By Katie Scarvey
Salisbury Post
On March 6, the Busy Bees craft group at Rufty-Holmes Senior Center had some furry visitors at their meeting.
Lois Latimer, a volunteer with the Humane Society, had brought Jet, a sweet little beagle, as well as a cat and a chihuahua with a broken hind leg. Before the morning was over, someone working with senior services had committed to adopting Jet.
Latimer was visiting because one of the Busy Bees’ ongoing community projects is to make kennel covers for the animals that travel on the Sugarfoot Express, which is run by the Humane Society. Latimer is a Humane Society board member.
The Sugarfoot Express is a transport truck that makes monthly or bi-monthly runs to the low-cost spay/neuter clinic in Forsyth County. The Sugarfoot Express, which has been running for about five years now, takes 50-60 animals at a time.
Since the program began, it has served more than 5,000 animals, Latimer said. Last year, about 1,250 animals were spayed and neutered through Sugarfoot Express.
Prices start at $55 for dogs and $40 for cats, which is considerably less than what the surgeries would cost at a regular clinic.
Latimer told the Busy Bees that the covers are needed to help calm the animals down.
“They can be frightened to be in unfamiliar circumstances,” she said.
The covers also help to prevent the spread of germs.
Because the covers are often made of recycled fabric, which may not hold up well after repeated use, the Humane Society is always looking for more kennel covers.
The items are easy to make, since they are simply pieces of clean fabric cut to size.
The following sizes (in inches) are needed: 107 by 93; 89 by 76; 78 by 68; 57 by 64; 48 by 51; and 38 by 36.
Anyone with clean, old sheets or other large pieces of fabric may box them up and donate them to Rufty-Holmes, where the Busy Bees will cut them to size.
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The Busy Bees meet the first Thursday of each month from September through May at Rufty-Holmes.
Last year, the group assembled several quilts and donated them to Rowan Helping Ministries.
This year, they have focused on the women’s shelter and have made and donated afghans and quilts.
Each month, one member of the group teaches the group a craft.
Club membership is open and anyone wishing to join can call Barbara Bostian at 704-633-9587 or Lovern Bender at 704-638-0085.
“We’re not just a bunch of pretty faces,” Bender said. “We take on worthwhile projects and make a difference.”
At the gathering, Bender was teaching the Bees how to take a styrofoam ball and make a Christmas tree ornament that appears to be quilted. She’s hoping that the group can decorate a tree for the Arc’s Festival of Trees.The Bees clearly enjoy one another’s company.
“I’ll be 86,” said Gloria Ladd as she worked. “It’s wonderful to get old. It’s fun. That’s what I keep telling myself.”
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Contact Katie Scarvey at 704-797-4270 or kscarvey@salisburypost. com.