PAWS Magazine

Issue 39, Fall 1998

PAWS Honor Roll; Year-end Award Winners

The following individuals and organizations were honored at the PAWS year-end awards ceremony held October 21, at Seattle’s Scottish Rite Temple.

Craig McCaw

Craig McCaw was selected as PAWS’ Humanitarian of 1998 based on his work as chairman of the Free Willy/Keiko Foundation.

"Craig McCaw believed in the return of Keiko to his original habitat long before others did," says PAWS Executive Director Kathy Kelly.

McCaw is a Seattle businessman who has earned a great deal of money in several industries. Several years ago he quietly and anonymously donated significant funds to help establish the Free Willy/Keiko Foundation. After his anonymous role became known, McCaw took a more public role in the successful effort to bring Keiko back to his home waters off of Iceland.

Beyond Keiko, McCaw’s Free Willy/Keiko Foundation continues to take a leading role in the fight to return other whales to the wild. Their mission statement says it all: "To rescue, rehabilitate, and attempt to return captive and stranded cetaceans to their native habitats."

Ann Tanner

Ann has been volunteering with PAWS for longer than most PAWS staffers have been employed by PAWS. Ann is a senior volunteer at the Wildlife Center, working one shift a week. This past year Ann was the Wildlife Center’s co-coordinator for the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association Symposium, held in Bellevue. "Ann is awesome to work with," says the Wildlife Center supervisor Jennifer Convy. "She is experienced and motivated, and accomplishes so much for the animals.

Waterleaf Architecture and Interiors

Waterleaf has gone way above and beyond the call of duty in their help with planning the Wildlife Center’s proposed Large Mammal facility. Waterleaf has donated and estimated $50,000 in professional services this past year. For a period of several months, Waterleaf put one person, Cherry Leitz, full-time on the designing and planning of the facility. Waterleaf was especially instrumental in helping PAWS negotiate through the complicated site assessment process. "We just could not have gotten through this major hurdle without them," says Jeanne Wasserman, Director of the Wildlife Center. "Joe Chauncey, Chris Nagamine, Cherry, and everyone else at Waterleaf are just wonderful. There generosity and commitment is tremendous."

Mary Lou Calo

Mary Lou has been volunteering with PAWS for over five years. She has performed virtually every volunteer job that the shelter offers, including dog walking, cat behavior counseling, special events assistant, and most recently, assistant in the Greenwood Satellite Adoption Center in Seattle. As an assistant, Mary has used her extensive background in animal behavior to help guide new adopters in choosing lifetime companions.

Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project

The Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project is an entirely volunteer-staffed organization dedicated to ending the feral cat overpopulation problem. Once a month they operate a clinic where feral cat caretakers can bring in cats to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and tested for leukemia. The project has been operating for about one year, and has spayed or neutered more than 700 feral cats in the Puget Sound area.

Crown Hill Pet Supply

Leigh and Ron Briggs and Jeannie Kee of Crown Hill Pet Supply have made their shop a wonderful home for dozens of PAWS cats in the Offsite Adoption program. Many PAWS cats have come through their doors homeless, tired, and bewildered... longing for a family. The crew at Crown Hill has made each cat feel at home. The cats are able to roam about the store and are always content to lounge on the cat trees. Barclay, Cricket, Buddy, Simba, Buttons, and Puffins are just a few PAWS cats who now have wonderful, loving homes thanks to the folks at Crown Hill.

Nanci Johnson

Nanci is one of the many volunteers who make the PAWS foster care program a great success. PAWS Foster Care coordinator Ann Watkins is particularly grateful that Nanci has consistently been willing to take tiny kittens in for a night or two until other plans can be arranged. Nanci specializes in orphaned kittens, fostering many that are a young as two or three days old.

Pamela Buitrago

Pamela has been one of the Animal Advocacy department’s most dedicated volunteers. "She’s just the perfect volunteer," says Stephanie Bell of the Advocacy Department. "She truly makes a difference for animals." This year Pamela has organized four puppy mill protests, helped out with many other rallies and events, written letters to the editor, and worked very extensively on farm animal issues. "Pamela can always be counted on to help us," says Stephanie.

Connie Schwarz

Connie has been volunteering at PAWS for over two years. She has helped out in a variety of roles, from office assistant, to team leader for both the Adoption Photo Project and the Adoption Follow-up Program. She has also volunteered her time with PAWS events such as PAWSwalk and the annual Adopt-A-Thon. Connie was particularly helpful with PAWS’ most first-ever Wild Night auction.

103.7 FM The Mountain

103.7 FM The Mountain has been one of PAWS’ most consistent sponsors. For the past six years The Mountain has sponsored many PAWS events, including PAWSwalk, Santa PAWS, and our Adopt-A-Thons. The Mountain has donated hundreds of on-air ads, in-studio visits, as well as donated the services of PAWS’ favorite radio personalities: John Fisher and Dave Elvin. Fisher, the morning DJ, has been the co-host of PAWSwalk since almost the very first year, and co-hosted this year’s Wild Night. Elvin, the afternoon DJ, has hosted our last two Adopt-A-Thons as well.