Goathouse Refuge

New Projects and Campaigns

Aug. 18, 2023

THE GOATHOUSE: PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE

 

 

June 28, 2023

A Sanctuary for Aging and Special Kitties in Need

 

 

July 7, 2023

Goathouse Internet Modernization Progress

 

 

June 18, 2023

Proposal to Improve the Goathouse’s Intranet Service

Network-Upgrade-Proposal-One-Page.docx
Network-Topology-Schematic.docx
Network-Topology-Estimated-Parts-Details.docx

 

Dear all,

The wonderful news is that we can have a real working internet at the Goathouse!

Our rural home in Pittsboro is beautiful.  But we and our neighbors live in one of the many rural areas in this country that (until May 1^st) did not have access to a real working internet.  How can I describe the torture of managing our website, Facebook and all the communications between us and our donors/friends/ followers with something worse than snail mail?  I have not been able to open websites or doctors’ notes because the internet is too slow.

Let me introduce you to Brian Ceccarelli.  Brian is a software engineer and owns his own business.   Brian’s LinkedIn profile is https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-ceccarelli-08824b2/. He is our newest board member, deeply cares about the cats, and has the knowledge to bring our organization where it should be.

Attached is Brian’s proposal to improve the Goathouse’s intranet.   In the proposal, he states our technology challenge and provides a solution along with the cost of doing it.    There is a one-page document that explains why we need the technology and how it will help us reach a wider audience.   Also attached is a site-specific schematic—a picture of where the different computers and network hardware will appear in the Goathouse Sanctuary.  If you want even more details, click on the links above for a breakdown of the hardware we plan to purchase.

As you probably know, we are transforming Goathouse refuge to a Goathouse Sanctuary for older and non-adoptable cats. With the new technology, can have live video feeds so that everyone can see the kitties in their home, in the gardens, when they eat, sleep and play . . . and see us working with them.  We can have interactive video, chat pages and blogs to field questions.  I will teach a class on how to talk with the kitties.  People will be able to see Honey-Honey telling me that nobody fed him and that I need to follow him to the food so he can have some.   Everyday something happens that makes me say, “If people could only see this!”

What we have done, only with the generosity of our donors, has been heroic. But as the world has gone more online, we have become progressively handicapped.

We are posting the proposal to the internet as far as we can reach.  We are looking to raise $20,000, and we are asking you to help raising the money we need! Please, post this on your FB, talk with your kitty loving friends and colleagues, ask to the company where you work to match your donations….. we will keep you posted on the progress….

Brian would also be the perfect new manager of the Sanctuary. we will have an interactive channel so you could ask questions and talk with me and Brian.  We will answer any questions you have and you will get to meet him and me if you didn’t already.  We are at an inflexion point, a point where continual emergency mode can transform to self-sustaining.   Brian says that at this point in his life, he wants to give up a high-paying job in order to do something enjoyable and meaningful

Thank you as always for your generosity.  I tell the cats every day that we would be nowhere without you!

Best wishes and big hugs!

Siglinda

 

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February 11, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have ended our end-of-year funding campaign, and now seek $150,000 for repairs and rehabilitation of our physical plant which suffered during and before the pandemic when every penny raised went to the care of the kitties. We can no longer ignore the needs of the buildings and grounds.

One problem is the roof of the larger Intake Building which must be redone. It was caving in and we patched it up, but it is not safe. We were able to install a new, very good generator but we must fix all the electrical wiring as it is not safe. The same is true in the Main House and in other buildings.

For all the years of the Goathouse, we had a problem of water flooding the main house from the outdoor area that slumps toward the back entrance. We tried burying a special pipe to fix it but it does not work. Every time it pours, the water streams inside. We must build a serious drainage pit to fix the problem.

In addition, one of the bathrooms needs to be re-done as the floor and the cabinets are all rotting. North Carolina is so humid in the summer that all the sheetrock absorbs the humidity, and it falls apart. The same is true of the plywood. It all must be replaced.
The following link shows the estimate that a respected construction company has given us to fix the buildings and infrastructure of the refuge: https://www.goathouserefuge.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Zurbuck-Construction-Proposal-for-The-Goathouse-Refuge-2021.pdf.
It seems outrageous to me; but, you know, I am a thrift-store old lady. I will try to involve Habitat for Humanity to see if they can help.

 

*But one item is so important that we cannot wait. WE REALLY NEED A NEW INFIRMARY NOW! The current infirmary is so riddled with mold from the humidity that its rehabilitation will cost more than $40,000, and a state-of-the-art new infirmary will be three times as expensive. But in its current state, it is not safe for anyone to use.

 

A very generous donor has pledged $30,000 to this very important campaign once $120,000 has been raised!

This year, I re-designed the garden, painting it with the color of the flowers. This is my personal investment because I want to bring back HGTV who did a ½ hour program about our gardens a few years ago. It would be great advertising for the Goathouse and I hope to bring back the painters who used to come, paint the gardens and donate some paintings to be auctioned off. I also have been working on some new pottery. And I believe that in the spring, I will be able to do a big firing in my gas kiln and we can have a nice event out in the gardens.

There is so much potential here, so much beauty and so much love!

I hope that you and your family are doing great and that you may be able to come visit soon. In the meantime, my very best wishes to you and your family for a serene and healthy 2022!

Siglinda

 

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December 8, 2021

“Gotta Be Done” Repair Items for the Refuge

 

Zurbuch Construction, Inc.
180 Providence Rd., Suite #4, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 (919) 619-9360
NC General Contractors License #59159

December 1, 2021
Estimate for:
Goathouse Refuge
c/o:Siglinda Scarpa
379 Goathouse Rd.
Pittsboro, NC

I am pleased to provide you with a budget proposal for improvements to The Goathouse Refuge. Below you will find the
individual project’s scope and pricing. This is based on 11.24.21 site visit and List of Repairs, dated 11.13.21. This is priced
as a budget time and material estimate including all labor, materials and supplies.

Zurbuck Construction Proposal for The Goathouse Refuge 2021

 

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November 17, 2020

A Haven for Cats! A Haven for People!

Recently, a long-time supporter and volunteer for the Goathouse Refuge was in distress over the health of one of their beloved felines. This individual has and does contribute hundreds of hours in their time for service to the Goathouse. While this story maybe sad, we felt it was important to demonstrate how the Goathouse not only cares for the cats, but for the people who care for them!

The events that transpired during these few days reminded me that the Goathouse Refuge is much more than just a sanctuary and haven for cats. It is a haven and resource for the human companions of these cats as well.

These long-time supporters are advanced ages and disabled through the effects of health and time. Mobility is an issue for them. One of their beloved pets was in physical distress and cried all through the night. They were not able to reach their normal friends, family, and caregivers. So, they sent an email please to the Goathouse and several other volunteers asking for assistance in their feline medical emergency. This was in the early morning hours.

The Goathouse is more than just a place where you go to adopt a companion or take a found animal to it. These events made me realize that the Goathouse is a community and haven of animal lovers and supporters of their human companions alike. It is a support structure of like-minded people who know the love of a cat and willing to share those feelings with an animal and other cat people all the same. The Goathouse provided bonds and friendships that go beyond a visit or adoption but extend many years into the future.

At 7 am, a volunteer drove to their home and helped them load their beloved pet into a carrier for transport to an emergency vet for them to treat and diagnose what was causing this sweet orange furball so much distress. Waiting while the vet ran tests, x-rays, etc. Unable to have surgery that day, they came to transport him back to his home and family. Once there, the volunteer tried to find a comfortable place for the cat and reviewed the medications with the owners. Everyone was hopeful he would make sufficient progress for surgery the following week.

Unfortunately, as he awoke from some of the effects of the medication, he began to whine in pain again. The owners, not wanting to bother the same volunteer, were able to contact another Goathouse supporter who transported him back to the emergency vet for additional treatments. The vet worked to stabilize and comfort him. His prognosis appeared to be improving when he suffered a stroke. Unfortunately, he did not make it. Upon hearing the news of their loss, the Goathouse volunteers rallied again to help this couple transport his remains to their home for their final goodbyes and burial.

Why such a sad story? I felt it was important to tell that the Goathouse cares about its friends and family who love their beloved feline companions (and other pets). It is a community resource where people find comfort to network and share stories, resource, and knowledge of all the crazy antics of their funky felines. We cannot do this for everyone, but we do what we can to help our volunteers and caregivers who spend so much time caring for the cats.

This is the Goathouse! A haven for cats and people alike!

Please help us sustain our mission of providing sanctuary for cats, a temporary home before they find their loving families and support for the adopters, friends, and family of the Goathouse.

Your generous donation each month will help us to feed these animals, obtain and administer medications, provide veterinary care, and attend to their daily physical needs. Please consider becoming a Monthly Sustainer now and allow us to help connect cats and people in our community! Any amount from $5 to $500 per month will help us continue our mission.

Thank you for helping us help the cats at the Refuge!
Helena Openshaw and Jeff Vojta

 

 

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Introducing: Goathouse Refuge Annual Day of Giving and $25,000 Match!

Posted October 01, 2020

On September 13, 2020, our founder and chief cat in charge, Siglinda Scarpa turned 80 years old! This occasion was marked in subdued fashion given the pandemic  and her recovery from major surgery. We are thankful that she is back home at the Goathouse Refuge recuperating and being surrounded by her many furry friends, both cats and dogs alike. Charlie the mixed breed dog, is especially happy with a big wagging tail.

This year has been one of many challenges faced by the Goathouse, Siglinda and all our friends and families of the many Goathouse supporters. I am sure all of us are tired of hearing it and being confronted by the challenges every day. We all hope that it will pass and the future will have us getting back to a more normal day to day existence.

So how can we take a subdued milestone birthday and make it a grand celebration? Thankfully, some generous donors gave us several ideas. We have decided to launch the Goathouse Refuge Annual Day of Giving. This day is September 13, Siglinda?s birthday. We felt there was no better day to focus on the future of the Goathouse and its needs, and to ensure the core foundation and infrastructure are in place so that the Goathouse will continue to be both a haven for cats and humans alike for years to come.

2020 is a year like no other and one that most of us have never experienced in our lifetimes. Not only have we been dealing with the challenges of the pandemic and keeping the core operations of the Goathouse and care of the cats entrusted here fed and sheltered, we have started our transition planning to allow Siglinda to step back and take care of her health. Fortunately, we have a lot of wonderful people in place to keep it running smoothly. We realize that it may seem an odd time to start a new major annual campaign for the Goathouse Refuge, but we did not want to wait. In looking forward for the future of the Goathouse and allowing Siglinda to have more time to enjoy her sculpting, pottery and cooking, as well as just enjoying time in the gardens and with her dogs, we wanted to get started now.

We know that September 13th has already passed for this year but in raising some much-needed funds for basic operations, two very generous donors agreed to match funds raised up to $25,000 to help jump start this campaign.  We are humbled by their generosity and allowing us to celebrate Siglinda?s 80^th birthday!  And it gets better! Recognizing the extraordinary challenges we faced, they asked that we use it to start the annual campaign with the funds raised going to general operations to ensure the Goathouse is weathering the pandemic. And yes, we have many capital and facility needs for the Goathouse.  These include upgraded electrical systems for several of the buildings; heaters for several of the smaller cat cabanas; general building repairs; and some extraordinary medical needs of several older cats.

To help us maximize this general Matching Campaign, please donate today.  Any amount will help us!  And recognizing the stress so many of us are facing during the pandemic, please consider splitting up your donation into monthly installments via our Sustainers? Fund.  This gives us a base amount every month that we can count on. Thanks so much for your support!

https://www.goathouserefuge.org/donate/

https://www.goathouserefuge.org/become-a-sustainer/

Sincerely,

Jeff, Helena, Susan, Julie, Randy, Meredith, Judy, and Cindy

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9/7/20

What makes the Goathouse Refuge Special?

There are many animal rescues and shelters. Many local government operated shelters have euthanasia policies for animals who have spent too much time in  them; are too old, arrive with infirmities; or are considered non adoptable. With additional time to find forever homes or the proper care, many of these animals will become a loving companion to a human and family somewhere. Such was the case for Jackie Sparrow pictured here.

The Goathouse Refuge was created to be that place. To be the sanctuary, the refuge for cats of all types to find a temporary home until their forever companions are found or in some cases become their forever home.  Nestled near Pittsboro, NC among 16 acres of wooded land is the Goathouse Refuge.

The Goathouse Refuge provides a safe place for cats of all ages to come to be nurtured, to have their wounds healed, their trauma soothed by caring staff and volunteers among a variety of buildings and enclosures dedicated to the unique needs of each group of cats.  It is a refuge from the neglect and difficult situations these animals endured prior to finding their way to the Goathouse Refuge.

But to care for these cats in this type of setting requires a lot of daily care just for their basic needs.  Specialized medical care for their physical needs and above all LOVE from caring humans who want to help find a forever home.  This is the Goathouse Refuge.  We need your support to continue to provide this unique care and refuge. Your generous donation of each month will help us to feed these animals, administer medications, provide veterinary care, and attend to their daily physical needs.

Please consider becoming a Monthly Sustainer now!
Any amount from $5 to $500 per month will help us continue our mission. https://www.goathouserefuge.org/become-a-sustainer/  For new and increased sustainers, a generous donor has provided us a bonus contribution of $5,000 for us to increase our monthly sustainers level from $9,000 to $12,000 per month by Sept. 30. So please help us get this much needed bonus!
Sign up today. https://www.goathouserefuge.org/donate/

Thank you for helping us help the cats at the Refuge!

Helena Openshaw and Jeff Vojta

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July 15, 2020

Dear Goathouse Sustainers, Donors and Friends:

We cannot thank you enough for your unwavering support of the Goathouse and its mission. Without your generous donations, we would not be able to care for the numbers of cats and kittens that make their way to the refuge.Most of which, we hope are adopted into loving families, but for others the Goathouse Refuge becomes a home where they can live out their lives in an environment that cats love.

For most of the Goathouse?s existence, donations in both direct financial support and in kind support of services, supplies, etc. have allowed the Goathouse to provide the funding needed to maintain the more than 3.0 acres of open cat habitat and various buildings  to provide shelter, medical care, and quarantining when necessary.

What does it take in funding to operate the Goathouse Refuge? It takes an eye-opening nearly $47,000 dollars per month for the Goathouse to operate. This covers the daily costs of paying people to care for the cats, which includes distributing medications, extensive cleaning throughout the day, including emptying, washing, and putting out clean litter boxes, washing tons of bedding and doing dishes for over 200 cats.As you can imagine, caring for cats of all ages and spread out among 3.0 acres takes a lot of effort.  Veterinary services and supplies are also very large expenses that cover more than just checking the health of every incoming cat or kitten and making sure they are healthy and ready for adoption. Because the Goathouse Refuge accepts and cares for injured, ill and older kitties that are rejected and given up on elsewhere, the medical costs of this extraordinary life-saving organization are higher than the ordinary rescue mission.

What is missing from this number? For one, fundraising costs. The Goathouse fundraising efforts are led entirely by its founder, SiglindaScarpa and numbers of volunteers and organizations who contribute in-kind efforts for the web, printing and media for our social media posts. They write, edit, take pictures, manage the web and social media content; and their reward is knowing they help cats who call the Goathouse home.

 

 

There are other administration costs associated with operating any type of business entity, profit or non-profit.  Accounting services, animal record keeping, grant writing and communications. We also have volunteer donors who take the cats to needed vet appointments, coordinate adoptions, and provide home inspections for fostering and prospective adopters. This is done on their own dime.

 

 

 

For direct financial support, the Goathouse has relied upon a combination of funding sources. Direct small contributor donations (under $1000 per donor per year), the sustainers pool (currently providing $8,500 per month), large donations (in excess of $1,000 per year, per donor), grants, bequests and numerous in-kind materials and supplies. Our average monthly recurring donations for 2020 average nearly $28,000 per month.  With average cash expenses of over $47,000, this leaves an average monthly deficit of nearly $20,000.

Admittedly at first glance, one would certainly ask how does the Goathouse remain open? This is because of the irregular large donations, grants, bequests and other sources that come in unplanned in intermitted periods, providing the Goathouse with the funds to break even over the course of the year.  The Goathouse does NOT have a large cash surplus or fund to cover deficits in the monthly expenses.

The goal of the 2020 Goathouse Refuge Security Campaign is to provide monthly recurring revenues to cover the recurring monthly expenses, leaving some of the large donations, grants and bequests to help provide for capital improvements and reserve fund for unexpected large expenses, such as the well pump this spring and the main cat building’s heating system in the middle of winter.

These are challenging times as we start this major Sustainer campaign to ensure the security of the Goathouse Refuge’s special mission.  We hope you can help in reaching our goal by increasing your monthly sustainer contributions, becoming a new sustainer, or even by choosing to divide your annual or occasional donation by 12 and pledging it monthly.

You can also help tremendously by letting your friends, family, and other animal lovers you know about the Goathouse Refuge and the life and health saving work it is doing and asking if they would consider becoming a sustainer or supporting our mission. So please share this letter.

Each cat needs on average $31 per month for just food, litter, medications.  Add in the staffing costs to provide basic care for the cats, the usual and preventative veterinary care and the medical care for the cats that are shunned and turned away elsewhere, and this can approach nearly $150 per cat per month. We have many old cats who have been here for many years and we take in old cats who are abandoned in shelters to be killed!

Please follow us on social media (www.facebook.com/TheGoathouseRefuge and www.instagram.com/goathouserefuge) and share our posts with friends and family and other animal rescue organizations.

 

Sincerely,

Jeff Vojta
Helena Openshaw
2020 Goathouse Refuge Security Campaign Lead

 

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6/29/2020

 

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June 16, 2020