As an animal lover for as long as I can remember, I have always felt the need to do whatever I could to improve conditions for companion animals. And, having been a co-owner of the popular neighborhood restaurant Village Deli in Augusta with my husband and best friend, Les, for over 26 years, I feel fortunate enough to have developed good relationships with a wide circle of people, most of whom share that love of their four-legged companions. In 2009, I founded a non-profit organization called That’s What Friends Are For, Inc., which creates fundraising events and networks with rescue groups and individuals to be able to provide financial assistance for spay/neuter, vaccines and medical procedures to improve the quality of life for dogs and cats. We network together to reunite lost pets with their families and to find solutions when pet owners are struggling.

I have a special place in my heart for community (feral) cats, most of whom have been discarded by humans and left to fend for themselves. Mama Kitty was one such cat who had four litters of kittens (all of which were taken from her and have been placed in loving homes) before I could finally trap and spay her. I believe she was relieved not to have to go through that process anymore, because she began to trust me. Now she lives in our house and sleeps in our bed. Feral, Schmeral! If you would like to learn more about our programs and goals, please explore our website and like us on facebook. It truly is all about the animals to us. =^..^=