Television star Betty White, best known for her role on “The Golden Girls,” would have celebrated her 100th birthday today. White spent her whole life helping animal rescue organizations and always surrounded herself with animals.
“I have to stay in show business to pay for my animal business,” she once said.
Since her passing on Dec. 31, a viral social media campaign has been making its way around the internet to donate to locate shelters in honor of the entertainment icon.
The social media campaign requests donations of $5, five hours of volunteer time or donations of items individual shelters and animal rescues currently require to care for their animals.
For all of her long life, White was a tireless and devoted animal welfare advocate. Through her 70-year support of the American Humane Society, longer than any other supporter in their history, she championed the cause of millions for furred, finned and feathered friends around the world, according to the American Humane Society.
Dr. Robin Ganzert, CEO and president of the American Humane Society, was featured on “ABC World News Tonight” with David Muir and “Good Morning America,” discussing how individuals can honor White on what would have been her 100th birthday.
As part of the national campaign to raise money and donations for homeless and shelter animals around the local area, Bev Hull of Hull Electric plans to make a donation to No Feline Left Behind (NFLB) in honor of White, according to fellow fundraiser Chris Taylor.
“Hull electric will be making a donation to NFLB, in honor of Babs Hull, an 86-year-old kitty lover,” said daughter, Amy Hull. “Her beloved cat Kiki crossed the rainbow bridge 4 years ago, and due to health reasons, Babs can no longer care for a cat of her own, but hopes she can help several cats get their surgeries and vaccinations, and find loving forever homes.”
Since its inception, NFLB has helped 1,993 cats get spayed, neutered, vaccinated and re-homed, Taylor said.
“It costs an average of $80 per cat, and that money is raised by volunteers, bake sales or through online donations,” Taylor said.
Donations can be made through the mail at P.O. Box 783 in Bradford.
Donations can be made to NFLB either through its Facebook page or mailed to P.O. Box 783.
The McKean County SPCA is also accepting donations under the Bettty White Challenge. The SPCA listed recent donations from the Bradford Senior Activity center and from children at George G. Blaisdell Elementary School.
Contact the SPCA at (814) 362-8850.
NFLB is a registered tax-exempt organization. If the monetary donation or five hours of volunteer time is difficult, volunteers can also help with upcoming NFLB fundraising; by baking, donating gift baskets or simply attending future events.
Representatives from NFLB stated that their colony caregivers are always in need of donated cat food. Colony caregivers sometimes host as many as 30 cats, Taylor said.
“The board members of NFLB are hardworking people who don’t like recognition, but they should be recognized for everything they do for area animals,” Taylor said. “Vice president Lori Burkhouse, president Donna Meister, Debi Dyne and treasurer Pam Steck are stellar women who humble me with their huge commitment to homeless cats.”
Burkhouse explained donations can help the NFLB organization, stating they can always use assistance from volunteers for trapping stray cats. When trapping, the volunteers who undertake the task could also use cans of wet cat food as well as plastic to-go containers that have a divider for food and water.
Burkhouse also said that a large help would be the donation of gas cards, since volunteers and NFLB board members utilize their own vehicles to set traps and transport the animals once captured.
Lastly, she mentioned that the donation of thick large coolers and rubber made totes provide warming shelters for the feral cats until they can be safely captured. Since the warmer shelters are ideally filled with straw for warmth, gift cards to the Feedery on Chestnut Street would also be helpful, Burkhouse said.
White volunteered as a member of the American Humane Society’s board of directors, supported its “No Animals Were Harmed” program in protecting animals in film and television, lent her services to fundraising activities, acted as a judge and presenter for the nationally televised “American Humane Hero Dog Awards” and served as the chair of 106-year-old nationwide Be Kind to Animals Week, the most successful humane education campaign and the oldest commemorative week in U.S. history.
White reflected the Humane Society’s core values of compassion, caring and hope, which is why she received its highest honor, the National Humanitarian Medal.
NFLB will continue to raise funds in honor of White by hosting a Valentine’s Day bake sale and raffle from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Feb. 12 at Taylor Roofing on West Washington Street, Burkhouse said.
“We have seen such an uptick in donations all due to Betty White,” Ganzert said on “Good Morning America.” (She) would be smiling from heaven as she thinks about the Betty White Challenge on her birthday.”
For more information visit americanhumane.org and reference the #BettyWhiteChallenge.
