continue to do. Krueger thinks it’s a pleasure to organize the fundraiser to raise awareness and support of a place that takes care of animals.
“We want to help the OAHS because of the animals; they are the most innocent of all creatures. There is a need for them to find their forever home and they truly give unconditional love; they are never disappointing,” Krueger said.
Want to help Krueger and be a part of this meaningful experience? Head to the Registrar’s Office to get started!
The Registrar’s Office in Dempsey 130 is decked out: Paper hearts with OAHS-needed supplies are hung from a dog house, cat scratching post and at the collection table. The paper hearts are meant to be picked up, have the noted supplies purchased and then returned to the table.
Above the table are paper Purple Paws with pet names on them. A blank Purple Paw can be purchased for $1 in order to display the name(s) of your own or others’ pet(s). The purple paws can be purchased from Krueger (D144B) or Sue Jaeke at the front desk.
Also covering the tables in the Registrar’s Office are specialty made gifts and baskets, some even being handmade. These are a part of the silent auction that is ongoing. Bids can be placed until Feb. 21.
Last but not least, anyone can make a monetary donation for the purchase of gift cards. Cash or spare change can be dropped in the red OAHS container at the Transcripts window in D130.
“We would love to have more people come check it out! We want to bring as many people in as possible and help the animals that need to find their perfect forever home,” Wilkinson said.
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